EARLIER this week’s boxing’s ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali, celebrated his 70th birthday and 50 years ago yesterday, National Hunt racing’s equivalent, the peerless steeplechaser Arkle, gained his first victory in a modest novice hurdle at Navan.

TIPPERARY’S Moyle Rovers are the front runners to progress from Group A after swashbuckling performances against Ballinhassig and Kinsale.