THE teak-tough Blazing Bailey dug deep to win the ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday giving trainer, Alan King, his first ever winner at the Festival.

Fourteen GCSE students have been suspended as part of a probe into cannabis smoking by a Northern Ireland school, it was revealed tonight.

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.

STAR performers such as Hardy Eustace, Harbour Pilot and Moscow Flyer are likely to be attracted by record prize money of €1.7m at the four-day Punchestown Festival next month.

PUNCHESTOWN racecourse is introducing a range of incentives to boost the appeal of its National Hunt Festival this spring outside Ireland.