There is a great card to get the 2019 Punchestown festival underway and Delta Work can ensure a good start to a long week for punters by taking the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase.

I have some great rides to look forward on the opening day of the Punchestown festival, it’s a brilliant week and I can’t wait for it to get underway.

He may be out on his own as the most successful jockey in Cheltenham Festival history but Ruby Walsh admits he still gets nervous ahead of the biggest week on the racing calendar.

Un De Sceaux could head to Newbury, Leopardstown, or step back up in trip for the Ascot Chase after Willie Mullins sidestepped an outing this weekend on account of the ground.

With the National Hunt campaign approaching its halfway stage, Colm Greaves assesses the current state of play

Tuesday, the opening day of the Punchestown, was to be Willie Mullins’ day. Expectation was high that the stable could make the necessary start in its bid to reel in championship leader Gordon Elliott in the race for the trainers’ title. And so it did.

After a seemingly endless spell of testing ground, the weather has finally changed and the forecast for next week is for mainly dry weather, with the odd shower of rain, writes Ruby Walsh.

The admirable Un De Sceaux can run the opposition ragged in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham this afternoon, writes Pat Keane. 

Un De Sceaux was a brilliant winner of last year’s Ryanair Chase and it’ll be a huge surprise if the Willie Mullins-trained 10-year-old fails to retain his crown this afternoon, writes Darren Norris.

I don’t think it is any great exaggeration to describe Willie Mullins’ Djakadam as having developed into something of a professional loser.

Fox Norton followed up his Aintree success by taking the scalp of Un De Sceaux in the BoyleSports Champion Chase at Punchestown.

I’ve ridden in a lot of King Georges but I don’t remember riding in one with such a small field.

Sprinter Sacre's rehabilitation took on another level at Sandown with a display of brilliance in the bet365 Celebration Chase.

Gordon Elliott has given No More Heroes a perfect preparation and the imposing seven-year- old is fancied to land the RSA Chase at Cheltenham today.

For most people lucky enough to have a birthday coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival a pair of tickets to the meeting is a valued present — but Colm O’Connell might just enjoy the best celebration of all, a Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase win for Un De Sceaux.

Paul Nicholls has warned punters not to leave Saphir Du Rheu out of calculations for the Ryanair World Hurdle at Cheltenham next month.

Gary Moore has been dealt a blow with the news his smart chaser Traffic Fluide will miss the rest of the season.

While a win in the Queen Mother Champion Chase may have so far eluded trainer Willie Mullins, his chances of addressing that rare omission from his CV moved a step nearer after Un De Sceaux gave further notice he is fast becoming the complete package with victory in the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot on Saturday.

Our expert racing columnist Ruby Walsh picks his 10 horses to watch for 2016.

Un De Sceaux, last season’s top novice, heads a list of 10 entries for the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase on Saturday but won’t face a showdown with Sprinter Sacre at Sandown after Nicky Henderson withdrew the nine-year-old from the race.

Un De Sceaux could make his seasonal return in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown two weeks today.

Don Cossack has been announced as the highest-rated jumps horse of the 2014/15 season in the Anglo-Irish Jump Classification on a mark of 175.

I am happy to be riding Perfect Gentleman in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday. I think he has the right profile for the race and 10-10 is a lovely weight.

 

Right, you know the score. I’ve studied the formbook. I’ve topped up my online accounts, says Enda McEvoy.

In delivering a third Champion Hurdle crown to the Closutton residence of trainer Willie Mullins, Faugheen silenced the doubters with a display of authority which established him as the leading hurdler in these isles — a position the unbeaten seven-year-old promises to command for a considerable period.

“The stats say they won’t all win,” said Ruby Walsh, in his Irish Examiner preview of his four mounts — all favourites — on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

“The stats say they won’t all win,” said Ruby Walsh, in his Irish Examiner preview of his four mounts – all favourites — on day one of the Cheltenham Festival, but the meeting’s leading rider went agonisingly close to pulling off a famous four-timer which would have knocked the bookmakers for six.

Un De Sceaux attempts to live up to his billing as the most exciting novice chaser around when he lines up for the Racing Post Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham today.

"I made money nearly every day last year," John Francome begins before delivering the punchline with precision timing.

An estimated €125m will be wagered in Cheltenham this week as hundreds of thousands flock to the iconic course for AP McCoy’s swansong.

With his big Cheltenham decision now made, Ruby shared some more thoughts with Pat Keane ahead of the first day’s racing.