Derek O’Connor dominated yesterday’s Bruff point-to-point fixture at Rathcannon, the first Munster meeting of the season incidentally, by partnering three winners.

Seven of nine protesters restrained by the High Court from interfering with workmen installing water meters in Dublin may face going to prison on Thursday for contempt of court.

Bryan Cooper and Dessie Hughes shared a New Year’s Day double in Fairyhouse as Lieutenant Colonel and Off The Charts powered to emphatic victories.

On a day when the John Berry-trained Cootamundra proved a shock winner of the Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase, enthusiasts in Navan witnessed impressive victories by exciting novices and potential stars Apache Stronghold, Moyle Park and Ballycasey.

A fall with Moonshine Lad at the second last hurdle denied Paul Carberry a comeback treble in Fairyhouse yesterday.

Ruby Walsh made his way to Thurles yesterday for just one ride, Noble Prince, in the featured John Meagher Memorial Chase and it duly obliged.

Jim Dreaper appears to have a seriously-talented-prospect on his hands in the form of Lord Fingal who lit up Saturday’s Ward Union hunt point-to-point at The Folly outside Oldtown in north Co Dublin by coming home as he pleased in the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

On a miserably wet afternoon for all concerned, the Pat Doyle-trained Serious Mixture lit up yesterday’s Kilkenny Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Grennan Castle outside Thomastown by recording a gallant pillar-to-post success in a competitive first division of the five-year-old geldings’ maiden.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Roi Du Mee, enterprisingly ridden by Paul Carberry, completed back-to-back wins in the Star ‘Best For Racing Coverage’ Chase, one of four Grade 3 events on yesterday’s card in Punchestown.

The suburban Chicago house where Ernest Hemingway is believed to have written some of his earliest works will be converted back into a single-family home, but fans of the novelist are welcome to visit, the new owners said.

Beastie Boys star Ad-Rock (Adam Horovitz) has paid tribute to his late bandmate MCA (Adam Yauch) following his death.

ROBERT TYNER’S Its The Ice I Like can land the nap in the Goresbridge Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.

No match for the classy So Young at Navan and back in novice company, 140-rated Trifolium ran out an impressive winner of the Grade 2 Racing UK Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

IT was an afternoon of firsts at yesterday’s well-attended Dungarvan Harriers point-to-point meeting at Kilossera as riders’ Paul Kiely, Daragh Howard and Michael Roche all attained their initial career victories.

ON a day when Hurricane Fly’s seasonal debut was postponed, probably until Christmas, Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh registered trebles at Fairyhouse.

I SUPPOSE people were probably a little surprised I returned to action in Britain yesterday, taking one ride at Wetherby.

'Fat' Freddie Thompson has consented to his extradition to Spain to face charges that he is a member of a criminal gang involved in drugs and arms trafficking.

US gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny has died at his home in Washington at the age of 86.

JAMIE CODD enjoyed the celebrations that followed his history-making point-to-point achievement of going through the card at Tinahely on Sunday, but it’s back to business now as he pursues a coveted jockeys’ title.

RUBY WALSH took the riding honours on a successful Student Raceday in Sligo yesterday, completing a double on favourites Traffic Article and Give Us A Hand.

Kieren Fallon pledged to concentrate every effort into securing a seventh jockeys’ title after riding his 100th winner of the season at Lingfield today.

LOCALLY-TRAINED Cootamundra survived late drama to justify odds-on favouritism in the Vinegar Hill Maiden Hurdle at Wexford last night, sparking a treble for Ruby Walsh, completed on the Tony Martin-trained pair Redera and Somatic.

RUBY WALSH can make sure punters are in good shape for the weekend by riding the first two winners at Wexford tonight.

ALPINE EAGLE, useful on the flat and over flights, can enjoy a first success over fences in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Beginners Chase at Ballinrobe tonight.

NORTHERN Ireland’s John A Patterson, from Crumlin, Co Antrim, showed the Alltech senior cow champion, Wiltor Goldwyn Lausine, at last weekend’s Emerald Expo Livestock Event at the Hub, Cillin Hill, Kilkenny.

JOHN QUEALLY’S Memories Of Milan justified strong market support, under Tim Carroll, in the Powerstown Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel last evening.

“I’M stunned, I didn’t expect that”, exclaimed Kieran Purcell, after his Smokey Joe Joe had taken the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle at odds of 25-1 at Limerick yesterday.

Tim Vaughan is already charting a route towards the Cheltenham Festival with impressive Market Rasen winner Architrave.

WEE GIANT gets the nap to make a winning debut over jumps in the Tayto Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick this afternoon.

KEVIN Prendergast’s Faranadooney can oblige at the third time of asking in the Ingard Point Maiden at Wexford this evening.

LONG odds-on Apt Approach had to dig deep to beat Taradoun in the Lisronagh Beginners Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

CHAMPION trainer Willie Mullins enjoyed mixed luck with two odds-on favourites at Fairyhouse yesterday, landing the bumper with 8/15 shot Paul Kristian.

NOEL Meade was delighted to see Pandorama silence the doubters by running out an impressive winner of the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

ARABELLA Boy proved the star of yesterday’s action at Fairyhouse, the Enda Bolger-trained four-year-old justifying odds-on favouritism in the INH Stallion Owners Novice Hurdle.

DAVY Russell excelled on the Paul Nolan-trained favourite Moskova as she completed a hat-trick over fences in the Ashbourne Mares Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

THE ups-and-downs of racing were never better illustrated that at Clonmel yesterday when the Ruby Walsh bandwagon came to a partial halt. Walsh has been on a terrific roll, following his Cheltenham exploits, and came to the meeting with nine winners in the bag for three racing days since returning home.

THE Margaret O’Sullivan-trained Oscar Delta confirmed the positive impression he created when shedding his maiden tag at Ballindenisk in December by landing a very competitive renewal of the winners of one at the Carbery Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Kilpatrick yesterday.

PERSIAN CITY was introduced at 40/1 by Cashmans for the Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham following his smooth success in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

THYNE AGAIN should get his season off to a winning start in the Woodlands Park 100 Poplar Square Chase at Naas today.

A man arrested after he allegedly pointed a hand-gun with a silencer at gardaí in Dublin on Wednesday last appeared in court today on firearms charges.

Ballistraw will attempt to prove there was no fluke about his recent 33-1 win in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

WHAT an extraordinary last day of 2007!

Aidan O’Brien has had his hands on the Racing Post Trophy four times in the last eight years and must fancy putting the prize back on the mantelpiece again tomorrow with Septimus.