Fears that Willie Mullins would completely dominate the National Hunt campaign have proved largely unfounded.

Trainer Christy Roche believes Groody Hill is coming back to form at the right time as he bids for a second victory in tomorrow’s Ladbrokes Troytown Chase at Navan.

"He’s a little dinger", quipped Katie Walsh, after she had guided well backed Alton Bay to land the BBQ Evening Maiden at Tramore last night.

Churchtown in Co Cork, as the birthplace of legendary trainer Vincent O’Brien, has long hadconnections to racing royalty — but now that heritage is well and truly golden.

I spent Thursday night in London, at the Hilton Hotel in Park Lane, attending a testimonial dinner for Ronan O’Gara.

The handicapper, Noel O’Brien, was entitled to allow himself a little smile, following the running of the valuable boylesports.com Handicap Hurdle at Leopardstown last Saturday.

Bryan Cooper’s decision to partner Gigginstown House Stud’s Trifolium, in preference to Mozoltov, reaped a rich dividend in the Grade 1 Frank Ward Solicitors’ Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

It’s the million dollar question: just how good is Un De Sceaux?

Un De Sceaux, going off at odds of 1-16, dismissed his two rivals with the minimum of fuss in the Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

Sprinter Sacre might have been below-par the last time he was seen in action at Punchestown but he was still able to finish by far and away the top chaser of the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications, published yesterday.

Spent a good few hours last Saturday morning studying the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Mouse Morris’ Rathlin sprang a 16-1 shock when turning over hot-pot Unika La Reconce in the Munster Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

Crowned champion-jockey for the first time last April, Davy Russell ended 2012 on a high when completing a double for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud at Punchestown yesterday, highlighted by Bog Warrior’s emphatic defeat of long-absent Solwhit in the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Hurdle.

Noel O’Brien, 18, from Co Tipperary, is a member of the metal teen band, Army Rising.

Jim Bolger, a trainer who has more than stood the test of time, has been finding top-class horses throughout a long and distinguished career.

Big Buck’s remains out on his own, so far ahead of his stayers’ hurdling opponents it is highly unlikely he will ever be beaten.

The Gain Mares’ Final as always occupied centre stage at yesterday’s well-attended Ballynoe point-to-point fixture and, on an afternoon that saw pristine ground conditions thanks to the track having been spiked and watered in the week preceding the meeting, the featured event was won by Daryl Deacon’s Co Wexford challenger Miss Palm.

JP McManus has a strong hand in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National with ante-post 8-1 favourite Groody Hill set to be joined by his Cheltenham Festival winner Alfie Sherrin and Pertemps Final runner-up Catch Me at Fairyhouse on April 9.

HE is affable, personable and courteous, but also cold and logical.

I was really happy with the manner in which Kauto Star came though his gallop at Wincanton last evening.

St Brigid’s manager Noel O’Brien jokingly fears one of his players might pass the ball to a Garrycastle player on Saturday. Such is the geographical proximity and strength of family ties between the teams, Athlone and Kiltoom has been consumed with the build-up to the clubs’ All-Ireland SFC semi-final for weeks.

I was due to be at Sandown today, but that went west yesterday morning, so have to settle for just one ride at Fairyhouse, Maggie Connolly.

Connacht club champions St Brigid’s are hoping performance coach Caroline Currid’s All-Ireland success will rub off on them.

GIOVANNI TRAPATTONI was yesterday named Philips Manager of the Year after guiding the Republic of Ireland to a major championships for the first time in a decade.

THE unsavoury scenes at the end of this Connacht SFC club final in Kiltoom will dominate the initial headlines but the lasting legacy will be abouta stirring second-half comeback by Roscommon champions St Brigid’s to retain their crown.

AN investigation will belaunched after a referee and his officials were accosted amid angry scenes at the end of the Connacht club SFC final in Roscommon.

ST. BRIGID’S won their fifth Roscommon senior football title in seven seasons with a hard-earned victory over a resolute Elphin side a wet and dreary Dr Hyde Park.

FOLLOWING much soul-searching the logical conclusion to be drawn is that The Real Article is the most likely winner of this afternoon’s Guinness Galway Hurdle.

REMEMBER a horse called Ballyronan Boy, who was nabbed by the Tipperary stewards in May of last year?

THE Turf Club announced yesterday that the Referrals Committee has been asked to review the failure of the stewards to impose a sanction, following the running of the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary last Sunday.

DONALD McCAIN’S Overturn will have to defy a stone extra if the versatile performer is to repeat last year’s emphatic victory in the Guinness Galway Handicap Hurdle, the richest National Hunt race in Ireland this year, at Ballybrit on Thursday fortnight.

HURRICANE FLY has officially been recognised as the best 2m hurdler since Istabraq with a rating just 3lb short of that given to the three-times Champion Hurdle winner at his peak.

SAME as it ever was. Over the course of Crossmaglen’s revival in this campaign, we were fed a diet of claims by everyone associated with the team that this was a new team.

IN EVERY close game there are crucial moments. Split second decisions that determine winners and losers.

AARON KERNAN was incredibly honest in the bowels of the Hogan Stand yesterday evening.

TWELVE months ago it was the Kilmurry-Ibrickane supporters deliriously celebrating a famous All-Ireland club semi-final victory in the Gaelic Grounds.

“Recently Irish horses have done really, really well.”

VETERAN trainer Bill Harney seemed rather perplexed after his Leanne had bolted away with the featured Wilderness Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

AT Listowel on Sunday senior jockeys, Paul Carberry and Ruby Walsh, decided they’d had enough as far as starting procedures in this country were concerned and protested to the stewards, after riding in a handicap chase. They argued that they had obeyed the instructions of the starter and others had simply ignored him.

TOM COOPER is considering his options after Forpadydeplasterer finished second in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

THE senior National Hunt handicapper, Noel O’Brien, had every reason to allow himself a little smile after the Grade 1 Hurdle at Punchestown on Sunday.

THE arrival of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) is one of the most stressful events a family is likely to experience in its lifetime.

IF I live to be a hundred, I don’t think I will ever quite get my head around the phenomenon known as Cheltenham.

Beef Or Salmon is set to tackle the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on March 24.