Police in Brazil have named Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) sports director Martin Burke as a new suspect in their ticket touting probe.

Shanahan’s Turn made an impressive chasing debut when landing the Ballymore Christmas Fair Beginners Chase at the expense of Wounded Warrior in Punchestown yesterday.

Kerry SFC: Milltown/Castlemaine 0-18 West Kerry 2-12

Castletroy College 20 Glenstal 10

Bryan Cooper rode his first ever winner for Willie Mullins when guiding Gigginstown House Stud’s Don Poli to victory in the INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

No sooner had Martin Burke hoisted the Munster trophy, but manager PJ Reidy was plotting an All-Ireland assault.

Keel 0-14 Feohanagh/Castlemahon 0-04

Keel 0-14 Feohanagh/Castlemahon 0-04

The progressive Willie Mullins-trained Arvika Ligeonniere was far too good for his five rivals in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

Dual All-Ireland minor medallists are rare, making it an even smaller club those to have achieved that as well as winning a Dr Harty Cup.

Italian premier Mario Monti will set the tone for beleaguered business and political leaders gathering in Davos this week for the annual World Economic Forum (WEF), with a speech entitled ‘Leading against the odds’.

The highly-regarded Rule The World coasted to an impressive victory in the Grade 2 Slaney Novice Hurdle in Naas yesterday as 1/4 favourite Champagne Fever flopped badly, trailing in a distant third before being found to have “a respiratory tract infection”.

The Annual Membership Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday didn’t half capture the imagination.

When Grace Kelly came to Dublin, she always requested the same room in The Shelbourne Hotel. Today it is known as the Princess Grace suite, writes Vickie Maye.

Trainer Tim Doyle, successful with 20/1 shot Peinora in Tipperary earlier, completed a notable across-the-card double when well-backed Mullowney proved best in the Ballinrobe Golf Club Maiden Hurdle in Balinrobe last night, beating favourite Ted Dolly convincingly by almost five lengths to give 7lb. claimer Martin Burke his first win since December.

WILLIE MULLINS’ So Young enjoyed his anticipated lap of honour in the Listed Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

FIVE men became involved in a “violent row” after a car-ramming incident in broad daylight at a busy city roundabout, a court has heard.

WILLIE MULLINS landed the Grade 2 Slaney Hurdle at Naas yesterday, not with 6/4 favourite Bishopsfurze, but with front-running Gagewell Flyer, enterprisingly ridden by the trainer’s nephew Emmet.

DICK HOOPER, Ireland’s Marathon Man, will be at his old stomping ground, St Anne’s Park in Raheny, tomorrow to present the prizes for the Dublin City Council/BHAA road races when the programme will be comprised of a men’s four-mile race and women’s two mile race.

THE famous Beef Or Salmon colours of Joe Craig were carried to victory by the well-backed Awkward Moment in the INH Stallion Owners Maiden Hurdle at Downpatrick yesterday.

IRISH ATHLETICS legend Sonia O’Sullivan is set for an Olympic return – but not on the track.

GLENFINN CAPTAIN, who failed to win last season, struck gold at the first time of asking for this campaign when storming away with the Wilderness Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

A TEAM rarely captures the Munster Schools Senior Cup without at least one outstanding talent in its ranks, a young man who can turn a game with just one piece of magic.

TODAY’S Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup final (Dooradoyle, 3pm) between Castletroy College and Christian Brothers College (CBC) could well be billed the second David and Goliath clash of the tournament.

PRESENTATION Brothers College, Cork put their Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup title on the line at Clifford Park, Limerick today (3pm) against an inexperienced Castletroy College side.

ALMOST 11,000 people have applied for 2,000 garda posts, it emerged yesterday.

Almost 11,000 people have applied for just 2,000 Garda posts, it emerged today.

THE landmark Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin made a pre-tax loss of €81,904 in the year to end June 2003.

IRELAND could have its smallest team in years at next year’s Olympic Games in Athens as the race for qualification gathers momentum.

The whereabouts of an Irish oil worker reportedly kidnapped in Ecuador in October is still unclear after a ransom of $25,000 (€23,800) was handed over to his abductors last month by his Argentinean employers.