Irish Examiner racing correspondent Pat Keane joined Channel 4 experts Jim McGrath, Graham Cunningham, Tanya Stevenson and Mick Fitzgerald, along with Racing UK presenters Rishi Persad, Oli Bell and Gordon Brown and former jockey Kirsty Milczarek, to offer some guidance and insight into who and what to look out for in the year ahead.

Connections of Uxizandre are hoping the six-year-old can start the season the way he ended the last campaign with victory at Aintree.

John Hanlon believes Usuel Smurfer has plenty going for him in the Guinness Kerry National at Listowel today.

Proud Scotsman Alan King believes Godsmejudge could be coming back to form at the right time ahead of his defence of the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

The prestigious three mile and five furlong Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse is one of the few major prizes to elude champion trainer Willie Mullins and he unsurprisingly has a plethora of entries this year, including Prince De Beauchene, Vesper Bell, Touch The Eden and Away We Go.

Coolking is a fair shout in the Higos Insurance Services Devon National Handicap Chase at Exeter today.

John Wade’s Harris Hawk caught the eye first time out this season and can go well off bottom weight in the Yorkshire Post Ladies Evening – 29th May Handicap Chase at Wetherby today.

Tom Scudamore feels a more generous pace in Saturday’s Wessex Youth Trust Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot could finally get the best out of the wayward Grands Crus.

Trainer David Pipe admits Ballynagour is a “hard horse to predict” ahead of the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham today.

Paul Carberry will be reunited with Monbeg Dude in tomorrow’s Betfred Grand National Trial after a merry-go-round of jockey bookings for Haydock’s big race.

Goldmadchen went close on his latest start and can strike in the coral.co.uk Mobile Betting Handicap at Southwell.

Trainer Henry de Bromhead will step up Sizing Europe’s Cheltenham Festival preparations when he runs the 11-year-old in the Grade 2 Boylesports.com Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.

Sprinter Sacre will have six rivals in tomorrow’s Victor Chandler Chase at Ascot, if the meeting survives a 4.30pm precautionary inspection today.

Cheltenham Festival winning-jockey Campbell Gillies has reportedly died following an accident on holiday in Corfu.

Only for the Mullins family this week, with some help from Rodger Sweeney, Ireland would have been sunk without trace.

Brindisi Breeze landed a rare Scottish win at the Cheltenham Festival when Lucinda Russell’s charge upset the Irish banker Boston Bob in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle.

THE improving Charlie’s Vic gets the nod in the five-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Downpatrick this afternoon.

Lucinda Russell’s team appear to be hitting top form just in time for next week’s Cheltenham Festival and while Rhymers Ha’ is some way off the calibre required for Prestbury Park, he merits serious respect in the Newcastle Falcons “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Newcastle today.

Giles Cross may be odds-against to turn up in the Grand National itself but he left his connections thrilled after claiming a deserved big-race victory in the Betfred Grand National Trial at Haydock.

Lucinda Russell’s high-class chaser Silver By Nature has been ruled out of the current campaign with a leg injury.

ALTHOUGH virtually ignored in the market, the Ruby Walsh ridden Sulwaan made a successful debut for Dermot Weld when proving too strong for Tavern Times and Princeton Plains in the Irish Stallion Farms Novice Hurdle in Sligo yesterday.

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Silver By Nature has been given the go-ahead to run in the John Smith’s Grand National following discussions between owners Geoff and Joyce Brown, trainer Lucinda Russell and her partner, former champion jump jockey Peter Scudamore.

NACARAT heads a field of 17 declared runners in the Racing Post Chase at Kempton tomorrow.

Silver By Nature defied top weight in determined fashion to win the totesport.com Grand National Trial for the second year running at Haydock.

James Motherway has been forced to rule Bluesea Cracker out of Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

James Motherway has been forced to rule Bluesea Cracker out of Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

Silver By Nature remains at the head of the weights for Saturday’s rearranged Coral Welsh National at Chepstow.

Silver By Nature now tops the weights for the Coral Welsh National after 13 horses were taken out of the December 27 race.

CHINA ROCK has been ruled out of Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury after suffering a minor setback.

Dual winner Denman heads 20 horses standing their ground in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury on Saturday at the five-day stage.

DENMAN is likely to head to Punchestown after being ruled out of Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National.

This Saturday’s Coral Scottish National has suffered a second blow with the loss of Silver By Nature from a leg injury.

DENMAN is “virtually certain” to run in next month’s Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr if conditions are deemed suitable.

Racing got underway at Carlisle today despite heavy rain throughout the morning and the going changing to an official description of soft, heavy in places.

Campbell Gillies could be back in competitive action in December despite his horrible accident at Aintree last Sunday.

Campbell Gillies had to be taken to hospital after a sickening incident at Aintree on Sunday.

Knockara Beau is set for a trip to Aintree following an impressive victory in the Grade Two totepool Premier Kelso Hurdle at the Borders venue.

Cloudy Lane’s Grand National preparations were hampered as he crashed out at the first fence in the totesport.com Premier Chase at Kelso to gift Money Trix an easy success.

Denis O’Regan was in cracking form at Ayr with a treble highlighted by imposing Cheltenham hope Quwetwo in the Blue Square Poker Novices’ Hurdle.

Trainer Joss Saville ended his wait for a winner as Panama At Once emerged from the gloom to triumph at Newcastle.

Lucinda Russell was left singing the praises of her conditional jockey Campbell Gillies after the victory of Nelliedonethat at Musselburgh.

Ferdy Murphy is looking forward to having a crack at some decent handicaps with Divers after his