Nicky Henderson is happy for Sprinter Sacre to take his chance on testing ground in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown today.

Punchestown general manager Richie Galway admits parts of the track are likely to be heavy when the Festival gets underway tomorrow.

Nicky Henderson will be keeping a keen eye on the weather before committing stable star Sprinter Sacre to a run at the Punchestown Festival next week.

The ground is continuing to dry and I am delighted with that for both Jetson and Bostons Angel.

Sprinter Sacre offered the conclusive proof for his promotion to racing’s new superstar in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Sprinter Sacre confirmed his superstar status with a stunning victory in the Sportingbet Queen Mother Champion Chase.

Punchestown officials remain hopeful of racing going ahead today despite yesterday’s fixture being lost to waterlogging.

The final day of the Punchestown Festival will go ahead this afternoon after the course passed a precautionary inspection.

I would be lying if I didn’t admit that I was a bit fed up right now after seeing all my plans for the week go out the window.

Officials at Punchestown will stage a precautionary inspection at 8am ahead of the final day of the Festival today.

THE thetote.com Gold Cup, worth €84,000 to the winner, will now be run at Punchestown on Saturday, after it was one of two chases abandoned yesterday.

Punchestown general manager Richie Galway is bracing himself for a week of heavy rain ahead of the opening day of the Festival.

PUNCHESTOWN are covering four miles of the track, which is a first on an Irish racecourse, in a bid to beat the forecasted freezing temperatures, ahead of Sunday’s Boylesports.com Chase day.

CORK will hold an inspection at 7.30 on Sunday morning, ahead of it’s scheduled Grand National meeting that afternoon, but are optimistic racing will take place.

Officials at Punchestown are doing their utmost to beat the wet weather and stage their two-day meeting this weekend.

JESSICA Harrington’s ability as a trainer covers all codes and all distances but, until last night, winning Listed races with newcomers was not something one associated with the Moone, Co Kildare handler.

Officials at Punchestown are hoping milder weather arrives in time to allow their meeting on Saturday to go ahead.

Lincolnshire trainer Steve Gollings will run his stable star Royal Shakespeare in the Evening Herald Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival on Tuesday with Barry Geraghty in the saddle.

STAR performers such as Hardy Eustace, Harbour Pilot and Moscow Flyer are likely to be attracted by record prize money of €1.7m at the four-day Punchestown Festival next month.

Conditions at Punchestown could to be on the slow side of good for the start of the five-day Festival on Tuesday – if the forecast rain arrives.

Officials at Punchestown racecourse are considering an incentive scheme to attract overseas runners to their Festival meeting which gets underway at the end of April, it was revealed today.

Officials at Punchestown are optimistic tomorrow’s meeting will go ahead as planned.

Punchestown racecourse has been given the go ahead to resume racing next month.