Ana O’Brien admits it could be the new year before she returns to the saddle.

As has been its wont these past few weeks, heavy fog threatened to interrupt the racing schedule, but the situation was managed well at Thurles and, with two fifteen-minute delays introduced between the opening races, time was given for the fog to lift, and, thankfully, it condescended to do so.

The Noel Meade-trained Tulsa Jack proved his liking for a thorough stamina test when running away with the Paddy Power Cork Grand National yesterday afternoon at a well-attended Mallow racecourse.

In the absence of Identity Thief, the Jessica Harrington-trained Modem was sent off a red-hot 1/10 favourite to beat sole rival Baby Jake in the featured Follow Punchestown On Twitter and Facebook Rated Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.