The French-bred Upsie notched her fourth win from six starts since joining Willie Mullins when beating stable-companion Urticaire in the punchestown.com Mares Hurdle in Punchestown yesterday.

Olympic medallist Cian O’Connor joked yesterday that “unfortunately” he would not gain any advantage from last year’s Olympic showjumping fences at this week’s Millstreet International Horse Show.

Britain’s Phillip Miller, riding Caritiar Z, provided the only clear in the Hickstead Derby yesterday to deny Ireland its second successive win in the famed competition, as four faults left Tipperary’s Trevor Breen equal second on the one-eyed Adventure De Kannan.

Swiss-based show jumper Niall Talbot won the grand prix in Lisbon yesterday with Nicos de la Cense to round off a successful weekend for the Irish in the Portuguese capital.

Willie Mullins produced a terrific training feat to land the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Champagne Fever.

Benefficient won a dramatic race in a three-runner affair for the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

Willie Mullins’ Arvika Ligeonniere, so impressive in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse previously, added to that success in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown yesterday, but you would have to say was less than impressive.

On a day which saw Ruby Walsh double-up on The Folkes Choice and Devil’s Elbow, the Tony Mullins-trained Clarach booked her ticket to the Guinness Galway Hurdle when coasting to a comfortable victory over the Walsh-ridden Pires in the Adare Festival Weekend Rated Hurdle in Limerick yesterday.

Twenty-four hours after his Royal Ascot breakthrough with Simenon, Willie Mullins provided punters with plenty to celebrate when Primroseandblue, ridden by his son Patrick, justified even-money favouritism in the Wellingtonbridge Novice Hurdle in Wexford last night.

The J P McManus-owned Ainama provided the Madden family with a victory to savour when landing the competitive thetote.com Connacht National Handicap Chase in Roscommon last night.

A shortlist of 10 riders and 11 horses has been put together for Olympic consideration by Team Ireland Equestrian’s eventing high performance manager Ginny Elliot.

THE talented and versatile Rebel Fitz cruised to victory in the Clonmel Hospice Support Group Maiden at Clonmel last night.

COLM MURPHY got a little boost, on the lead-in to Big Zeb’s challenge for next week’s Champion Chase at Cheltenham, when Dangan Daylight landed the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

THOSE who fancy Boston Bob at Cheltenham will be encouraged by the performance of Lyreen Legend in winning yesterday’s Grade 2 boylesports.com Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles.

Garret Campbell tells Denise Hall about the success of his organisation’s project sending Irish teachers to remote parts of India

BIG ZEB showed he is far from being a back number when powering away with the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

WILLIE MULLINS set the opening stage of Leopardstown alight yesterday with a fine double, including Blackstairmountain in the Grade 1 Racing Post Novice Chase.

FORMER two-mile champion Big Zeb and classy mare Volver La Vedette provided trainer Colm Murphy with a superb Grade 2 double when making successful seasonal debuts in Navan yesterday.

THE paddypower.com Grand National at Cork yesterday produced a terrific local victory with the Tom Nagle trained The Bishop Looney digging deep to beat Another Palm.

ROI DU MEE made every yard of the running to trounce hot-pot Forpadydeplasterer in the three-runner, Grade 3 Star Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

TRAINER Jessica Harrington was understandably delighted by the successful hurdling debut success of Steps To Freedom in the opening Europe V America Maiden Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

BULLOCK HARBOUR, fresh from his win on the flat under Conor O’Dwyer at Bellewstown last week, put up a decent effort to take the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Novice Hurdle at Killarney last night.

CONOR O’Dwyer registered his second double at Wexford last night when Ninth Legion (Davy Russell) out-pointed favourite Winston Churchill in the Ferrycarraig Maiden Hurdle and Prosperity Square, ridden by 7lb. claimer Ben Dalton, coasted to a smooth success in the Tuskar Rock Beginners’ Chase.

LIAM BURKE’S Ordinary Man finally put it all together to justify favouritism in the Cluain Meala Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel last night.

“THEY have done a fantastic job with the watering,” said Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, after the owner’s Abbey Glen had swooped late to grab the John J Galvin Handicap Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

IT was the kind of result which makes bookmakers glad they took out a licence in the first place.

CAPTAIN PAULIE, disappointing at Wexford previously, was back on track in the Munster Waste Management Handicap Hurdle at a packed Cork yesterday.

SIREN’S SONG was a hot topic of discussion after last Sunday’s racing in Navan and I have to say she won the Salsabil Stakes very well. I said last week I thought she might be good and she certainly indicated that with a strong finish to win by a length and a half.

IT’S a funny old game, this racing. Jessica Harrington and Robert Power were down in the dumps, following the unlucky defeat of Oscars Well in the Neptune, but about 45 minutes or so later their entire world had changed.

ROBERTO Goldback can continue the terrific run currently being enjoyed by Jessica Harrington and Robert Power by landing the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

COLM Murphy completed a fine Grade 2 double with Voler La Vedette and Quito De La Roque at Navan yesterday.

“I’M stunned, I didn’t expect that”, exclaimed Kieran Purcell, after his Smokey Joe Joe had taken the INH Stallion Owners EBF Novice Hurdle at odds of 25-1 at Limerick yesterday.

GIMLI’S ROCK proved a facile winner of the Grade 2 WKD Core Hurdle at Down Royal yesterday, highlight of a spectacular treble for trainer Jessica Harrington, also successful with the Robert Power-ridden pair Bostons Angel and Saville Row.

MOUSE Morris’ horses appear to be well forward and his China Rock gets the vote to land the Grade 2 Gowran Park Champion Chase at the Kilkenny track this afternoon.

THE Terence O’Brien-trained Ballyadam Brook continued his massive progress when completing a spectacular four-timer in the South West Bins Novice Hurdle at Listowel yesterday.

ODDS-ON Alpine Eagle proved a costly failure in the Kerrymaid Hurdle at the first stage of the Listowel Festival yesterday, trailing in a well beaten third behind Red Key.

THE Town And District Chase at Tipperary last night was robbed of much of its interest due to the defection of Cuan Na Grai with a stone bruise.

IDEAL for captains of the high seas coming home to land, Mount Alto in Cobh has been home to captains of industry instead for the past decade or so — it has been a corporate let to MDs of businesses like Heineken and Centocor.

Ireland’s top stars Johnny Murtagh and Ruby Walsh will captain the teams in the Flat v Jump Jockeys Challenge on Gaisce Raceday at Leopardstown on May 30.

NEW Phase survived a serious final flight blunder to justify hefty support in the Corporate Hospitality At Fairyhouse Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

NEW Phase survived a serious final flight blunder to justify hefty support in the Corporate Hospitality At Fairyhouse Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

THE public relations merchants for the ante-post firms have been on overdrive this week, letting us know about the sustained gamble on Cooldine for Sunday’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown.

BILL HARNEY, currently hospitalised, had a welcome boost when Prairie Call landed the Cashel Mares Maiden Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.