The Job Is Right is a hopeful choice to land a typically wide-open Goffs’ Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Lieutenant Colonel began a memorable day for Bryan Cooper when proving a very popular, and rather poignant, winner of the other Grade 1 on the card, the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

Jessica Harrington has reported Jezki in good form and on target for another instalment of the rivalry with Hurricane Fly in the Ryanair Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29.

Sandra Hughes gained an emotional first Grade One triumph just two weeks after the death of her father Dessie when Lieutenant Colonel won a dramatic Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Sandra Hughes gained an emotional first Grade One triumph just two weeks after the death of her father Dessie when Lieutenant Colonel won a dramatic Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Jezki, Hurricane Fly, Faugheen and More Of That all appear among a star-studded entry for the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on November 30.

Very few events can cause more than 16,000 people to fall silent, but when a crowd has come to the races to acclaim a queen, only to watch her carried out on her shield, a shocked hush is the only appropriate response.

You’d imagine the next time Jessica Harrington is looking for a jockey that Davy Russell will figure towards the top of her list.

Quevega is to retire from racing and begin a career as a broodmare after being beaten by shock winner Jetson in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown last night.

Tom George was thrilled to enjoy a welcome change of luck at the Punchestown Festival as God’s Own caused a huge surprise in the Ryanair Novice Chase in the hands of the irrepressible Barry Geraghty.

Brilliant mare Quevega could finish only second as Jetson caused a major upset in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown.

I’m a virtual certainty to make it to Cheltenham now, after Willie Mullins decided yesterday I was to take the weekend off.

My Tent Or Yours is likely to go down the racecourse gallop route in his preparation for the Stan James Champion Hurdle after trainer Nicky Henderson ruled out a trip to Wincanton.

It was a bit of a frustrating week even though Weather Watch came in at Tipperary on Thursday.

I have no runners today or tomorrow but will have five at Naas on Monday with Bendzoldan probably represents my best chance of a winner in the seven-furlong handicap.

Barizan earned a possible trip to Galway after putting his problems behind him with a gritty display to take the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle at Haydock.

The horses have run very well in the past week with two winners, three placed and three fourth out of 12 runners. Of the rest, only two ran any way disappointingly.

You can’t really complain when you bring two horses over to Aintree and come back with two seconds.

Jessica Harrington’s Jezki remains on course for next month’s Punchestown Festival following his excellent run in defeat in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

What another fantastic day of racing at Cheltenham, bringing to an end another magnificent festival.

Yesterday was a nearly day, as Jetson and Bostons Angel both ran their hearts out to be third and fourth.

Holywell broke a frustrating run of second place finishes where it mattered most when holding on to win the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival.

The ground is continuing to dry and I am delighted with that for both Jetson and Bostons Angel.

The preview nights have started in earnest and it’s a case of counting down the days to Cheltenham, after so long ticking off the weeks.

I was delighted with Bostons Angel finishing second in the cross-country chase at Cheltenham yesterday.

Jezki was very good last Sunday at Fairyhouse, doing everything right to beat a quality field in the Royal Bond. It has surprised us really how well he has handled the heavier going. That has given us a lot more options.

It was another great week with two winners from five runners, with the other three delighting me as well, while I was pretty hopeful that Miss Macnamara and Posh Frock would go close in Dundalk last night too.

Trainer Robbie Hennessy admitted “breathing a sigh of relief” after his father’s Mossley, ridden by Barry Geraghty, proved best in the Premier County Hurdle, holding the late challenge of Marlay Park by three-quarters of a length.

We are getting revved up for Punchestown, which gets under way next week.

Wexford houses a card this evening which is really without a redeeming feature and for those who cannot resist punting then wagers should be kept to the bare minimum.

People might not think it because I haven’t had a runner, but I would really love to have a horse good enough to take part in the Aintree Grand National. It is a race we all dream of winning but I just haven’t had one yet.

Flemenstar romped to an impressive eleven lengths win in the Grade 1 Powers Gold Cup at Fairyhouse yesterday.

We are coming off a desperate bout of seconditis at the moment, with four horses going very close but just not having their heads in front on the line in the past week.

Another brilliant festival has flown by and the last day is upon us.

Seven Barrows is the place to be right now if you’re a horse, and it’s not a bad place to be as a guest of Nicky Henderson’s either.

The two-day Leopardstown meeting is one of the busiest and most important we have had for a while.

IT was an up and down week of racing for us. It was great to get back among the winners again after six or seven weeks and just draw a line under that.

Classy filly Unaccompanied showed the boys the way home with an impressive performance in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.

WE are just undergoing a little bit of a lull in the yard at the moment and didn’t have a great week, but there have only been seven runners between last Saturday and last night.

I WAS happy with Oscars Well in the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown last Sunday.

NEW PHASE, winner of the contest a year ago, repeated the trick at Cork yesterday when landing the Follow Us On Facebook Hurdle.

THAT was mission accomplished at Cheltenham yesterday for Steps To Freedom and I was delighted. He took the journey no problem, travelled well during the race, jumped super and did the job on his first experience of a unique track even though the ground was softer than you’d think.

THE paddypower.com Grand National at Cork yesterday produced a terrific local victory with the Tom Nagle trained The Bishop Looney digging deep to beat Another Palm.

THE tempo of the national hunt season is really picking up for me this weekend as we say goodbye to a successful flat campaign.