Road To Riches is likely to feature at Down Royal’s big meeting on November 1 following his narrow reverse to Sizing Europe at Gowran on Saturday.

Donald McCain has taken the tough decision to retire his 2011 Champion Hurdle runner-up Peddlers Cross.

Proud owner Andy Stewart insists Big Buck’s remains at the top of his game at the age of 11 and expects him to fight all the way in an attempt to regain his stayers’ crown at Cheltenham.

Charles Byrnes has ruled out bringing Solwhit back in the spring and is looking forward to next season with his champion staying hurdler.

Four-times champion Big Buck’s tops 29 entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13.

Big Buck’s is as short as 6-4 favourite to regain his Ladbrokes World Hurdle crown after the current champion Solwhit was ruled out of the race with injury.

Well, those who were of the opinion that most of the top horses in the country were housed in the one place, at Willie Mullins’, discovered it wasn’t quite as simple as that over the four days of the Leopardstown Christmas festival Mullins had a reasonably good meeting, winning six of the 28 races, but his dominance was nowhere near as pronounced as some might have anticipated.

Trainer Charles Byrnes is hopeful Solwhit has suffered only a minor injury after being forced to rule him out of this afternoon’s woodiesdiy.com Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Bobs Worth, is a welcome visitor to Leopardstown this afternoon for the Grade 1 Lexus Chase.

A tilt at the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown on December 28 is “looking likely” for Unioniste.

Attaglance is being aimed at the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham on November 16.

Charles Byrnes has the Leopardstown Christmas Festival as the first major target of the season for his World Hurdle hero Solwhit.

Willie Mullins believes a sound surface will bring out the best in Thousand Stars as he aims to clinch a French Champion Hurdle hat-trick at Auteuil tomorrow.

Sprinter Sacre might have been below-par the last time he was seen in action at Punchestown but he was still able to finish by far and away the top chaser of the Anglo-Irish Jump Classifications, published yesterday.

Won In The Dark, successful in the race a year ago, can do the business again in the Laurels Bar Hurdle at Killarney tonight.

Ladbrokes — and some of their pals — have to be taking the pee, if you will excuse my French.

The clash so many had been looking forward to all week at Punchestown, Solwhit versus Quevega, in yesterday’s Grade 1 Ladbrokes’ World Series Hurdle, failed to materialise, after Solwhit was sensationally withdrawn at the start.

Quevega wrapped up the Ladbrokes World Series Hurdle at Punchestown for the fourth successive year with another brilliant display.

There was mixed news for racing fans yesterday when it was confirmed equine superstar Sprinter Sacre would take his place in Tuesday’s Champion Chase at Punchestown but perennial British champion jump jockey Tony McCoy would miss the entire festival.

What this year’s Irish National Hunt Festival at Punchestown confirms is trainers are now targeting it and making sure their best horses are specifically fresh for it.

Sprinter Sacre stood his ground among eight entries remaining in the Boylesports.com Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday but Flemenstar has been ruled out after connections decided to give the eight-year-old a wind operation.

Charles Byrnes indicated at Limerick yesterday that Solwhit, so impressive at Aintree on Saturday, is likely to tackle Quevega in a three-mile Grade 1 hurdle at Punchestown later this month.

Ladbrokes World Hurdle hero Solwhit turned in another superb display in the hands of Paul Carberry to claim the John Smith's Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree today.

Fourteen successes for Ireland at the Cheltenham festival but the real winners — at least going forward — were surely Punchestown.

Monksland is unlikely to run again this season with trainer Noel Meade inclined to bypass an appearance at the Punchestown Festival.

“My first thoughts are with John Thomas McNamara”, said Michael Winters, after his Missunited got the best of a terrific battle with Twigline in the Grade 3 Kerry Group EBF Mares’ Novice Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

Solwhit (right) on his way to winning the Ladbrokes World Hurdle ahead of Celestial Halo at Cheltenham yesterday.

Solwhit, trained by Charles Byrnes and ridden by Paul Carberry, won the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Solwhit is set to take his chance in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham on Thursday week after pleasing trainer Charles Byrnes in a gallop on Saturday.

Willie Mullins feels Hurricane Fly is back to the level he was at two years ago as the nine-year-old prepares to go in search of his third BHP Insurance Irish Champion Hurdle crown in succession at Leopardstown on Sunday.

Three races in France are among the possible options for Solwhit following his victory at Naas on Saturday.

Solwhit showed his rivals a clean pair of heels as he ran out a comfortable winner of the Grade Three Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.

I’m spending a rare Saturday at home today in Naas - weather permitting - after Ascot was abandoned yesterday.

There are two Graded races on the card at Naas today - should the meeting survive an 8am inspection - but the opening 22-runner INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle may house the best betting proposition in the shape of Pat Fahy’s Morning Assembly.

Solwhit will build on his most encouraging return to action at Punchestown last month in Saturday’s Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas.

Sizing Europe will be given entries in three championship races at Cheltenham - the Queen Mother Champion Chase, the Ryanair Chase and the Betfred Gold Cup.

Crowned champion-jockey for the first time last April, Davy Russell ended 2012 on a high when completing a double for Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud at Punchestown yesterday, highlighted by Bog Warrior’s emphatic defeat of long-absent Solwhit in the Follow Punchestown On Facebook Hurdle.

Henry de Bromhead’s You Must Know Me can lead his rivals a merry dance in the Buy Your 2013 Annual Membership Beginners Chase at Punchestown today, should the meeting survive an 8.00am inspection.

Charles Byrnes is keeping everything crossed he can keep Weapon’s Amnesty and Solwhit in one piece this season after welcoming his two stable stars back into training following lengthy absences.

Pittoni could make a welcome appearance at Aintree next month after fears he had suffered bad injury at Leopardstown on Sunday proved unfounded.

Pittoni could make a welcome appearance at Aintree next month after fears he had suffered bad injury at Leopardstown on Sunday proved unfounded.

VOLER La Vedette made her Grade 1 breakthrough when outclassing her three rivals in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday, where Ruby Walsh bagged the other Grade 1 events on Sous Les Cieux and Bog Warrior.

CHAMPION hurdler Hurricane Fly leads the entries for the Grade 1 Ladbrokes.com Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown on November 20.

NICKY HENDERSON is keen to run former champion hurdler Binocular at either Aintree or Punchestown.