Dessie Hughes is confident of a bold show from Siegemaster in the Connolly’s Red Mills Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park on Thursday.

WILLIE MULLINS has yet to make any hard and fast plans for his stable stars’ return to the race course but reports most of them to be in fine fettle as the National Hunt season kicks into gear.

TONY MARTIN fears conditions at Fairyhouse may end up being too testing for Saddlers Storm in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Monday.

A RIGHT bit of fun organising to get to Haydock for my solitary ride this afternoon. (My sister and agent) Jennifer was wondering why she was struggling to get me into Manchester until it dawned that there’s a pretty important Premier League game at Old Trafford at lunchtime (I’ll take the draw for United by the way, more than happy with a point).

Siegemaster heads a final field of 30 for the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

CONOR O’Dwyer believes Hangover has a “good each-way shout” in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

NOEL Meade plans to give Go Native a post-racing workout at Leopardstown on Sunday week to crown his preparations for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 16.

FOOTY FACTS gets the vote to land a typically wide-open Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

Grand National winner Mon Mome has been left at the head of the weights for the Coral Welsh National after 33 horses stood their ground at the confirmation stage.

Gwanako and Our Vic have been left at the head of the weights for Saturday’s Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

DAVID Casey, who will be in action for Willie Mullins in Auteuil on Sunday, continued his rich vein of form when scoring on even-money favourite Glenstal Abbey in the Summer BBQ Evening June 12th Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel last night.

THIS is my last column of the season and I have to put on record how much I have enjoyed working for the Examiner.

THE Whitewater Shopping Centre Handicap Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon looks one of the hardest races of the week to solve, but undaunted let’s nap Sesenta.

WHEN Niche Market went by the post in front at the end of the Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday you could literally hear a pin drop.

THE possibility of the dreaded alternative handicap being utilised hangs over this afternoon’s Powers’ Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

FOLLOWING a fair bit of soul-searching, I have decided to ride Pomme Tiepy in Monday’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Notre Pere has been declared for Monday’s Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National, despite Jim Dreaper admitting to concerns about the ground being faster than ideal.

WICHITA Lineman is on course to attempt to follow up his dramatic Cheltenham Festival victory in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

JP McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry insists there is no rush for Tony McCoy to decide which of the owner’s four entries he will ride in the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday.

THE Willie Mullins-Ruby Walsh bandwagon can roll merrily along at Punchestown this afternoon, with the duo’s Sports Line the nap choice in the Festival Hospitality Maiden Hurdle.

KING Of Queens can land the nap in the Grade 3 Juvenile Hurdle at Punchestown today, should the meeting pass a 7.30 am inspection.

IN normal circumstances, Sizing Europe would be a particularly confident choice to land the Grade 1 Golf Centre December Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

Ruby Walsh is officially back in business after Scotsirish provided the jockey with a first victory since his return from injury.

RUBY WALSH made a spectacular return to race-riding in Ireland when powering Scotsirish to a clear-cut success in the featured Grade 2 O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork yesterday.

Ruby Walsh registered his first winner since returning from injury when Scotsirish bounded clear in the O’Connell Logistics Hilly Way Chase at Cork.

The Bishop Looney emerged a plucky winner of the Grade Three O’Connell Transport Cork Stayers Novice Hurdle at Cork.

EXACTLY four weeks after Pride Of Dulcote sent me spinning to the turf at Cheltenham, I return to Prestbury Park this afternoon and the hope, obviously, is to get out of the place in one piece.

RUBY WALSH can make a triumphant return to riding in this country by guiding Pomme Tiepy to success in the Grade 3 O’Connell Transport Stayers’ Novice Hurdle at Cork tomorrow.

RUBY WALSH will return to action at Cheltenham tomorrow, just 27 days after having his spleen removed.

Pomme Tiepy lit up a wintry day at Fairyhouse as she starred in a double for trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend.

TRAFFORD LAD, a horse who has been good to us in the past, is again entrusted with the nap in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Chase on a smashing card at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

I finally arrived home about noon yesterday, after what can be best described as a less than enjoyable few days.

GLENFINN Captain, successful on his seasonal debut at the track, continued on an upward curve with a smooth victory in the Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

Glenfinn Captain showed he has fully recovered from a bout of colic that almost cost him his life by winning the Clonmel Oil Chase.

GLENFINN Captain is fancied to cause a mild surprise by beating Snowy Morning in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel this afternoon.

WELL, the moment of truth has finally arrived and at Down Royal today we will find out if Kauto Star is back to his best.

RAIDERS from Ireland and Britain had mixed fortunes at Auteuil yesterday.

TWIST MAGIC, so disappointing at Cheltenham, came back to something approaching his best when landing the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Ruby Walsh moved ever closer to the Irish jump jockeys’ title with victory on Twist Magic in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown.

Air Force One has run his rivals into the ground as he put up a superb front-running display to land the Ellier Developments Champion Novice Chase.

CHELTENHAM hero Fiveforthree is the nap choice in the vcbet.com Champion Novice Hurdle, one of three Grade 1’s on the programme at the opening stage of the Punchestown Festival this afternoon.

Pomme Tiepy has been ruled out of the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Bookmakers are already running scared of Royal County Star as Tony Martin’s hope is set to carry just 10st 4lb in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National on Monday.

Beef Or Salmon heads the weights for the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National after Michael Hourigan declared his 10-time Grade One winner for Monday’s marathon.