WICHITA Lineman is on course to attempt to follow up his dramatic Cheltenham Festival victory in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

Wichita Lineman is on course to attempt to follow up his dramatic Cheltenham Festival victory in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

JIM CULLOTY, the man who partnered Best Mate to successive Cheltenham Gold Cup triumphs in 2002, 2003 and 2004, has announced his retirement from the saddle.

TRAINER Tom Taaffe and jockey Davy Russell, who will have their attention focussed on today’s Cheltenham Gold Cup, were both on the mark in yesterday’s St. Patrick’s Day action at Wexford.

A RECORD entry of 152 has been received for the John Smith’s Grand National on April 9 with legendary owner JP McManus responsible for no less than 19 of those engaged.

English raider Artic Jack heads the weights on 12st for the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National on Monday after 30 horses were today declared for the €112,820 contest.

Timbera looks set to run in Monday’s Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse after pleasing trainer Dessie Hughes in a gallop this morning.

IRISH bookmakers cannot agree about the chances of Xenophon in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National, with Paddy Power installing him 5-1 favourite and Cashmans going 14-1.

Bookmakers cannot agree about the chances of Xenophon in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National, with Paddy Power installing him 5-1 favourite and Cashmans going 14-1.

Following the defection of First Gold at today’s final declaration stage, the weights for the Martell Cognac Grand National will go up 3lb to leave Le Coudray at the top of the handicap for Saturday’s race.

FOLLOWING the defections of Rince Ri and Timbera earlier this week from Saturday’s Martell Cognac Grand National at Liverpool, Jimmy Mangan yesterday issued an upbeat bulletin on last year’s Aintree hero, Monty’s Pass.

GOLD Cup winning jockey Jim Culloty will not be without a ride in the Martell Cognac Grand National – despite the shock news that ante-post favourite Timbera misses the race.

HARBOUR PILOT, third in the last two runnings of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been allotted top weight of 12st in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on April 12.

DESSIE HUGHES’ Timbera, backed down to clear favouritism with a number of firms — as low as 8-1 — will miss Saturday’s Martell Cognac Grand National at Aintree.

Timbera, ante-post favourite for the Martell Cognac Grand National on Saturday, is likely to miss the Aintree spectacular.

CHAMPION Hurdle-winning trainer Dessie Hughes, though, reports Timbera, clear favourite at 9-1 with Cashmans, to be bang on course for Saturday’s Martell Cognac Grand National.

A total of 61 horses remain in the Martell Cognac Grand National at today’s five-day confirmation stage.

MACS GILDORAN was the only surprise withdrawal from the Martell Cognac Grand National at yesterday's forfeit stage, leaving a total of 77 entries remaining in the race a week on Saturday.

TED WALSH is planning a double assault on the Martell Cognac Grand National at Aintree on April 3.

Rince Ri was today the subject of a big ante-post plunge for the Martell Cognac Grand National.

NOEL MEADE’S Dashing Home got odds-on punters off to the ideal start when landing the Blanchardstown Renault Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

BIG-RACE jockey Jim Culloty, having his first ever ride in the contest, grabbed yesterday’s Powers’ Gold Label Irish Grand National in the dying strides aboard Dessie Hughes’ Timbera and thinks the horse could be an Aintree Grand National contender next year.

A field of 23, headed by Aintree absentee Davids Lad, will go to post for the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup remains the premier event in the steeplechasing calendar, and Dessie Hughes certainly knows what it takes to win the Blue-Riband event of the festival, having piloted the Mick O’Toole-trained Davy Lad to victory in the 1977 race.

The Bunny Boiler, trained by Noel Meade and ridden by conditional jockey Ross Geraghty, proved a brave winner of the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Ted Walsh may have ruled Papillon out of next weekend’s Martell Grand National at Aintree, thereby foregoing the chance of recording a quick double from his charge in the marathon event.

THE classy Prince Of Tara will be the focus of much attention in the opening Athgarvan Hurdle at

The Dessie Hughes-trained Timbera has come in second in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham at a price of 8/1.