If the great and the good of the GAA can pontificate on Cheltenham, then why can’t the cream of the country’s jockeys hold court on the Championship?

CHELTENHAM’S cross-country course provided another dose of heavy drama for the wrong reason yesterday when seven riders ended up taking the wrong course with one obstacle remaining.

THE 11th annual Irish jockeys v bookmakers' assistants Galway Races Charities Cup, in aid of a number of charities, will take place at Terryland Park, Galway, courtesy of Galway FA, at 7.30pm next Saturday, July 30.

THE Henry de Bromhead-trained Days Hotel stormed away with the Lisronagh Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

I REFER to the two astonishing and disturbing letters (May 29) written by Aidan Barry of the South Western Fisheries Board and John O’Donoghue TD concerning the proposed reintroduction of commercial fishing in Castlemaine Harbour, Co Kerry.

BY tracking the long sea journey of a salmon from, say, a remote mountain stream in west Cork to distant Arctic seas, scientists can learn much about climate change.

NAAS Racecourse & Horse Racing Ireland will stage a novel event during the annual paddypower.com Cheltenham Trial day this Sunday.

Donal Hickey says deaths are baffling scientists

Cutting-edge DNA analysis is being used in an attempt to explain why alarmingly high numbers of salmon are dying at sea.

THE irony was immediately obvious: Bertie Ahern finished his address by talking of beginnings, yet he is now into his final days in office.

In many ways it is a complete anachronism in modern racing terms, but the La Touche Cup, run over Punchestown’s legendary ‘banks course’, is a uniquely Irish event which demands a combination of the disparate arts of steeplechasing and hunting from the combatants in this single eventful race.

WHAT an extraordinary last day of 2007!

FORGET The Past, third behind War Of Attrition and Hedgehunter in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last year, squeezed home a head in front Of Light On The Broom in the Thurles Chase at the Tipperary track yesterday.

BALLYCULLEN BOY, trained near Limerick racecourse by Maureen Danagher, made a solid start over fences when taking the Gurtinard Beginners Chase at Listowel yesterday.

ON Sunday, Davy Russell had an afternoon to forget at Killarney, but redressed the balance aboard Farmer Brown in the Laurels’ Bar Hurdle back at the track last night.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is supporting a call for a full inquiry into matters relating to the murder of Garda Richard Fallon on April 3, 1970.

WINS NOW, so impressive when scoring at Navan previously, confirmed the good impression created then when stepping up in class to beat Franklins Trail in the McCarthy Insurance Group Hurdle at Cork on Saturday.

TONY MARTIN’S After Midnight justified strong market support when winning the first division of the Rover Handicap Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

WILLIE MULLINS has yet another major string to his Cheltenham bow, following newcomer Ballytrim’s annihilation of the opposition in the Bumper at Thurles yesterday.

KYMANDJEN, a more than useful handicapper, landed the valuable Wilf Dooly Chase at Tramore yesterday to continue the good run of Paul Nolan and John Cullen.

CHARLIE SWAN, considering having no runners at Christmas after a few of his inmates had performed below expectations of late, changed his mind when What A Native defied top weight in the Molony Cup Handicap Chase at Thurles yesterday.

RACING at Tipperary last night was abandoned after six races when a cloudburst turned the ground into a virtual skating rink for the Ramada Ballykisteen Handicap Chase.

IT was probably a pointer in itself that Dermot Weld tossed newcomer Golden Arrow into Listed company on his debut in the Kerry Spring Water Rochestown Stakes at Cork yesterday.

JIM CULLOTY returns from a seven-week lay-off through injury with a ride at Exeter today.

UP-AND-COMING jump jockey Kieran Kelly was riding a horse with a reputation for falling when he received fatal injuries after his mount stumbled in a steeplechase, an inquest heard yesterday.

A 25-year-old jump jockey was riding a horse with a reputation for falling when he received fatal injuries after his mount stumbled in a steeplechase, an inquest heard today.

PAT HUGHES, whose Cache Creek bolted in at Leopardstown, landed the featured Murphy’s Handicap Hurdle at Killarney last night with Blue Away.

Junior Marine Minister John Browne has welcomed the appointment of Dr Ken Whelan of the Marine Institute as President of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO).

RUBY WALSH turned up the temperature at Ballybeggan Park yesterday with a sparkling treble as the big turn out enjoyed some fine racing in brilliant sunshine.

BARRY GERAGHTY will not have enjoyed watching the results as they came in from Limerick yesterday.

RUBY WALSH rode his first winners for Paul Nicholls in this country when Sporazene landed the featured IAWS Champion four-year-old Hurdle and Le Roi Miguel the Swordlestown Cup Novice ’Chase at Punchestown yesterday.