Dual Champion Hurdle runner-up Melon opened his account over fences with a battling display at Leopardstown.

Superb racing in Limerick and Leopardstown on St Stephen’s Day as their respective four-day festivals get underway, and there is also a good card in Down Royal.

Willie Mullins believes he will finally be able to make entries for Punchestown Gold Cup winner Kemboy this week.

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.

Killarney is proving quite the money-spinning track for the Terence O’Brien-trained Lakemilan and, on the opening day of the five-day July festival at the Kerry venue, she picked up her second €50,000 handicap at the course when taking the featured Boylesports Handicap Chase.

About half an hour after the final whistle in Croke Park yesterday, as the Wexford players were still celebrating on the pitch, I ran into a bunch of Wexford supporters I last met in Down Royal racecourse years ago.

Gordon Elliott has confirmed riding plans for all 13 of his intended Randox Health Grand National runners.

Ross O’Sullivan is looking forward to running Call It Magic at Aintree again after the horse appeared to relish the unique fences in the Becher Chase.

With the National Hunt campaign approaching its halfway stage, Colm Greaves assesses the current state of play

Pat Keogh’s father was obviously a very persistent man.

Some say Samcro disappointed at Down Royal, where he was picked off by the fitter Bedrock (Rachael Blackmore), but Kennedy won’t be hanging around today, writes Ruby Walsh

As a massive Samcro fan, from the first day he set foot on a racecourse, I will be surprised should he be good enough to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham in March.

Back for the winter season and it really begins to kick into gear from this point.

Former Gold Cup third Road To Riches could return to Cheltenham this autumn after changing hands at Doncaster on Wednesday.

Unfortunately, I’m missing the Listowel meeting as I’m still a bit sore after the injury I picked up in Killarney and need a little more time. Of course, I’d love to be involved, particularly in today’s Kerry National which looks another very competitive renewal.

Sidelined since May 7, champion-jockey Davy Russell made a successful return to competitive action when landing the €30,000 thetote.com Connacht National Handicap Chase on top-weight Kaiser Back in Roscommon last night.

Trainer Timmy Hyde completed a bumper double with Feelin’ Groovy and Kelp Forest on a memorable day for his family in Limerick yesterday.

"If it was all plain sailing it would be much too easy!"

Jessica Harrington has certainly stood the test of time, writes Pat Keane.

Douvan is “not far away” from returning to action after being entered in the Red Mills Chase at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Willie sends Melon to Cheltenham for the International Hurdle and the first thing to acknowledge is that he is not well treated on ratings.

Death Duty completed a Grade One treble on the day for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud with victory in the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse.

In the week when the UK started to negotiate its departure from the EU, horse racing is an interesting if unusual place to study the ramifications of Brexit.

When Gigginstown’s Valseur Lido faded, rather dramatically, from the final fence in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown the general reaction was that he simply didn’t stay the three miles.

Just two rides today, but they’re good ones, and I start off with Valseur Lido in the JNWine Chase at Down Royal. 

Ahead of an important couple of days in Down Royal, when some of the stable’s leading lights will make their first starts of the season, trainer Gordon Elliott completed a near 6-1 double on a cold Thursday afternoon in Thurles.

Punchestown is the focus of our attention for the next two days, and the nap on this afternoon’s good card goes to Bosco Di Alco, in the www.Coral.ie Maiden Hurdle. 

Road To Riches is likely to bid for a second success in the JNwine.com Champion Chase after pleasing connections at Gowran Park on Saturday.

Ruby Walsh was stood down for the evening after a crashing fall in the Bellinter House Classic Mares Hurdle at Bellewstown.

It’s one of biggest racing weeks of the year in the racing world with terrific domestic action at Galway as well as a stellar meeting at Goodwood. Here’s five things to keep in mind over the next six days.

Two tricky cards this evening, but there was enough promise in the debut effort of Dancing Waves to suggest she can land the nap in the seven-furlong auction maiden at Down Royal.

It mightn’t be wise to get too carried away with dual Derby winner, Harzand.

Faugheen could potentially be stepped up in trip in order to avoid clashing with reigning Champion Hurdle heroine and stablemate Annie Power.

Multiple champion jockey Kieren Fallon is set for a short period on the sidelines after picking up a chest infection.