David Wachman’s announcement this week that he is to retire from training at the end of the season, after some 20 years, encouraged one to reflect on various aspects of this great game.

Irish jockey legends Mick Kinane and Johnny Murtagh expect Golden Horn to come out on top in his showdown with Gleaneagles in the Juddmonte International at York today.

Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus has cancelled his European trip and pulled out of Monday’s Christy O’Connor Junior Celeb-Am in aid of Galway Hospice at Galway Bay Golf Resort.

High Chaparral, winner of the 2002 Derby, has been put down at Fethard Equine Hospital, aged 15.

Mick Kinane has hailed Vintage Crop as an "iconic stayer" after the Melbourne Cup hero passed away at the age of 27.

Mick Kinane has hailed Vintage Crop as an “iconic stayer” after the Melbourne Cup hero passed away at the age of 27.

Aidan O’Brien is back on the Gold Cup trail at Ascot with Leading Light and it is going to be fascinating to see how this pans out next month.

Australia has to do more than just win the Epsom Derby on June 7, he has to virtually bolt in if Aidan O’Brien’s blushes are to be saved.

Last Tuesday night it was my pleasant duty to be part of a large Irish contingent who were invited to be guests of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

The 12-year-old Captain Cee Bee was far too good for his younger rivals in the Grade 2 Friends’ Of Tipperary Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

It was the kind of gathering Colm Murray would have loved.

Qewy bids to enhance John Oxx’s excellent record as he lines up in the Listed Lenebane Stakes at Roscommon tomorrow evening.

Doncaster’s third running of the Clipper Logistics Leger Legends Classified Stakes was again won by a jockey worthy of the title as Mick Kinane and Patriotic held on in a tight finish yesterday.

Legendary jockey Mick Kinane is looking forward to getting back in the saddle for a good cause at Doncaster tomorrow.

Mick Kinane will be roaring on Born To Sea as he bids to emulate half-brother Sea The Stars by winning the the Qipco 2000 Guineas.

Mick Kinane will be roaring on Born To Sea as he bids to emulate half-brother Sea The Stars by winning the the Qipco 2000 Guineas at Newmarket tomorrow.

A big-race winner would be nice, leading into Punchestown, and hopefully it may come with Harry The Viking in the Scottish National at Ayr this afternoon.

Mick Kinane landed the honours on American Trilogy in the John Smith's Aintree Legends Charity Flat Race at Aintree today.

Mick Kinane and John Hammond led the tributes to Montjeu after one of the greatest racehorses of the modern era and the sire of three Epsom Derby winners died, aged 16, following a short illness.

Montjeu, the sire of three Epsom Derby winners, has died aged 16 after a short illness.

SEAMIE Heffernan has been studying old renewals of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in an attempt to plot the best path to success on So You Think at Longchamp on Sunday.

Former Newmarket trainer Michael Jarvis died today at the age of 73.

JOHN OXX is looking forward to renewing his association with Johnny Murtagh after the jockey was retained to ride all of the Aga Khan’s Irish-trained horses in 2011.

MICK KINANE yesterday dampened hopes of a first Irish winner of the Melbourne Cup for eight years, arguing that the trip could well prove beyond Dermot Weld’s star filly Profound Beauty.

PROFOUND Beauty will face seven rivals as she bids for a first Group One success in the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh this weekend.

Profound Beauty will face seven rivals as she bids for a first Group One success in the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh.

Aidan O'Brien has confirmed Cape Blanco is to miss the Investec Derby in favour of the French version 24 hours later.

AIDAN O’BRIEN finalised his Investec Derby plans yesterday and will take a team of three to Epsom.

Mick Kinane is hoping he can help drum up further interest in the Irish Flat scene after being named Horse Racing Ireland’s Flat Ambassador for 2010.

ESKENDEREYA has been ruled out of Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs after suffering a setback.

Tommy Stack’s whirlwind start to the new Flat campaign continued with a 571/2-1 double at Leopardstown.

The cabinet reshuffle didn’t please most people but the one good thing to come out of it was that racing has gone back into the Department of Agriculture from Sport.

EDWARD O’Grady warned punters Osana has yet to reach his peak this season ahead of his tilt at the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham.

Sea The Stars and his connections scooped the main honours at the annual Irish Horse Racing Awards in the Leopardstown Pavilion, Dublin.

John Oxx now faces the difficult task of finding a new stable jockey to succeed Mick Kinane after the multiple Irish champion decided to call it a day.

Veteran jockey Mick Kinane has announced his retirement, ending a 34-year career in the saddle.

The familiar combination of John Oxx and Mick Kinane were in the winner's enclosure at Leopardstown as Karasiyra stuck to her guns in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.

Rayeni showed reservoirs of stamina to claim Listed honours in the Go Racing In Kildare Festival Waterford Testimonial Stakes at the Curragh today.

After confirming his place among the racing legends with a stunning victory in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, just one question remains for fans of Sea The Stars – will he have one more dance in the Breeders’ Cup Classic?

SEA THE STARS joined the equine greats by becoming the first in history to complete the Guineas-Derby-Arc treble with a stunning victory in the Qatar Prix de’l Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp yesterday.