It will be a major surprise should Hurricane Fly fail to cement his place near the top of the Champion Hurdle market in the BHP Insurance-sponsored Irish equivalent at Leopardstown tomorrow.

It was very sad to lose Jenari after breaking his leg on Tuesday when doing a bit of a breeze ahead of an intended engagement in Leopardstown today.

I travel to Wales today for six rides at Chepstow and it is great that the rescheduled Welsh National forms part of the programme.

Cheltenham is very much on the minds of connections of both Hurricane Fly and Taquin De Seuil as Grade One victories on Saturday put them firmly in the championship mix.

Hurricane Fly advanced his claims to regain his Cheltenham crown with a 13th Grade One triumph in the Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown.

Hurricane Fly can cement his position near the top of the Champion Hurdle market by landing the Grade 1 Istabraq Festival Hurdle at Leopardstown this afternoon.

It was fantastic to win a third Lexus at Leopardstown yesterday on Tidal Bay, to go with previous victories on Rince Ri and Denman.

Gordon Elliott’s exciting prospect Don Cossack will take his next step in a fascinating Navan Novice Hurdle on Sunday.

Voler La Vedette will face four opponents as she bids to repeat last year’s victory in the Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse tomorrow.

Raz De Maree gave trainer Dessie Hughes his first Ladbrokes Munster National when, delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge by Bryan Cooper, he mastered Quietly Fancied and joint favourite Questions Answered in Limerick yesterday.

Today's meeting at Chepstow is what I consider to be the start of the proper national hunt season and Paul Nicholls likes to make a statement on the first day so I'm really looking forward to my six mounts.

Missunited is the nap choice to land a fascinating Slan Abhaile Race at the final stage of the Listowel festival this afternoon.

Back at the scene of his memorable Guinness Galway Hurdle success with Rebel Fitz, Mick Winters struck again at Ballybrit yesterday when classy mare Missunited made every yard of the running to justify 8/13 favouritism in the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle.

Kevin Prendergast, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, has clearly lost none of the magic and was on the mark at Galway last night when Vastonea landed the featured Topaz Mile.

Face Value answered conditional rider David Splaine’s every call to run out a determined winner of the Topaz Novice Hurdle at Galway.

Check out our tips from today’s races from courses around Ireland and the UK.

The Ruby Walsh-ridden Zuzka continued Willie Mullins’ remarkable run of success when justifying 4/9 favouritism in the Irish Stallion Farms Mares Maiden Hurdle at a Sligo meeting which attracted a surprisingly big crowd, with Sligo in Connacht Football final action in Roscommon.

Zuzka should open her account over hurdles in the Irish Stallion Farms Mares Maiden Hurdle in Sligo tomorrow.

GER LYONS’ That Boy David can get off the mark at the fourth attempt in the Barclay Web Design EBF Maiden for colts and geldings at Down Royal tonight.

Former champion Paul Carberry has started the new season in blistering form and brought his tally for the campaign to ten with a superb 129/1 treble on Court Lexi, Zaralabad and Victrix Gale in Limerick yesterday.