They are joined by a host of others who might otherwise have been heading to Aintree at the start of next month – including several British hopefuls, despite the fact horses are currently not permitted to travel from overseas to race in Ireland.

Grand National-winning trainer Ted Walsh is among those who are backing the decision to cancel this year’s renewal of the Aintree spectacular because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Gordon Elliott has spoken of his disappointment at the cancellation of the Randox Health Grand National – but he still hopes his dual winner Tiger Roll can bid for a third success in the famous race next year.

Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, yesterday expressed concern over the financial implications of racing behind closed doors.

HAVING found Altior an immovable object in three previous trips to Cheltenham, Min can make it fourth time lucky by winning the Ryanair Chase today.

“He’s still on course for the National, definitely.”

Daragh Ó Conchúir picks out three big races at Cheltenham which are set to thrill punters.

It’s frightening to think the illegal presence of some animal in a market in the province of Hubei, in a city most of us had never previously heard of and few will ever visit could have such a profound and deadly impact on the world.

Foot and mouth - 2001. A year and three words I and anybody in agriculture or horse racing will never forget.

History awaits Gordon Elliott’s remarkable 10-year-old, who is due to complete his preparations at the Cheltenham Festival when he attempts to win there for a fifth time in all.

Seriously, is there any chance we could have a little break, after today, from two horses, Tiger Roll and Altior?

Nicky Henderson is relieved to have finally got Altior’s season up and running – and “all is going well” for his bid to emulate Badsworth Boy in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Tiger Roll is preparing to bid for a fifth win at the Cheltenham Festival and third successive Grand National.

NOTHING for it this week then, with Storm Ciara messing us about big-time, but to look ahead to the Cheltenham Festival in an effort to pinpoint some value.

Official handicapper Martin Greenwood is looking forward to what he described as arguably the “highest-quality” Grand National in years after making Tiger Roll and stablemate Delta Work joint top-weight on 11st 10lb for the Aintree spectacular.

Tiger Roll is only "50-50" to run in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree in April, where he would bid to emulate the great Red Rum with three victories over the famous fences.

Paul Nicholls is confident Britain’s highest-rated jumper Cyrname can lift the pressure on his shoulders by striking gold in the Betfair Ascot Chase for the second year in succession.

Had events unfolded the way Nicky Henderson hoped at the start of the season Altior would not be running in the Grade Two Win Bigger On The Betfair Exchange Chase at Newbury this afternoon.

Tiger Roll is on target to run in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan on February 16, after resuming full work following his setback.

PLEASE, please Willie run Benie Des Dieux in the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and give us the battle that will light up the festival.

In recent years, Festival Trials Day has more than lived up to its billing with 16 runners over the last five years going on to win at Cheltenham in March.

Yesterday bookmakers were going 5-1 the field for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and that indicates they’re just as confused as us mere punters.

As the curtain falls on 2019, we asked our writers to share the moment which encapsulated all that is good about sport this year..

Ante-post favourite Riders Onthe Storm will miss today’s Caspian Caviar Gold Cup after being declared a non-runner in error.

Quality. That’s all it takes it to attract a crowd.

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are responsible for nine of the 14 remaining entries in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.

Emma Lavelle is feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement ahead of Paisley Park’s return to action in the Ladbrokes Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury today.

Tiger Roll remains on course to bid for a historic third successive win in the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree despite a recent setback.

Stay on the good side of these 10 chasers in the months ahead.

The eight-year-old surrendered her unbeaten record over fences when going down by a length and a quarter to Kalashnikov at Aintree on her final start last season but that was her sole defeat in five starts in the 2018-19 campaign.

David Mullins was reported to be “alert, speaking and moving all limbs” after being airlifted to Cork University hospital following a heavy fall at Thurles today.

The National Hunt season is getting into full swing and already a number of horses, four to be precise, have been identified that may well help to keep us cruising along.

Barry Geraghty has delayed his comeback from a broken leg until next month.

When Gordon Elliott heard that Michael O’Leary was pulling the plug on the enormously successful Gigginstown House Stud operation, he’d have been forgiven for immediately checking if it was April 1.

How do you know when it’s over? In sport, every sportsperson has to keep trying to improve. Someone sets a standard - for me that was AP McCoy - and that was the level you had to try to achieve. When he retired, all of a sudden you realise you had to try to stay ahead of the younger jockeys coming up behind you.

It was the sweetest of farewells.

After 24 very good years, yesterday I bowed out after winning the Punchestown Gold Cup on Kemboy.

I don’t understand the betting for today’s feature race, the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Un de Sceaux has upset the odds to claim the feature race on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival - the BoyleSportsChampion Chase.

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.