BRAVE INCA is the choice to outbattle Harchibald in the featured bewleyshotels.com December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Intersky Falcon will face seven rivals when he bids for his third victory in the Stan James Christmas Hurdle at Sandown Park on Boxing Day.

Harchibald’s dramatic defeat in last season’s Champion Hurdle faded in the memory as he made amends with a dominant display to take the totesport Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham.

NOEL MEADE is hoping the ground remains on the good side ahead of Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald’s run in the totesport Bula Hurdle this afternoon.

Noel Meade is hoping the ground remains on the good side ahead of Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald’s run in the totesport Bula Hurdle tomorrow.

ARCALIS could bypass tomorrow’s Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle due to unsuitable ground at Newcastle.

LEADING Irish trainers will be able to judge conditions at Punchestown for themselves today when they go on the annual course walk ahead of next week’s four-day Festival.

Quazar provided further evidence that Jonjo O’Neill’s horses have finally escaped the doldrums when he formed the highlight of a 62-1 treble for Tony McCoy at Cheltenham today.

CHELTENHAM Gold Cup hero Kicking King is one of a clutch of big names among the possible runners at this month’s Punchestown Festival after entries for nine of the 10 Grade One races were revealed yesterday.

Intersky Falcon is likely to head to the Smurfit Champion Hurdle without a prep run, according to part-owner Terry McDermott.

Harchibald staked his claim for championship honours with a smooth success under a vintage Paul Carberry ride in the Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle today.

NOEL MEADE is looking forward to his first runner at Newcastle today as Harchibald prepares to prove his mettle in the Pertemps “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle.

Inglis Drever will bid to establish himself as one the leading candidates for Champion Hurdle next March when having his first start of the season in the Pertemps “Fighting Fifth” Hurdle at Newcastle tomorrow.

Dual Christmas Hurdle winner Intersky Falcon will miss his intended seasonal debut in the RHT 40th Anniversary Hurdle at Kempton Park on Saturday.

Liam Cooper has announced his retirement after admitting: “One more heavy fall and I could have been history.”

INTERSKY FALCON heads a field of eight for the £70,000 Concept Hurdle at Sandown today.

Hardy Eustace, trained by Dessie Hughes and ridden by Conor O'Dwyer, was a shock winner of the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Philip Hobbs today reported Rooster Booster to be in fine shape ahead of his bid to win the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for the second year running at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Soccer personalities will be in the spotlight on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival if Intersky Falcon wins the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Rooster Booster is a top-priced 13-8 with Blue Square to retain his crown in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

RUBY WALSH yesterday expressed confidence that Azertyuiop will give Moscow Flyer a real battle in the Champion ’Chase at Cheltenham next week.

Nicky Henderson’s amazing run of Saturday specials shows no sign of ending after Isio struck under Barry Geraghty to take the inaugural running of the £100,000 (€148,600) Vodafone Gold Cup at Newbury yesterday.

Jonjo O’Neill has made it clear that he regards Intersky Falcon as his best chance of winning the Smurfit Champion Hurdle even though the stable’s Rhinestone Cowboy is a shorter price in the betting.

Philip Hobbs admitted today that the Smurfit Champion Hurdle can’t come quick enough for Rooster Booster.

Intersky Falcon has been ruled out of Sunday's AIG (Europe) Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Trainer Howard Johnson is hoping for a commanding performance from his Champion Hurdle hope Chivalry at Kelso tomorrow.

RHINESTONE COWBOY can tighten his grip on the Champion Hurdle betting by landing the Grade One Bewleys’ Hotels December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

INTERSKY FALCON bounced back into the reckoning for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle when winning the Jobs@Pertemps City Christmas Hurdle for the second time at Kempton yesterday.

Rooster Booster will face six rivals when he bids to get back on the winning track in the Jobs@Pertemps City Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on St Stephen's Day.

Last year’s winner Intersky Falcon heads 13 entries for the Jobs At Pertemps City Christmas Hurdle at Kempton on St Stephen's Day.

Cheltenham’s crowded grandstands were stunned into silence as champion hurdler Rooster Booster trailed home fifth in his comeback race.

BEEF OR SALMON, whose jumping was suspect on his seasonal reappearance at Clonmel, will have a racecourse school this morning in preparation for Sunday’s Grade One John Durkan Memorial ‘Chase at Punchestown.

LORD OF THE HILL maintained the fine run of form of local trainer Heather Dalton’s horses when winning for the second time in four days.

NOEL MEADE’S Dizzy’s Dream can make a successful debut over jumps in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

CHAMPION Hurdle aspirant Back In Front gets the vote to beat Intersky Falcon in a fascinating John James McManus Memorial Hurdle at Tipperary tomorrow.

MARCUS TREGONING yesterday reported all was well with Nayef ahead of his tilt at next weekend’s Dubai World Cup.

RICHARD JOHNSON and Philip Hobbs combined to land their first every Champion Hurdle when the grey Rooster Booster punctured some big reputations with as easy a win as you could wish to see at Cheltenham yesterday.

Rooster Booster produced a scintillating display to win the Smurfit Champion Hurdle.

Jonjo O’Neill looks certain to saddle the first two in the betting for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle as he bids to become the first since Fred Winter to train as well as ride a winner of the opening day feature of the Cheltenham Festival.

JONJO O’NEILL looks certain to saddle the first two in the betting for the Smurfit Champion Hurdle as he bids to become the first since Fred Winter to train as well as ride a winner of the opening day feature of the Cheltenham Festival.

A BATTLE plan devised for Cheltenham Festival in the heat of July involving a a horse with just four runs on the board might seem like mid-summer madness. But to trainer Noel Chance it made perfect sense.

CHRISTY ROCHE was almost speechless after what was a magnificent Grade 1 battle between his mare Like-A-Butterfly and the all-conquering Limestone Lad.

Paddy Power make Like-A-Butterfly their new market leader for the AIG Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday after the defection of Intersky Falcon, who was declared a non-runner by trainer Jonjo O’Neill on Thursday.