Five rides, and probably not the strongest-looking book I’ve had, but that’s the nature of racing in the countdown to the Cheltenham.

It’s a complicated situation, with many permutations, but the long and the short of it is I don’t know for certain where I’ll be riding today.

The long-absent Jezki will not make his reappearance at Punchestown today and will instead be targeted at the Irish Champion Hurdle on January 29.

Willie Mullins is confident Annie Power will not be beaten for a lack of pace when she bids to make it third time lucky at the Cheltenham Festival in today’s Stan James Champion Hurdle.

The progressive Prince Of Scars caused an upset when landing the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday under a beautifully judged ride from Davy Russell.

Dan Skelton is considering stepping Baradari into Grade One company at Leopardstown over Christmas.

Hurricane Fly is collecting the pension. Douvan is going chasing and Jezki is injured and out for the foreseeable future so it looks like it is going to be a drab hurdling season. Think again. There will be a thousand great stories through the winter and ten of them could be here.

Jezki, winner of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2014, has been ruled out for the season after suffering a setback.

Willie Mullins hailed Hurricane Fly a “legend of a horse” after announcing the retirement of one of the greatest hurdlers of all time.

Willie Mullins reports Hurricane Fly in rude health ahead of the legendary hurdler’s return to his homeland for the Grande Course de Haies d’Auteuil in Paris tomorrow.

Don Cossack has been announced as the highest-rated jumps horse of the 2014/15 season in the Anglo-Irish Jump Classification on a mark of 175.

Jezki’s meritorious defeat of old adversary Hurricane Fly in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle, thrilling in its execution, proved a temporary interruption to the Willie Mullins Punchestown Show as the champion trainer completed a near 3,274-1 five-timer on the undercard on day three of the festival.

The ground wasn’t as slow as I thought it would be yesterday and it had an impact on all my rides, writes Ruby Walsh. 

It was the perfect conclusion to an imperfect campaign.

It is Round Four for the season in Ireland between Hurricane Fly and Jezki but it is a battle with a difference this time, taking place over three miles in the World Hurdle (5.30). 

Willie Mullins does not expect the step up to three miles to trouble Hurricane Fly as he tests his powers over the staying distance for the first time in today’s Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle.

It’s five years since trainer Enda Bolger last saddled the winner of the La Touche Cup but Quantitativeeasing can right that particular wrong in this afternoon’s renewal at Punchestown.

Racegoers at Punchestown next week look set for a treat with Jezki and Hurricane Fly set to clash over three miles in the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington stood relieved and thrilled in equal measure in the Liverpool sunshine yesterday after Jezki brought a frustrating run of results to an end with victory in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle.

Arctic Fire gets the chance to step out of his illustrious stablemate Hurricane Fly’s shadow when he goes for glory in the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle at the Liverpool course today.

Record-breaking Grade One winner Hurricane Fly is among a stellar entry of 14 for the Doom Bar Aintree Hurdle at the Liverpool track on Thursday.

Hurricane Fly has been nominated by trainer Willie Mullins for the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil in June.

There were so many good performances at Cheltenham this week it is hard to know where to start.

In delivering a third Champion Hurdle crown to the Closutton residence of trainer Willie Mullins, Faugheen silenced the doubters with a display of authority which established him as the leading hurdler in these isles — a position the unbeaten seven-year-old promises to command for a considerable period.

Selectivity and discipline are the key ingredients for any punter who harbours hopes of making a profit at Cheltenham this week, writes Pat Keane.

The talk is over and the action about to get underway at the Cheltenham Festival, and I’m hoping for a great start to the meeting as I’m riding four horses, all of which are favourite, writes Ruby Walsh.

Jessica Harrington is confident Jezki is in at least as good a form as 12 months ago as he prepares to defend his crown in the Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham today.

Owner Rich Ricci believes Faugheen represents his best chance of winning one of the championship events at the Cheltenham Festival ahead of his bid for glory in today’s Stan James Champion Hurdle.

The Stan James Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham can prove the next step in Faugheen’s development towards superstardom, writes Tommy Lyons.

"I made money nearly every day last year," John Francome begins before delivering the punchline with precision timing.

An estimated €125m will be wagered in Cheltenham this week as hundreds of thousands flock to the iconic course for AP McCoy’s swansong.

Paul Townend is under no illusions about the task facing Hurricane Fly ahead of his bid to regain the Stan James Champion Hurdle for a second time at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Bookmakers report a gathering of Tony McCoy support in the market on leading jockey at this year’s Cheltenham Festival.

The New One’s Stan James Champion Hurdle preparations neared completion yesterday with a satisfactory schooling session.

AP McCoy has revealed it is extremely doubtful he will hang up his saddle at the Cheltenham Festival. 

Although her stable star has lost to old foe Hurricane Fly three times this season, Jessica Harrington maintains that it is the Closutton legend’s stablemate, Faugheen that represents the biggest threat to Jezki retaining his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham next month.

It was a case of the best wine being kept until last in Punchestown yesterday as the Noel Meade-trained debutant Disko proved the undoubted star of the show when bolting-up in the bumper.

A little over 24 hours after Tony McCoy stunned the racing world in announcing he would retire at the end of the season, the irrepressible jockey roared to a fairytale success in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown.