Ruby Walsh reflects on Tuesday’s treble and Wednesday’s woes at Cheltenham.

Very Wood booked his ticket for a return visit to Cheltenham when hitting form with victory in the Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan yesterday.

I am probably leaving a winner or two behind me in Gowran, but I learned a long time ago that you can’t be in two places at one time, says Ruby Walsh.

Saturday’s galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle at Cheltenham looks like being an informative affair after 12 entries were revealed.

Back in Leopardstown this afternoon for what will be a busy few days and I get started on Buiseness Sivola, for Willie Mullins, in the juvenile hurdle.

Boston Bob and On His Own are both in line to represent Willie Mullins in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown as the champion trainer bids to win one of the Festive period’s biggest prizes for the first time.

I’m sure most people are delighted with the mild and dry weather we have been experiencing for a while now, but for those of us in the racing game, at least the National Hunt end of things, it is really annoying.

Champion Hurdle runner-up My Tent Or Yours has been ruled out for the season after suffering a tendon injury.

There could hardly have been a more dramatic start to the final day, with the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle centring very much around two jockeys, Ruby Walsh and Davy Russell.

Friday began with your intrepid and, let’s face it, unfortunate correspondent 100 quid down after three days. (Four runners-up on Thursday. Napoleon would never have had me as a general.) As to how it ended, you’ll see in due course. Here’s a hint, however.

Already, the final day of Cheltenham 2014 has arrived and after three days of the usual high class racing and excitement we’re looking forward to more of the same on Gold Cup day.

To start with, two pieces of good news.

Someone once defined a pessimist as an informed optimist, and here’s a scribbler who can readily identify with such a description on the lead-in to Cheltenham.

Wasn’t the racing in Ireland last weekend desperately disappointing? What is happening in the National Hunt game in this country is simply turning punters off.

Very Wood gets the nap to land a fascinating Grade 3 Surehaul Mercedes-Benz Novice Hurdle at Clonmel this afternoon.

Dessie Hughes wants to get one more run into Apache Jack before he tackles the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Briar Hill appears likely to go up in trip when he returns to the Cheltenham Festival in March following his rather workmanlike victory in the Slaney Novice Hurdle at Naas yesterday.

Willie Mullins’ Blood Cotil, in the McCarthy Insurance Group Beginners Chase, is easily the most interesting horse on show at Cork this afternoon.

It really is slim pickings for me this weekend and, with the exception of Un de Sceaux at Thurles tomorrow, I’m certainly going to struggle to get among the winners.

It has not been a particularly good few days for National Hunt racing in this country.

Cheltenham is a fair old way to travel for just one ride, but that’s the plan today.

Briar Hill, winner of the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival in March, made a successful start over hurdles when justifying 1/9 favouritism in the opening Supporters Club AGM & Table Quiz Maiden Hurdle in Wexford yesterday, continuing the superb form of champion trainer Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh.

Willie Mullins Cheltenham Gold Cup dream is alive and kicking, following the game success of Sir Des Champs in the Bet Online With The Tote.com Gold Cup at Punchestown last night.

I think today is my weakest book of rides of the week and will be delighted to get among the winners.

Joseph O’Brien cannot wait to make his first visit to the Cheltenham Festival when he rides Shield in today’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper.

YOU get two for the price of one in this property offer — four years ago, a one-bed home was grafted on to the end of a 1980s three-bed bungalow, done for extended family use.

A 19-year-old woman is dead following a car accident in Galway in the early hours of the morning.

OFFERS over €430,000 are canvassed for this Briar Hill home - a four-bed bungalow in a rural setting which has brought something of the city out to it.