Arvika Ligeonniere is set to test his Arkle credentials at Leopardstown over Christmas after making all for an impressive success in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh combined for a big Grade 1 double at Fairyhouse yesterday with Zaidpour and Arvika Ligeonniere.

Voler La Vedette will face four opponents as she bids to repeat last year’s victory in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Leading bumper horse Champagne Fever is one of seven remaining entries in the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

When Poungach fell at the first fence at Chepstow last month, I got such a surprise you could have knocked me over with a feather.

Super mares Quevega and Voler La Vedette are among 13 five-day entries for the Ladbrokes.com World Series Hurdle at Punchestown on Thursday.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins is planning another strong assault on next week’s Punchestown Festival, with Hurricane Fly and Quevega leading his team.

Big Buck’s made Ladbrokes World Hurdle history with a thrilling fourth successive victory in the stayers’ championship at Cheltenham.

Seven Barrows is the place to be right now if you’re a horse, and it’s not a bad place to be as a guest of Nicky Henderson’s either.

THERE are two noticeable powerhouses dominating Irish racing this season - Willie Mullins and Michael O'Leary's Gigginstown House Stud.

A total of just 16 possible rivals stand between Big Buck’s and a record fourth successive victory in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Jessica Harrington has all but ruled out a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Bostons Angel following another disappointing run at Leopardstown.

NEXT month a number of really talented horses will arrive at Cheltenham with no more than an outside chance of winning.

Defending champion Hurricane Fly is among 27 horses entered for the StanJames.com Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13.

CHAMPION trainer Willie Mullins had mixed fortunes at Navan yesterday, sharing a double with Ruby Walsh before saddling three beaten favourites.

IPSOS Du Berlais can land the nap in the Noel Farrelly Memorial Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon, should the meeting survive a precautionary 8am inspection due to the threat of frost.

DERMOT WELD expects to have a better idea of where Unaccompanied stands in the pecking order after she runs in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown on January 29.

WILLIE MULLINS’ So Young enjoyed his anticipated lap of honour in the Listed Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles yesterday.

WILLIE MULLINS’ So Young should carry far too many guns for three rivals in the Listed Horse And Jockey Hotel Hurdle at Thurles this afternoon.

KAUTO STAR and Long Run feature among just eight confirmations for the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Hurricane Fly remains on target to make his seasonal return over the Festive period as he features among nine preliminary entries for the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown on December 29.

THE notion Mikael d’Haguenet might one day develop into a Cheltenham Gold Cup horse has long been forgotten, but he retains a fair amount of ability and is the nap choice in the Trinity Motor Neuron Disease Research Hurdle at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

TODAY is all about Kauto Star and his attempt to hold back time and take on some of the best horses around in the Betfair Chase at Haydock.

THE Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle, the second Grade 1 on the card at Punchestown last night, was billed as a match between First Lieutenant and So Young.

Spirit Of Adjisa sprang a surprise with a game all-the-way win in the Cathal Ryan Memorial Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown.

I have to say that today is my strongest book of rides for the week and it will be more than disappointing should I walk out of Punchestown tonight without a winner.

HURRICANE FLY has to be the fancy to outclass his five rivals in the Grade 1 Rabobank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

THE Punchestown executive must be smacking their collective lips in expectation of a massive spin-off from Cheltenham for their forthcoming festival.

I’LL be disappointed, very disappointed, if Big Buck’s fails to deliver in the World Hurdle today. He is a really, really good horse, one of the best I have ever sat on, and, essentially, I consider him bombproof.

IT was the bookmakers who were all smiles despite a virtual Irish monopoly on day two of the Cheltenham Festival.

WHEN I settled down, after what was an astonishing first day of Cheltenham, I began to reflect on all of the miserable days I suffered over the previous four months.

The stomach is churning now and I can’t wait for the second race today, when my own involvement in Cheltenham begins in earnest with Oscars Well in the Neptune Investment Novices’ Hurdle.

Jessica Harrington remains confident conditions will not be a problem for Oscars Well in the Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.

WHEN Kauto Star landed the Gold Cup two years ago he created history.

Garde Champetre repeated his win of 2008 in the Glenfarclass P.P. Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase at Punchestown this afternoon.

LEOPARDSTOWN yesterday announced the entries for the 4 Grade 1 races on Sunday, February 6, the featured Hennessy Gold Cup, Dr PJ Moriarty Chase, Deloitte Novice Hurdle and the Spring Juvenile Hurdle.

THERE has been no racing in Ireland for 10 days, not since Navan on December 18, so the whole industry will be praying that both Leopardstown and Limerick today get the green light, following 7.30am inspections.