PUNCHESTOWNS has won his fitness battle now it is time for him to step up to the plate in the RSA Chase on the second day of the Cheltenham Festival.

THE countdown to Cheltenham has really started now and it promises to be a revealing weekend, between Ascot and Haydock this afternoon and the two days at Leopardstown.

DUAL winner Master Minded heads 24 entries for the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

While Kempton yesterday was only about Kauto Star, 24 hours later Nicky Henderson reclaimed his dominant role with a high-profile double and three winners overall.

FERDY Murphy has ruled Kalahari King out of the William Hill King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

NO Master Minded today, so I have to settle for Twist Magic in what looks a fascinating Tingle Creek at Sandown.

HARRY FINDLAY says Denman will win the Cheltenham Gold Cup ‘pulling a cart.’

NOEL Meade has confirmed that his brilliant hurdler Harchibald has run his last race.

Dual Champion Chase winner Master Minded will miss out on a bid for a repeat win in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown on Saturday week as Paul Nicholls works to discover the reason for his hanging right-handed

Master Minded suffered a shock reverse on his return to action as Well Chief ran out an emphatic winner of the Connaught Chase at Cheltenham.

MY main ambition, as far as Cheltenham today is concerned, is to walk out of the place relatively unscathed.

Master Minded starred in a terrific hat-trick for jockey Ruby Walsh by retaining his crown with another comfortable victory in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham.

Master Minded successfully defended his Seasons Holidays Champion Chase crown at Cheltenham to become the first horse since Viking Flagship in 1995 to retain the two-mile championship.

A run in the John Smith’s Grand National seems unlikely for Denman unless something goes wrong in his pursuit of back-to-back Cheltenham Gold Cups.

KICKING KING, winner of the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup, can look forward to a long and happy retirement after connections called time on his glittering career yesterday.

Former Arkle winner Well Chief has been ruled out for the season.

Davy Russell has been booked for the plum ride on Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup second-favourite Abragante at Newbury on Saturday.

DAVY Russell has been booked for the plum ride on Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup second-favourite Abragante at Newbury on Saturday.

On a weekend featuring the ever-popular Breeders’ Cup, stay-at-home punters are also in for a treat as Gold Cup hero Kauto Star makes his seasonal reappearance at Aintree.

Monet’s Garden added his name to a star-studded roll of honour which includes the likes of Moscow Flyer, Viking Flagship and Direct Route when landing the John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree.

Well Chief heads a fascinating field of nine for the John Smith’s Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

WE can dress it up anyway we want, but one has to conclude this was a desperately disappointing Cheltenham for Irish horses.

RUBY WALSH has some dilemma for his Gold Cup ride next year, doesn’t he? After all, he has the pick of two of next year’s fancies in SunAlliance Chase winner Denman and yesterday’s champion Kauto Star.

Voy Por Ustedes, trained by Alan King and ridden by Robert Thornton, won the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase, the feature race on the second day of the 2007 Cheltenham Festival.

VOY POR USTEDES can provide the solution to the Seasons’ Holidays Queen Mother Two Mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham today.

David Johnson believes ante-post favourite Well Chief is a “champion in waiting” ahead of his bid for glory in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Andrew McNamara hopes lightning can strike twice when Newmill bids for glory in the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Martin Brassil has declared himself happy with conditions at Cheltenham ahead of Nickname’s assault on the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday.

MARTIN BRASSIL has declared himself happy with conditions at Cheltenham ahead of Nickname’s assault on the Seasons Holidays Queen Mother Champion Chase on Wednesday.

Andrew McNamara is looking forward to the Cheltenham Festival after securing his best ever book of rides for the meeting.

CHAMPION trainer Paul Nicholls will call on the likes of Kauto Star and Denman at the Cheltenham Festival next month.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls will call on the likes of Kauto Star and Denman at the Cheltenham Festival next month but of his more low-profile contenders, he is particularly keen on the chance of Nycteos in the Racing Post Plate.

Well Chief makes his eagerly-awaited reappearance in a cracking renewal of the totepool Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday.

Attracting new owners will be one of the priorities for David Pipe as he begins his reign as master of Pond House Stables.

Queen Mother Champion Chase hopeful Dempsey is in great form ahead of his tilt at the two-mile championship next month.

Racing Demon heads a list of 57 entries for the Irish Independent Arkle Challenge Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival.

Over The Creek has been ruled out for the rest of the season after meeting with a setback.

Mick Fitzgerald set himself up for Saturday’s William Hill – Tingle Creek Trophy at Sandown when partnering hot favourite Kauto Star at Paul Nicholls’ yard on Thursday morning.

Martin Pipe’s classy chaser Well Chief has been sidelined for the rest of the season due to injury.

Top novice Ashley Brook could begin his second season as a chaser on the same early-November Exeter card on which he made a successful start over fences last autumn.

MOSCOW FLYER, unless he’s gone completely over the top or falls, faces a simple task in the Kerrygold Champion Chase at the opening stage of the Punchestown Festival this afternoon.

Moscow Flyer regained his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown with a magnificent performance at Cheltenham today on a great afternoon for the sport.

Moscow Flyer regained his Queen Mother Champion Chase crown with a flawless performance under Barry Geraghty at Cheltenham today.

AZERTYUIOP is the choice to land what promises to be the race of the meeting, the Queen Mother Champion Chase, at Cheltenham this afternoon.