Rule Supreme will definitely take his chance at Aintree this week but trainer Willie Mullins is undecided which race the Irish Hennessy Gold Cup winner will line up for.

THE almost legendary Baracouda failed in his bid to become the first horse to win three Ladbrokes’ World Hurdles (formerly the Stayers’) when going down by three lengths to the four years younger Inglis Drever at Cheltenham yesterday.

Ulster businessman Joe Craig could never be accused of going overboard when his horse Beef Or Salmon wins.

WILLIE MULLINS’ Rule Supreme can have Irish eyes smiling on St Patrick’s Day by landing the Ladbrokes’ World Hurdle at Cheltenham this afternoon.

Rule Supreme will miss the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday and instead tackle Thursday's Ladbrokes World Hurdle.

John Francome is considered by many who saw him at his best to have been the finest jump jockey of all time, and he enjoyed his greatest success in the saddle on Midnight Court in the 1978 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Michael Hourigan's Beef Or Salmon is odds-on to boost his totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup prospects with victory at Leopardstown on Sunday.

David Casey is hoping Rule Supreme can put in a clear round of jumping in the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Sunday.

BARACOUDA will try to provide racing fans with some early Christmas sparkle as he bids for a fourth success in the Telectronics Long Walk Hurdle at Windsor today.

Connections of Baracouda are looking forward to the brilliant Frenchman gracing Windsor at the weekend when he bids for a fourth victory in the Long Walk Hurdle.

Willie Mullins won his second successive French Champion Hurdle at Auteuil today as his Cheltenham Festival winner Rule Supreme upset the odds-on home favourite Kotkijet.

CASHMANS have dipped their toes in the ante-post market for the €180,000 Heineken Gold Cup at Punchestown next Wednesday.

Rule Supreme will bid to follow up his Cheltenham Festival success in the Martell Cognac Sainsbury's Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree tomorrow.

Willie Mullins remains hopeful that stable star Florida Pearl can win his third race at the Cheltenham Festival next month as the veteran lines up at the meeting for the seventh time.

Keen Leader, seen by many as the main danger to Best Mate recording an historic third success in chasing’s blue riband at Cheltenham in March, has been installed a hot favourite for the Hennessy Gold Cup on Sunday week.

Nicky Henderson sent out the second British-trained winner of the Irish National Hunt Festival as Royal Rosa took the Paddy Power Champion INH Flat Race at Punchestown on Wednesday.