Willie Mullins’ decision not to send any horses to England means it’s a weekend at home for me, at Naas today and Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Dessie Hughes insists Our Conor “couldn’t be better” ahead of his second crack at Hurricane Fly in the BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 26.

Irish raiders were out of luck as Usual Suspects took Grade One honours in the Prix Alain Du Breil at Auteuil yesterday.

Trainer Willie Mullins is optimistic Thousand Stars can successfully defend his crown in the French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil on Sunday.

Willie Mullins is highly likely to stick to a tried and tested route with Quevega next year after the incredible mare landed her third Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown.

I am especially looking forward to today, because, to my way of thinking, Quevega and Voler La Vedette is the clash of the week in the three mile Grade 1 hurdle.

Super mares Quevega and Voler La Vedette are among 13 five-day entries for the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins is planning another strong assault on next week’s Punchestown Festival, with Hurricane Fly and Quevega leading his team.

Big Buck’s made Ladbrokes World Hurdle history with a thrilling fourth successive victory in the stayers’ championship at Cheltenham.

Seven Barrows is the place to be right now if you’re a horse, and it’s not a bad place to be as a guest of Nicky Henderson’s either.

Ladbrokes World Hurdle preview

THERE are two noticeable powerhouses dominating Irish racing this season - Willie Mullins and Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud.

A total of just 16 possible rivals stand between Big Buck’s and a record fourth successive victory in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

The reaction of both the bookmakers and sections of the press to the recent success of Long Run at Newbury, at least to my way of thinking, was a little surprising.

Willie Mullins saddled a one-two in the Grade 2 Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle at Navan yesterday as Mourad, ridden by Paul Townend, turned over the Ruby Walsh-ridden 4/11 favourite Mikael D’Haguenet.

Mikael D’Haguenet was floored by his Willie Mullins-trained stablemate Mourad in the Ladbrokes Boyne Hurdle at Navan.

I think I’ll win the Betfair Chase at Ascot this afternoon on Kauto Stone.

BIG BUCK’S at Cheltenham today and Hurricae Fly at Leopardstown tomorrow ensure that this is going to be far from an ordinary weekend for me.

THE richly endowed Goffs’ Thyestes Handicap Chase is the feature at Gowran Park this afternoon, but first things first and the appearance of Voler La Vedette in the Grade 2 John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle.

WE can say withalmost total certainty, following yesterday’s Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown, that Ireland will not win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

THE tough Quito De La Roque is fancied to outstay the opposition in the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown this afternoon.

KAUTO STAR and Long Run feature among just eight confirmations for the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Hurricane Fly remains on target to make his seasonal return over the Festive period as he features among nine preliminary entries for the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29.

VOLER La Vedette made her Grade 1 breakthrough when outclassing her three rivals in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday, where Ruby Walsh bagged the other Grade 1 events on Sous Les Cieux and Bog Warrior.

Voler La Vedette (7-4) showed a fine turn of foot to win the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse to complete a fantastic weekend for jockey Andrew Lynch.

THE notion Mikael d’Haguenet might one day develop into a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse has long been forgotten, but he retains a fair amount of ability and is the nap choice in the Trinity Motor Neuron Disease Research Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

YESTERDAY wasn’t one of my better days. I had no luck with a couple of rides at Sandown, which was on the back of news breaking that Tataniano, my intended mount in today’s Tingle Creek, had suffered an injury and is out for the rest of the season.

COLM Murphy believes his star mare Voler La Vedette has every chance of claiming the first Grade One prize of her career in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Colm Murphy believes his star mare Voler La Vedette has every chance of claiming the first Grade One prize of her career in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

NOEL Meade and Willie Mullins lead the way with two entries apiece in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Royal Bond Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

COLM MURPHY is happy with Big Zeb ahead of the Fortria Chase at Navan on Sunday.

THOUSAND STARS is set to remain over hurdles after he gained a richly-deserved Grade One victory in Saturday’s French Champion Hurdle.

SABRINA HARTY has found a very suitable opportunity for Won In The Dark in the Motivate Challenge Supported by Failte Ireland Hurdle at Punchestown this evening and the seven-year-old gets the nap.

RUBY WALSH pulled rank on his baby sister, Katie, at Punchestown last night when brilliant mare Quevega beat Mourad in the Grade 1 ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle.

Quevega completed back-to-back victories in the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown with a narrow win over Mourad.

CAPTAIN CHRIS is the nap choice to land the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown this evening.

FIRST things first and that disappointing display by Kauto Star at Punchestown yesterday.

Super mare Quevega heads a field of 11 for the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown tomorrow.

WILLIE MULLINS insists his brilliant mare Quevega is likely to compete against her own sex once again at Cheltenham next year after completing a hat-trick in the David Nicholson Mares’ Hurdle last week.

The Gold Cup is the most coveted prize in national hunt racing and being at Cheltenham on Gold Cup day is an unforgettable experience.

The lonely, but successful, life of a laptop gambler

Ruby Walsh drove Big Buck’s to victory in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle at sun-kissed Cheltenham yesterday and then exclaimed “St Patrick must have been looking down on me”.

Big Buck’s created history by winning his third straight Ladbrokes World Hurdle under Ruby Walsh.