Paul Nicholls retains every faith in Silviniaco Conti as he tries to make it third-time lucky in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Paul Nicholls is adamant ante-post favourite Silviniaco Conti is the one to beat in the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Jonjo O’Neill believes ante-post favourite Shutthefrontdoor has been allotted a “fair weight” for this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree.

Sam Twiston-Davies feels connections will learn an awful lot about smart novice Ptit Zig in today’s Betfair Ascot Chase.

Oliver Sherwood insists he has his feet firmly on the ground as Many Clouds attempts to take the next step up the chasing ladder in today’s BetBright Cup Chase at Cheltenham.

Paul Nicholls will step up the work of his Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup contenders Silviniaco Conti and Sam Winner in the coming days.

Hurricane Fly is likely to have a stablemate or two for company in the BHP Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Paul Nicholls branded the decision of officials at Taunton to omit all bar the two flights in the home straight as "ludicrous" after his Tara Point jumped just four hurdles on her way to winning the feature event of the day at the Somerset circuit.

Silviniaco Conti is likely to head straight for the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

The multi-talented Bryan Cooper gave Road To Riches an extraordinary ride to land the Grade 1 Lexus Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

Leopardstown officials are gearing up for what promises to be a vintage four-day Christmas Festival.

A quality field of 15, including the last two winners of the Cheltenham Gold Cup, remain in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Lord Windermere is one of the star names among 29 entries for the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28.

Ruby Walsh is more worried about Djakadam having had only three runs over fences rather than the fact that he is only a five-year-old going into Saturday’s Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Antepost Hennessy Gold Cup favourite Djakadam is now a general 4-1 for Saturday’s race after 23 were left in after the forfeit stage yesterday.

Sam Twiston-Davies and Paul Nicholls proved the star turns at Cheltenham on Saturday as the relatively new partnership enjoyed a red-letter day in their association with a high-profile double.

Proud Scotsman Alan King believes Godsmejudge could be coming back to form at the right time ahead of his defence of the Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

The prestigious three mile and five furlong Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse is one of the few major prizes to elude champion trainer Willie Mullins and he unsurprisingly has a plethora of entries this year, including Prince De Beauchene, Vesper Bell, Touch The Eden and Away We Go.

Ballycasey’s blip when falling in a schooling session after racing at Leopardstown has not unduly concerned Willie Mullins ahead of today’s RSA Chase (2.05) at Cheltenham.

The Tullow Tank will not run at the Cheltenham Festival due to the “uncertainty” surrounding trainer Philip Fenton’s ongoing case for alleged possession of anabolic steroids, said his owner Barry Connell.

Paul Nicholls appears to have a strong hand with six of the 50 entries for the £75,000 (€90,000) Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on January 25.

An unmistakable air of sobriety descended on the Cheltenham Festival towards the end of ‘St Patrick’s Thursday’ when news emerged that amateur jockey JT McNamara was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital in Bristol after suffering a serious injury.

It was another day soundtracked by Irish celebrations at the Cheltenham Festival in the Cotswolds yesterday but one coveted title was wrested back from the raiders by the natives.

Hurdle marker in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham and although he's just a four-year-old with plenty of scope for improvement, one senses that this afternoon's race will define the horse’s hurdling ambitions for the remainder of his career.

Check out our tips from today’s horse races across Ireland and the UK.

Barry Geraghty started Grand National day on a high with victory on Spirit Son in the John Smith’s Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

I HAVE had it in my head for a long time that The Midnight Club could be an ideal Grand National candidate and am obviously very much looking forward to riding him at Aintree this afternoon.

THE Paul Nicholls-trained Sam Winner was a big gamble in the JCB Triumph Hurdle, but it was his other runner, Zarkandar, who had all the answers.

After Wednesday’s relative success, yesterday had the feeling of that difficult second album.

Zarkandar gave champion trainer Paul Nicholls a second success in the JCB Triumph Hurdle when landing an emphatic triumph in the opening race on the final day of the Cheltenham Festival.

WHEN at Sandown last Saturday, I decided to give Willie Mullins a ring in an effort to firm up some plans for Cheltenham.

Brian Ellison will wait until Monday before deciding on Marsh Warbler’s target at Cheltenham next week.

THERE was no fairytale return for me at Newbury yesterday when Don’t Turn Bach finished well behind in a handicap hurdle.

RUBY Walsh was back riding out at Paul Nicholls’ yard yesterday for the first time since he broke a leg at Down Royal in November.

Ruby Walsh was back riding out at Paul Nicholls’ yard for the first time since he broke a leg at Down Royal in November.

Paul Nicholls could have three leading contenders in the JCB Triumph Hurdle after Zarkandar added his name to the trainer’s hopes for the juvenile championship with an eyecatching debut win at Kempton.

IT SEMES like an eternity since I smashed my leg at Down Royal way back on November 6, but I’m now ready and raring to go and the only question is what day will I return next week.

CUE CARD, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper last season, heads 86 entries for the Stan James Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.