EXCITING novices Sweeps Hill and Some Present were involved in a farcical, cat-and-mouse battle for the four-runner Tote Sports Lounge Novice Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

SIZING Europe will attempt to end the campaign on a high in the Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown today.

Punjabi bids to follow in the illustrious hoofprints of Istabraq and Hardy Eustace by completing the Cheltenham/Punchestown Champion Hurdle double tomorrow.

Al Eile will try to emulate Morley Street when he bids to win the John Smith’s Aintree Hurdle for a fourth time on Saturday.

Binocular could be part of the largest field for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle in 18 years with Nicky Henderson’s hot favourite one of 24 horses declared for Tuesday’s main event.

A total of 29 horses stand their ground at the latest forfeit stage for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle, the feature race of the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival.

ONE of the big stories to emerge from Leopardstown on Sunday, besides mighty Brave Inca, was the very poor attendance.

Muirhead looks like being Noel Meade’s sole representative in the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown next Sunday.

THE last four winners of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle could reoppose at the Cheltenham Festival as Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Katchit are among 34 possibles for this year’s renewal.

The last four winners of the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle could reoppose at the Cheltenham Festival as Hardy Eustace, Brave Inca, Sublimity and Katchit are among 34 possibles for this year’s renewal

TRAINER Noel Meade has offered an upbeat bulletin over his star hurdler Harchibald, but has said the ground will be the key factor as to where he turns up.

I’M in pretty good shape right now and feel about ten times better than I did a week ago.

TRAFFORD LAD, a horse who has been good to us in the past, is again entrusted with the nap in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Chase on a smashing card at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

“THAT’S twice he’s folded like a cheap suit as if there’s something wrong”, was the verdict of Tom Segal (Pricewise) in Monday’s Racing Post.

There were emotional scenes at Punchestown as Dessie Hughes' veteran Hardy Eustace claimed yet more Grade One glory in the Maplewood Developments Hurdle.

TRAFFORD LAD is napped to leave a moderate first effort over fences well behind by landing the Grade 3 A Space Cabins Florida Pearl Novice Chase at Punchestown this afternoon.

Noel Meade will walk the track before committing Harchibald to the Maplewood Developments Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

NOEL MEADE has decided against running Harchibald at Dundalk tomorrow night, but he could line up at the track next week instead.

Noel Meade has decided against running Harchibald at Dundalk tomorrow night, but he could line up at the track next week instead.

JERED advertised his Smurfit Champion Hurdle credentials when outpointing Cork All Star in the Grade 3 Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday.

Jered stormed to the top of VC Bet’s ante-post Champion Hurdle list with a fluent triumph in the Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal.

THE rather frustrating Cork All Star is fancied to finally put it together and land the Grade 3 Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal this afternoon.

Colm Murphy is hoping the testing conditions do not hinder Megans Joy too much when she lines up in the Grade Three Anglo Irish Bank Hurdle at Down Royal tomorrow.

Noel Meade will wait a while longer before taking the wraps off his exciting novice chase prospect Aran Concerto.

Grade One-winning novice hurdler Jered is likely to make his seasonal reappearance in the Ryan’s Cleaning Events Specialists Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday.

EXPERIENCE and stamina might give Kerryhead Windfarm the edge over novice Salford City in the Syncreon Automotive Chase at Limerick tonight.

THE most interesting horse on view at Cork this evening is Salford City, who makes his debut over fences in the Fleetwood and Coolgown Beginners Chase.

HARCHIBALD to come right back to his best form and land the nap is the prediction in this afternoon’s ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown.

TWIST MAGIC, so disappointing at Cheltenham, came back to something approaching his best when landing the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Jered has put up an impressive performance to win the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle.

CHELTENHAM hero Fiveforthree is the nap choice in the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle, one of three Grade 1’s on the programme at the opening stage of the Punchestown Festival this afternoon.

Noel Meade is hoping the decision to skip Cheltenham with Jered will pay off tomorrow in the Dunboyne Castle Hotel & Spa Novices Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

SNOWY Morning, despite the fact the conditions of the contest are hardly in his favour, gets the nap to win the attheraces.com Free Video Form Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

Cork All Star is all set for the Bar-One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday after coming through his latest piece of work with flying colours.

TOM DOYLE and Michael Bowe, who have developed into a potent combination of late, have real possibilites of a double with Coolcashin and You Sir at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

NOEL MEADE’S once-raced Nollaig gets the nap in the Rosegreeen Bumper at Clonmel this afternoon.

THE Noel Meade-Paul Carberry bandwagon continued on its merry way at Punchestown yesterday and it would be silly not to again have the inimitable duo on one’s side back at the Kildare course today.

CHARLIES FIRST rates the bet of the day in the Dolans' Warehouse Hurdle at Limerick this evening.