JIMMY Mangan hopes to be double-handed as he chases a second success in the John Smith’s Grand National on Saturday week.

There is a sign on the way into the East Cork village where Jimmy Mangan lives which declares boldly – “Conna – the home of Monty’s Pass.” To many people this information might not mean much, but to those in the know, it highlights the fact that this tiny hamlet is a nest of National Hunt racing fervour and its proudest son won the sport’s biggest prize the Aintree Grand National in 2003.

NICANOR, who once beat Denman at the Cheltenham Festival, should be finally ready to strike over fences in the Trim Beginners Chase at Navan this afternoon.

IT may be the height of folly to nap a horse who finished a remote seventh of seven finishers last time, but that’s precisely what we are going to do with J’y Vole in the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

WHINSTONE BOY added to his considerable gains in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park two weeks earlier, with another terrific display in the Kilcash Chase at Clonmel yesterday.

THE John Murphy-trained Newmill rekindled memories of the past when landing the Grade 2 Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles yesterday.

ON AN afternoon when you wouldn’t put the cat out, the Jimmy Mangan-trained Whinstone Boy landed a massive gamble in the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park.

Whinstone Boy stayed on best in the testing conditions to land the Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park under Sean Flanagan.

FOOTY FACTS gets the vote to land a typically wide-open Tendrleen Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park this afternoon.

THE sky could be the limit for Tommy Stack’s newcomer, Cambiaso, following his stunning debut at Cork yesterday.