NOTHING for it this week then, with Storm Ciara messing us about big-time, but to look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in an effort to pinpoint some value.

The 2019 Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown was a bit of a disaster, but last weekend’s two-day renewal emerged relatively unscathed on Sunday evening.

PLEASE, please Willie run Benie Des Dieux in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and give us the battle that will light up the festival.

Yes, indeed, Footpad again buried punters — many of them — one more time when failing to deliver in a Grade 2 chase at Thurles last Sunday.

Will it all end in tears, just like Samcro?

You don’t have to be any sort of genius to now know Notebook is a very good horse.

The most famous story about George Best — at least off the field — is one probably everybody has heard.

So, Conor O’Neill, general manager of Punchestown racecourse, admitted to being ‘very disappointed’ the John Durkan Memorial Chase (run at Punchestown last Sunday) was broadcast on a split screen with no commentary in the early stages.

It’s surely a no-brainer to give the on-course bookmakers what they want and help keep them on life support for as long as possible.

It can’t have just been me who appreciated Lionel Messi that little bit more on Wednesday evening.

He was a long way removed from being the most impressive winner at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown last weekend, but there was something about Willie Mullins’ Klassical Dream that indicated you underestimate him going forward at your peril, writes Pat Keane

You cannot do what this horse has done in such a short time and not be regarded as potentially top class, writes Pat Keane.

Racing TV covered its first Irish race meetings on Tuesday, Fairyhouse, and Tramore, and one has to say, it was a less than satisfactory start, writes Pat Keane.

Paul Townend four winners, Ruby Walsh three and Rachael Blackmore two, the fascinating characters who largely dominated last Sunday’s racing in Ireland - at Punchestown and Cork, writes Pat Keane.

Ruby Walsh produced a brilliant ride on Easy Game in Navan last Sunday, silencing the gutless social media critics who were quick to write him off as he struggled to come back after a series of injuries, writes Pat Keane

When it comes to taking the piddle out of punters no one can quite manage it as well as off-course bookmakers, says Pat Keane.

English trainer Martyn Meade dodged a bullet when his Advertise landed last Sunday’s Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.

I can’t imagine the handicapper derived a whole lot of enjoyment watching the concluding stages of the €59,000 to the winner Connacht Hotel Handicap at Galway on Monday night, writes Pat Keane.

Can Aidan O’Brien deliver for punters at the five-day Royal Ascot extravaganza, which starts next Tuesday? asks Pat Keane

Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash insists there’s no lingering bad blood between he and Clare over last year’s Munster final sliotar saga.

If ever there was a good case for televising stewards’ inquiries, it can surely be made following that Paul Townend debacle at Punchestown on Tuesday, writes Pat Keane.

The admirable Un De Sceaux can run the opposition ragged in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon, writes Pat Keane. 

Jessica Harrington has certainly stood the test of time, writes Pat Keane.

When Michael O’Leary gave Davy Russell the bullet, on New Years’ Eve 2013, one might have expected the rider to pull out his pipe, put on the slippers and take his place among the majority of jockeys, the journeymen, writes Pat Keane.

The real Trials Days take place at Leopardstown and you can bet the tank it will produce a share of Cheltenham winners, writes Pat Keane

There were many treats over the last four days in Ireland and Britain, but for me the biggest star to emerge was Willie Mullins’ Footpad in a Grade 1 at Leopardstown on Tuesday, writes Pat Keane.

He is, quite simply, the most hyped horse since Golden Cygnet. It is just as well Gordon Elliott’s Samcro isn’t human, because, if he was, the weight of expectation might overwhelm him, writes Pat Keane.

It defied logic and, to use a well-worn cliché, it simply sent out the wrong message, writes Pat Keane.

Cork goalkeeper Anthony Nash has claimed that the Munster hurling final sliotargate saga was much ado about nothing.

Are we right in thinking that this season’s crop of staying three-year-olds are of the rather moderate variety, asks Pat Keane.

How did the stewards allow the Aidan O’Brien-trained Homesman keep that maiden at Limerick last Sunday, asks Pat Keane.

It will be a surprise should the somewhat draconian penalties be allowed to stand, writes Pat Keane.

I’m sure the majority of wallets were thin after Douvan’s collapse, writes Anthony Daly.

It really would be the ultimate irony should Willie Mullins finally land the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Djakadam next Friday, writes Pat Keane.