Emma Lavelle will keep a close eye on the long-term weather forecast before making a decision on whether Shotgun Paddy will line up in the Crabbie’s Grand National next month.

Awesome – that was the word my 10-year-old daughter used to sum up Ellie Goulding’s sell-out show at the Marquee last night.

Sprinter Sacre is set to line up for the Sodexo Clarence House Chase at Ascot tomorrow after trainer Nicky Henderson “pressed the green button” following an all-important walk of the course on Thursday morning.

Next month’s Tied Cottage Chase at Punchestown is a likely next port of call for Hidden Cyclone following another admirable effort at Leopardstown over the festive period.

Joe Elliot’s side project, Down ’n’ Outz, is a sort of tribute to his boyhood heroes, writes Ed Power

TODDLER ALERT

If you plan a Game of Thrones-themed wedding, do you run the risk of repeating George RR Martin’s infamous Red Wedding? It’s a chance this couple were willing to take.

Elizabeth Hurley has told for the first time how she struggled to get over her split from Shane Warne, but is now "blooming".

Jim Culloty is planning to let his Cheltenham hero Spring Heeled line up in Saturday’s bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown – as long as he does not have to carry top-weight.

Shane Warne is "still friends" with his ex-fiancée Elizabeth Hurley.

Veteran folk and rock performer Roy Harper is set to be tried next year over allegations he committed a string of sex offences in the 1970s.

Cork-based veteran folk and rock performer Roy

Veteran folk and rock performer Roy Harper is facing nine charges in relation to a series of historical sex offences against an under-age girl.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Quinz has been ruled out of the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday following an unsatisfactory scope.

Owner Graham Wylie insists Tidal Bay will not run in the Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup in March if “the ground is good or faster”.

On Aug 24, an American jury found that Samsung had infringed six Apple patents, and ordered the Korean company to pay more than $1bn in damages.

If I was a hat wearer, I would certainly take my hat off to the scores of Irish companies present at the Royal Welsh Show.

Pat Smullen is the envy of most other jockeys during the Galway Festival so perhaps the hint should be taken when he says the ride he is looking forward to most is Rock Critic in the Topaz Mile EBF Handicap today.

There are several important reasons for Le Beau Bai to head to Sandown with a decent chance in today’s Bet365 Gold Cup.

Buyers from the UK and from Donegal to Waterford were bidding for the many five star bulls on offer at Tullamore in the Hereford Society’s Premier Bull Sale.

The 2012 Big Chill festival in the UK has been cancelled, it has been announced.

LE BEAU BAI provided the closest possible thing to a first home-trained winner of the Coral Welsh National since Norther in 1965.

GILLIAN WESTBROOK is the new general manager of the Irish Organic Farmers and Growers Association, IOFGA. This position will involve planning, managing and organisation for IOFGA.

A BRONZE buttock that was “liberated” from a statue of Saddam Hussein, famously toppled after the fall of Baghdad in 2003, has attracted global attention ahead of an auction later this month, its owner said.

Silvestre de Sousa lit up a damp, grey final meeting at York today with a 1,983-1 four-timer on Oceanway, Bannock, Orsippus and Licence To Till.

WALTER SWINBURN is to quit the training ranks on October 31.

LITTLE BRITAIN star David Walliams is braving raw sewage and deadly diseases to raise money for charity by swimming the length of the Thames.

A British couple reported missing in Canada were enjoying their holiday unaware of a major search for them.

Weather-weary Britons battled ice and snow today to either get away for the Christmas break or to do last-minute shopping.

A team of pet detectives is looking for a missing cat — with the help of an Indian psychic.

Travel problems proved fortuitous for Omix D'Or as the grey was rerouted from Fontwell to Hereford 24 hours later and emerged victorious in the Matthew Clark Novices' Handicap Chase today.

Richard Johnson has spent his career in the shadow of Tony McCoy, but the perennial champion was keen to proclaim his rival as an underrated force as he became just the second jump jockey to pass the 2,000-winner mark.

FAKE golf clubs and other goods worth millions of euro were sold to eBay customers around the world in the largest fraud of its kind, a court has heard.

Thousands of people have been enjoying the summer weather at the Big Chill festival in England today.

Comedy duo The Mighty Boosh – Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt – are reportedly set to call time on their partnership after cultivating different interests.

FOR those who have an interest in food and a concern about food issues, the last Thursday of every month is worth marking in your diary – Cork Free Choice Consumer Group will have a speaker at the Crawford Art Gallery from 7.30pm to 10pm.

The 2009 Vhi GAA Cúl Camps were officially launched this morning in Croke Park by Christy Cooney, in his first official outing as President of GAA, Declan Moran, Director of Marketing and Business Development, Vhi Healthcare, Anthony Daly current Dublin hurling manager and former captain of the Clare senior intercounty hurling team, and Colm O'Rourke, former inter-county Gaelic footballer for Meath.

A TERMINALLY-ILL teenager who refused a heart transplant was granted her final wish — a holiday in Disneyworld, Florida.

THE torrential rains that lashed England over the weekend may have eased off but forecasters last night warned of more floods to come.

Lodge Lane ran below expectations at Cheltenham but he was back on song in the EBF/D M Hall Future Champions “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Perth.

The founder of British crisp company Tyrrells could be in line for a multi-million pound windfall after the potato farmer was approached about the sale of a stake in the business, it was reported today.

Flash flooding will continue throughout the week as more bands of wet weather sweep across Britain, the Environment Agency warned today.

British union leaders will meet bosses at chocolate giant Cadbury today to ask them to reverse their decision to close a factory.