I doubt anyone in the Moloney family or anyone in any way attached to Thurles racecourse would ever have thought the eyes of the racing world would turn solely on them on a Saturday afternoon in mid-March, but they will.

Immortality doesn’t come easily and, ultimately, Paul Townend’s mount had his head in front where it matters, writes Darren Norris.

Well, it has finally come: Gold Cup day. The biggest day of the season. Well, I always felt it was. This year’s race, with a small field, looks to be quite open, writes Ruby Walsh

Colm Greaves looks at what we’ll learn on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

Altior remains in the running to defend his crown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Daragh Ó Conchúir picks out three big races at Cheltenham which are set to thrill punters.

Legendary racing photographer Pat Healy, Examiner racing correspondent Tommy Lyons, and the 'King of Cheltenham' Ruby Walsh join regular Cheltenham visitor Anthony Daly for a special festival preview podcast.

When Paul Townend and Rachael Blackmore left the tarmac on the Dublin to Birmingham flight last night, both did so feeling very differently to how they felt taking off on the corresponding flight 12 months earlier.

Foot and mouth - 2001. A year and three words I and anybody in agriculture or horse racing will never forget.

Seriously, is there any chance we could have a little break, after today, from two horses, Tiger Roll and Altior?

What did we really expect leaving Cheltenham last year? When we looked at all the results, how did we think, 12 months down the line, those winners would fair back at the Festival?

We’re three weeks and around four hours removed from the flag dropping to announce the commencement of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Gordon Elliott, who will hope to win it with Abacadabras, is in top form.

Reigning champion Al Boum Photo is one of 20 horses still in contention for the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup following the latest scratchings deadline for the six non-novice Grade Ones at next month’s Festival.

Last week was the start of the new race times – there were a good few of them in the UK - and I think, for people who were viewing racing on the whole, it was a better experience.

So much will happen between lunch time today and dinner time tomorrow that looking backwards to last week and as far back as last weekend seems pointless with how much the future has to offer.

From Willie Mullins’ point of view, Allaho in the Beginners’ Chase and Jon Snow and The Big Getaway in the maiden hurdles are the key horses this weekend.

Yes, indeed, Footpad again buried punters — many of them — one more time when failing to deliver in a Grade 2 chase at Thurles last Sunday.

Veganuary and Operation Transformation are not running this weekend, they are running all month or for even longer.

The future of several major stud farms in Co Kildare is under threat from the proposed development of a quarry near Kilcullen, according to leading figures in the horse racing industry.

What What did we learn from the Christmas racing period? Lots we already knew, and a few things that we should have known.

As the curtain falls on 2019, we asked our writers to share the moment which encapsulated all that is good about sport this year..

Christmas was different, very different. It only really dawned on me how different as I strolled through Dublin airport on St Stephen’s morning at 7.45 rather than 5.45.

There’s a brilliant day’s racing to look forward to, with quality racing spread across the 10 meetings which are scheduled to take place in Ireland and Britain.