Ireland are set to field their strongest show jumping team of the season so far for the Swedish Nations Cup at Falsterbo on Friday.

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.

Leading National Hunt jockey Paul Carberry has called time on his distinguished career due to an ongoing issue with a leg injury.

To say Paul Carberry has had a colourful career is a massive understatement.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today

Yesterday morning the racing world woke to the sad news that John Thomas McNamara had passed away. The 41-year-old former leading amateur, who suffered a horrific fall from Galaxy Rock in the Kim Muir Challenge Cup at the Cheltenham Festival of 2013, lost the one battle he could never win.

Ian Queally gave Maudlin Magdalen a textbook ride to land the featured Kingdom Gold Cup, worth €30,000 to the winner, last evening at Killarney.

Trainer Michael Halford took the honours when saddling a mixed double, with Shamash and Shadagann in Sligo last night.

A difficult card awaits punters at Roscommon, but Bay Of Freedom can send patrons home happy by taking the closing race for trainer Peter Fahey.

Baraweez landed the Irish Stallion Farms EBF “Ahonoora” Handicap for the second successive year as British raiders dominated the feature event on the final day of the Galway Festival yesterday.

Two tricky cards this evening, where the most obvious winner is Order Of St George in the final race at Down Royal. 

Trainer John Ryan struck for the second time in three days with Kylecrue as the versatile eight-year-old made all to win the featured, €20,000 McGrath Limestone Works Ltd. Handicap Hurdle in Ballinrobe last night.

Barry Geraghty remains hopeful of making his debut as retained jockey to leading owner JP McManus this weekend – despite being admitted to hospital with a kidney stone on Tuesday.

Kingfisher put himself firmly in the Ascot Gold Cup picture when getting up late in the day to take the Seamus & Rosemary McGrath Memorial Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown last night.

It was a night of mixed luck for trainer Gordon Elliott in Ballinrobe last night as Eshtiaal bolted-up in the Audi Ballina Handicap Hurdle, compensation following the defeat of both odds-on favourite Vercingetorix and Hostile Fire in the earlier Sheridan Electric 4-y-0 Hurdle.

The Bibby Financial Services Ireland Gold Cup yesterday developed into the closely contested race the market suggested and, from the feature, the Gordon Elliott-trained Don Cossack emerged a genuine contender for next season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Less than a week after racing said an emotional goodbye to one genius, another weighing room veteran showed that, at 41, the fire still burns bright.

Don Cossack capped a memorable campaign for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud with a brilliant display in the Bibby Financial Services Ireland Punchestown Gold Cup.

Punchestown may be the focus of attention right now but the spate of serious injuries suffered by jockeys recently is exercising the minds of the experienced pilots in the Weigh Room.

Davy Condon insists he feels “very lucky” despite being forced to retire from the saddle due to a spinal injury.

There would be no more popular winner of the 2015 Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr today than the Lucinda Russell-trained Lie Forrit.

Joseph O’Brien insisted his weight “isn’t too bad” as he returned to the winner’s enclosure on the Flat for the first time this season.

Stuart Crawford could call upon the services of AP McCoy to partner Yes Tom in the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday.

Tony McCoy signed off his career in Ireland with two unplaced rides at Fairyhouse yesterday.

The Tim Doyle-trained Mallowney should continue on his winning ways in the Grade 1 Normans Grove Chase in Fairyhouse today.

Buiseness Sivola showed a smart change of gear to run out an impressive winner of the REA Grimes Property Consultants Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

The tough and remarkably consistent Roi Du Mee completed a hat-trick when making all the running to beat just two rivals in the Daily Mirror Chase in Down Royal yesterday.

Having conquered the slopes of Cheltenham, some of Ireland’s top jockeys will face the streets of Youghal in east Cork on Friday when they go to post for the town’s fourth annual donkey derby.

The feature on Day 3 of the Festival is the Ladbrokes World Hurdle — and a chance taken that Un Temps Pour Tout can make the necessary step up to Grade One company.

Trainer Eoin Griffin is keeping his fingers crossed Azorian has turned a corner after the highly-tried gelding gained an overdue success at Navan yesterday.

Champagne Fever bids to bounce back from the first fall of his career when taking on four rivals in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran today. 

Paul Carberry (41 today) showed at Leopardstown yesterday that he is as good as ever when taking the Grade 1 Flogas Novice Chase on Apache Stronghold.

The Boylesports.com Champion Chase at the Punchestown Festival is top of the agenda for Mallowney following a staggeringly easy win in the Underwriting Exchange Dan Moore Memorial Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

Dethroned at Cheltenham last March and beaten again by his arch-rival at the Punchestown Festival, former dual-champion Hurricane Fly turned the tables on reigning champion Jezki in the Grade 1 Stanjames.com Morgiana Hurdle in Puncehstown yesterday.

Couleur France, the clear form horse on his second to the smart Sheamus at Fairyhouse, easily won the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle at the rainswept Tipperary track yesterday.

Colin Bowe’s dreams of Cheltenham Festival glory moved into sharper focus as his prolific mare Little King Robin overcame her toughest test to date with a determined victory in the WKD Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday.

Shanahan’s Turn made an impressive chasing debut when landing the Ballymore Christmas Fair Beginners Chase at the expense of Wounded Warrior in Punchestown yesterday.

It’s great to be back again. I’ve been riding out since before Listowel but wasn’t fit enough to ride then. I got the all clear 10 days ago and have had three rides since then, which, thankfully, all won.