What What did we learn from the Christmas racing period? Lots we already knew, and a few things that we should have known.

Sometimes you have to go through hard times to truly appreciate good ones. Just ask Jack Kennedy.

If ever there was a day that might have convinced Michael O’Leary to reconsider his decision to wind down his racing operation, today was surely it.

Christmas was different, very different. It only really dawned on me how different as I strolled through Dublin airport on St Stephen’s morning at 7.45 rather than 5.45.

Jade Burns, 17, is missing from the Blanchardstown area since November 29.

Jayda’s family confirmed her death by sharing a statement on her Instagram Story.

Liz Dunphy The teenager whose bloodied face was shared in photos on social media this week said that only one person came to her aid during a vicious attack in Cork city centre on Saturday night.

Hard to know where to start with the Jade Goody revival, her corpse exhumed by Channel 4 and slapped on a digital slab for us all to have another gawp, writes Suzanne Harrington.

The reality TV star was a polarising character demonised by the very machine that helped create her and we all played a part in her fall from grace, writes Lindsay Woods

‘The Queen of Big Brother’, ‘The Princess of Bermondsey’, two of the many monikers bestowed upon former Big Brother contestant and reality TV star, Jade Goody. A polarising character, who was demonized by the very machine that helped create her.

Hard to know where to start with the whole Jade Goody revival, her corpse exhumed by Channel 4 and slapped on a digital slab for us all to have another gawp.

Jo Slevin, of Mr Kite Designs, talks to Aileen Lee about her Cork crafts company.

It is interesting to contrast the influence last year’s Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown had on Cheltenham, compared to this year’s renewal.

Any doubts surrounding Tiger Roll’s participation in the Aintree Grand National were allayed by his trainer Gordon Elliott yesterday, who also revealed that the gutsy nine-year-old may well be one of a number of his charges who could follow up in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

One of the principle reasons that National Hunt racing is more popular than the flat is that you build relationships with horses that can sustain for years and this was proved again and again this week.

IT has just occurred to bestselling author Aileen Cox Blundell that the initials of her new book (Baby-Friendly Family Cookbook) are BFF, or ‘Best Friends Forever’.

For the third consecutive year, the fifth time in the last 10 runnings, and a record ninth time in total, the familiar green and gold colours of JP McManus were carried to victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Beware The Bear claimed top honours in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

If you’re determined to win green this week, stick with this trio, says our top tipster Tommy Lyons

Here are all the latest headlines this lunchtime...

At the 11th hour we switched Klassical Dream back to the Supreme and he’ll be my first ride of the 2019 Cheltenham Festival. We had contemplated going up in trip with him after his win at the Dublin Racing Festival in Leopardstown but with the ground slowing and looking at the opposition – Felix Desjy will more than likely make it a strongly-run race – we thought this would be the right race for him.

Kayley Woollacott was widowed at 31 when her husband Richard finally lost his long battle with depression last year. She was left with a young daughter, a racing stable and two options. Fight or flight. She chose the former and has dealt the sort of grief that could crush a lesser mortal in a remarkably robust and positive way. She has embraced the legacy of her husband’s death to publicise the need for dialogue on men’s mental health while at the same time raising significant funds for charities working in the field.

Nicky Henderson reports Buveur D’Air to be in tip-top condition as he bids to become the sixth horse to record three successive victories in today’s Unibet Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Buveur D’Air will have to raise his game again if he is to land a record-equalling third consecutive Unibet Champion Hurdle, according to trainer Nicky Henderson.

It would be quite a stretch to suggest Buveur D’air’s eclipse in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton opened the door for would-be takers of his Champion Hurdle crown, but Samcro all but stepped out of the running for that distinction with another disappointing display, this time behind Sharjah in the Grade 1 Ryanair Hurdle on Saturday afternoon in Leopardstown.

Faugheen, Laurina and Benie Des Dieux are among a strong Willie Mullins entry for next month's baroneracing.com Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Andrea Mara talks to six men whose blogs about parenting challenge traditional views about the role of fathers.

Insp Paul Slattery sympathised with the Dinan family and told Patrick Dinan: “It was pure torture that I saw in your face during the search.”

Former England midfielder Ray Wilkins has died, his former club Chelsea have announced.

Day Two. Hmm. This doesn’t look appetising. The heaven-hyped Samcro runs, yes, but he’s one for the big hitters only.

Bookmakers were last night running scared of the fit-again Ruby Walsh ahead of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

A young man killed in Co Donegal on Saturday night was walking home after celebrating the christening of his baby son.

Death Duty completed a Grade One treble on the day for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud with victory in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Bualadh bos, cailiní.

The crew of LÉ William Butler Yeats is fully trained and equipped to deal with a new role in Operation Sophia, according to the ship’s commander.

The acute pangs for the Cotswolds began early yesterday. To unload the frustration, I tapped on my phone and screamed as loud as I could on Twitter. ‘I hate, hate anyone heading to Cheltenham today’.

Extending Cheltenham to four days has seriously diluted what’s on offer and it is very much illustrated by this afternoon’s Racing Post Arkle Trophy.

He may have had a reputation as the coke-snorting bad boy of ballet, but Helen Barlow found there’s a lot more to Sergei Polunin. He talks about dancing to Hozier and how he came to possess Mickey Rourke’s bloody pants.

There are just three and a half weeks to go to the Cheltenham Festival and all the horses are in full work, writes Ruby Walsh.