I think today is my weakest book of rides of the week and will be delighted to get among the winners.

Sprinter Sacre stood his ground among eight entries remaining in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday but Flemenstar has been ruled out after connections decided to give the eight-year-old a wind operation.

A week ago I said here that the only way Sanctuaire could beat Sprinter Sacre in the Victor Chandler at Ascot, which was postponed and subsequently rescheduled to Cheltenham this afternoon, was if Nicky Henderson’s headman forgot to load their horse into the box.

Paul Nicholls’ Lexus hero Tidal Bay is one of the 16 entries in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 9.

Long Run may set his own pace as the 2011 Gold Cup hero bids to reclaim his William Hill King George VI Chase crown at Kempton on Wednesday.

I’m hoping to win the King George at Kempton on Wednesday aboard Kauto Stone, but the more I’ve looked at the race the more convinced I’ve become that Long Run is going to be hard to beat.

David Elsworth, trainer of the legendary Desert Orchid, believes Long Run is the horse to beat in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton.

Henry de Bromhead has confirmed Sizing Europe will not run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Trainer Paul Nicholls has confirmed that Ruby Walsh will now ride Kauto Stone in the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Mouse Morris is set to saddle both Hennessy Gold Cup third First Lieutenant and the returning China Rock in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

Mouse Morris is set to saddle both Hennessy Gold Cup third First Lieutenant and the returning China Rock in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

Grands Crus’ part-owner Roger Stanley maintains no hasty decisions will be taken over whether the grey participates in the William Hill King George VI Chase.

Daryl Jacob has appealed against the 10-day ban handed out by the Wincanton stewards for failing to ride out to the line on Ulis De Vassy last Thursday.

Jockey Barry Geraghty believes Hennessy Gold Cup winner Bobs Worth deserves to be the ante-post favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Kauto Star may be nicely tucked up in his box enjoying retirement, but Paul Nicholls could still have an embarrassment of riches come Boxing Day at Kempton.

Peter Casey stresses that the Irish Form Book Fortria Chase at Navan tomorrow is a starting point for his flagship horse Flemenstar.

Kauto Stone made a successful seasonal bow as he landed the Grade One JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal.

The first four home from Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase are all entered in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on April 24.

The first four home from Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase are all entered in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on April 24.

Robbie Power was over 15 lengths behind Finian’s Rainbow and Sizing Europe by the time they breasted the line in yesterda’s Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Finian’s Rainbow made Nicky Henderson’s afternoon perfectly complete following a sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase in which it was almost impossible to encapsulate the drama.

Finian’s Rainbow completed a magical afternoon for trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Barry Geraghty as he landed the sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Last year’s winner Sizing Europe heads a select field of eight declared for Wednesday’s sportingbet.com Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Ruby Walsh has an enviable book of rides at Cheltenham as he bids to add to his record tally of winners at the Festival.

The reaction of both the bookmakers and sections of the press to the recent success of Long Run at Newbury, at least to my way of thinking, was a little surprising.

Riverside Theatre made the perfect return to action as he landed back-to-back runnings of the Betfair Ascot Chase this afternoon.

I think I’ll win the Betfair Chase at Ascot this afternoon on Kauto Stone.

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Long Run could face up to seven rivals in the rearranged Betfair Denman Chase at Newbury on Friday.

YOU could only describe it as the herd mentality.

FINIAN’S Rainbow features among eight confirmations for Saturday’s 25th Anniversary Of The Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot.

COLIN TIZZARD plans to give Cue Card one more outing before having a tilt at the Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

KAUTO STONE and Wishfull Thinking were among half a dozen defectors from the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Stephen’s Day.

PAUL Nicholls admits he is unsure what to expect from Kauto Stone as he drops to the minimum distance for the Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown today.

YESTERDAY wasn’t one of my better days. I had no luck with a couple of rides at Sandown, which was on the back of news breaking that Tataniano, my intended mount in today’s Tingle Creek, had suffered an injury and is out for the rest of the season.

GIGGINSTOWN House Stud owner Michael O’Leary will be delighted to hold such a strong hand in tomorrow’s Drinmore Novices’ Chase at Fairyhouse and he can land the spoils courtesy of Tony Martin’s Bog Warrior.

SIZING EUROPE continued to shorten up as favourite for Saturday’s Sportingbet Tingle Creek Chase after major rival Finian’s Rainbow was ruled out yesterday.

PAUL Nicholls has given Tataniano and Kauto Stone entries in the Sportingbet Tingle Creek at Sandown on Saturday as he seeks to continue his domination of the two-mile feature.

Tranquil Sea is likely to head for back-to-back wins in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown after doing just that in the Clonmel Oil Chase.

TRANQUIL SEA, winner of the race a year earlier, duly outclassed his three rivals in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

AS I’m sure you are aware, I lost my appeal in London on Thursday morning against a five-day whip ban incurred at Aintree.

THE tough Quito De La Roque is put forward as the most likely winner of the Grade 1 JNWine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal this afternoon.

Ruby Walsh is to consider limiting his visits to the UK for big meetings after being stunned at picking up a five-day ban for using his whip with excessive frequency when winning on Edgardo Sol at Aintree.

KAUTO Stone, a half-brother to Kauto Star, has joined his esteemed older sibling at Paul Nicholls’ yard in Ditcheat.