The Henry de Bromhead-trained Sadler’s Risk belied his relative inexperience over fences when taking an eventful renewal of the Ladbrokes Munster National yesterday afternoon at Limerick racecourse.

Rachael Blackmore recorded her first success as a professional when getting 11-2 chance Most Honourable home in front by the narrowest of margins in the Woodrooff Handicap Hurdle last night at Clonmel track.

In the closing days of August 1975, Paddy Downey, the revered Gaelic games correspondent of The Irish Times, made a little pilgrimage to Kilkenny and had a ball.

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.

Speaking at the History of Hurling one-day seminar held at The Schoolhouse venue at Muckross House in Killarney last Saturday, one of the most stylish forwards of his era reflected on a 19-year senior inter-county career.

Fethard-based veterinary surgeon John Halley had an afternoon to remember at Saturday’s Tipperary Foxhounds point-to-point at Lisronagh, sending out two winners.

Mouse Morris’ Spot Fine is the nap choice to get off the mark at the 18th attempt in the Mayo News Maiden Hurdle at Ballinrobe tonight.

The Tipperary Foxhounds point-to-point meeting at Lisronagh on Saturday afternoon brought new meaning to the phrase ‘marathon’ for the fixture saw some 175 horses participating on a 12-race card with proceedings drawing to a close at 7.45pm following a 2.30pm start.

It looked competitive on paper, but Burrenbridge Lodge turned the featured Lartigue Hurdle into a procession at Listowel yesterday.

For older generations of hurling supporters who witnessed Galway’s first-half demolition of Kilkenny yesterday there were shades of days gone by when a seemingly invincible team were similarly demolished.

FEATURE event at Cork yesterday was the Imperial Call Chase, but this was a Grade 3 in name only after a really pathetic response by trainers.

Flemenstar exacted resounding revenge on Bog Warrior when landing the Grade 3 Naas Directors Novice Chase in Naas yesterday.

WHEN Howard Johnson retired from training in England his principal patrons, Graham and Andrea Wylie, decided to send a batch of horses to Willie Mullins.

IT was a memorable afternoon for Bill Shanahan at yesterday’s Duhallow-Kanturk point-to-point meeting at Dromahane as the 21-year-old from Ballinure in Co Tipperary partnered his first career winner aboard James Dullea’s unconsidered 14/1 shot Rotorua in the open lightweight.

THE big attraction at Gowran Park this afternoon (where there is a 7.30am inspection due to persistent rain yesterday) is Sizing Europe, who makes his seasonal debut in the Grade 2 PricewaterhouseCoopers Champion Chase.

DR TOMMY is the hopeful nap choice in the Tayto Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick this evening, on what is yet another dreadful Irish programme.

PAUL CARBERRY was seen at his confident best when producing the Noel Meade-trained London Bridge with a perfectly-timed late challenge to justify 6/4 favouritism in the featured Westmeath Hurdle at Kilbeggan last evening.

DAVID Wachman’s Outback is fancied to lead his rivals a merry dance in the Donnellys’ Of Barna EBF Maiden at Galway this afternoon.

THE Davy Russell-Gigginstown House Stud success story continued at Cork yesterday when Stonemaster battled on strongly to land the www.racinghomeforeaster.com Hurdle.

“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.

HURRICANE Havoc looks the bet of the weekend in the Lanwades And Staffordstown Studs Stakes at the Curragh tomorrow.

GHETTO GOSPEL is the nap choice to complete a real rags-to-riches story in the valuable Specsavers 2 for 1 Ulster Harp Derby at Down Royal this afternoon.

THE progressive Saludos can land the Grade 2 Festival Party Pack Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

THE KINGS SWORD, trained by former Kilkenny hurler, Kieran Purcell, can land the nap in the 20-runner Christmas Vouchers Maiden Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.

IN COMPLIANCE, having his first run since December of 2007, made a stunning return in the Thurles Chase at Thurles yesterday.

ROYAL County Star, trained by Tony Martin and ridden with typical confidence by Davy Russell, landed the featured Enhance Marketing Chase at Punchestown last night.

Royal County Star put up a polished performance to take a nice prize at Punchestown in the shape of the Enhance Marketing Chase this evening.

They’re tied on 30 All-Ireland titles each, but there’s more at stake at Croke Park tomorrow for Cork and Kilkenny than statistics. Stars of the 70’s, Cork’s Brian Murphy and Kilkenny’s Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin discuss battles past and tomorrow’s semi-final with Diarmuid O’Flynn.

FLORRIE’S BOY, trained by Eamonn ‘Dusty’ Sheehy for the Butler Family Syndicate, proved a fortunate winner of the Gain Horsefeeds Novice Chase at Clonmel last night.

CONNA CASTLE, who lost his chance in the Galway Plate with a bad blunder at the ninth, got back on the winning trail in the Southampton Goodwill Chase at Listowel yesterday.

TRALEE, whose future is very much in doubt anyway, didn’t have the best of starts to its five-day Festival yesterday, when the meeting was the subject of a bomb scare.

One was a full-back, the other a goalkeeper. Diarmuid O’Flynn brought Fan Larkin of Kilkenny and Cork’s Martin Coleman together.

Mister Hight, who heads the ante-post market in some books for the JCB Triumph Hurdle, is a red-hot favourite with the sponsors for the Cashmans Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

OH SO LIVELY, winner of the race last year, did the business again in the David O'Meara and Sons Handicap Chase at Cork yesterday.

CURRAGH trainer Dessie Hughes is enjoying a tremendous run with his summer team and took the honours at Kilbeggan last night where Zululand and Hows Trix provided him with a double.

Pat Keane