The JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal next month is the likely next port of call for First Lieutenant after he was beaten on his seasonal reappearance at Punchestown last week.

Toner D’Oudairies upstaged fellow Gigginstown-owned performers Roi Do Mee and First Lieutenant in the Grade 3 Star Chase in Punchestown yesterday.

Busted Tycoon and Notable Graduate provided Tony Martin and Dermot Weld respectively with further success on the final day of the 2013 Galway Festival in Ballybrit yesterday.

It is rare enough for one to be overly impressed by a National Hunt horse in the summer, but Jessica Harrington’s Beachdale Lad was a rare exception at Kilbeggan last Monday night.

Davy Russell inched closer to a century of winners and extended his lead over Ruby Walsh in the championship race to eight when Toner d’Oudairies became the defending champion’s 99th winner of the season with a comfortable win in the Follow Us On Twitter@fairyhouse Beginners Chase.

You can’t really complain when you bring two horses over to Aintree and come back with two seconds.

Bookmakers got a screamer of a result in the four-runner Easter Time Hurdle at Thurles last evening, with victory going to the 14-1 outsider, Dancing Tornado.

Davy Russell, denied in controversial circumstances from riding at Aintree this week, can enjoy a measure of compensation by landing a double at Thurles this evening.

To wrap up an outstanding final day for owner JP McManus and four-day meeting for Nicky Henderson, Bellvano took the closing Johnny Henderson Grand Annual, named after the winning trainer’s late father.

JUST about everyone was shocked when the attendance figures for Fairyhouse on Wednesday were revealed.

SOLWHIT is the nap choice to land the Bar One Hatton’s Grace Hurdle, on a terrific programme at Fairyhouse this afternoon.