WHILE Aidan O’Brien has opted to stay away, Dermot Weld has entered Sense Of Purpose, a four-year-old mare who has won her past two starts at Leopardstown, and Galileo’s Choice, who two starts ago won a maiden hurdle at Galway, in the Emirates Melbourne Cup at Flemington on November 1, for which there have been 163 nominations.

THE parents of a boy with Down Syndrome say they will have to leave the country after their daughter’s school refused to enrol their son, saying it can not cater for his needs.

WHILE Eamon Gilmore has moved to tighten the leader’s grip on Labour, he must still get any coalition deal approved by his party’s grassroots.

WHILE Emma Murphy flies the flag for Ireland in the women’s individual championships and fellow Corkwoman Elsa O’Riain carries a fourth seeding into the doubles alongside Australia’s Melissa Anderson, Limerick’s Conor Niland is perfectly poised for a tilt at the NCAA men’s singles championship this week.