It’s Gold Cup day in Punchestown and while I don’t know if we’ll have the race we had last year, with Sizing John, Djakadam and Coneygree providing a brilliant spectacle, it’s still a great race.

After a seemingly endless spell of testing ground, the weather has finally changed and the forecast for next week is for mainly dry weather, with the odd shower of rain, writes Ruby Walsh.

It’s tough not being a part of the action on Gold Cup day, but that’s my lot for this Festival, unfortunately, writes Ruby Walsh.

Leopardstown’s Christmas festival had everything, both from Willie Mullins’ point of view, and from the racecourse point of view, writes Ruby Walsh.

Let the madness of Grand National Day begin. Unfortunately for me, after my fall from Blood Cotil in the Topham I sustained a wrist injury and won’t be involved in the way I had hoped.

I would really love to win the race, not just for me, but for Willie Mullins, writes Ruby Walsh

For most people lucky enough to have a birthday coinciding with the Cheltenham Festival a pair of tickets to the meeting is a valued present — but Colm O’Connell might just enjoy the best celebration of all, a Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase win for Un De Sceaux.

Darren Norris and Tommy Lyons argue their cases...

The JLT just got a whole lot more competitive. That was the consensus after Douvan, the horse which trainer Willie Mullins describes as ‘a different species’, gave an exhibition of jumping when routing two smart rivals in the Frank Ward Solicitors Irish Arkle.

I could have gone to Ascot this afternoon to ride one of our two runners in the Ladbroke Hurdle, but have a good book of rides at Fairyhouse and, so, opted to stay at home.

Some very exciting prospects return on a good card this afternoon at Thurles, where the nap goes to Kilcrea in the Thurlesraces.ie Handicap Chase.

The Bibby Financial Services Ireland Gold Cup yesterday developed into the closely contested race the market suggested and, from the feature, the Gordon Elliott-trained Don Cossack emerged a genuine contender for next season’s Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Things didn’t all go to plan yesterday but you won’t complain with two winners nonetheless. I picked the wrong one big time in the Champion Chase and my hope that Champagne Fever might reproduce his best form proved unfounded. It was 50-50 with Felix Yonger and it didn’t surprise me that he stuck it out so well in the end.

In-form Luke Dempsey again proved his star quality when partnering Thunder Zone, the outsider of just three runners, in the CIT race Week Hurdle on Student Race Day in Cork yesterday.

 

When the 2014 Cheltenham Festival was done and dusted, and everyone else’s thoughts had migrated towards the approaching due ands of Aintree and Punchestown, Willie Mullins’ mind lingered for a mite longer on Prestbury Park.

There was, unfortunately, no fairytale ending for the soon-to-retire AP McCoy in the last race of this year’s Cheltenham Festival — one renamed in his honour for the occasion.

Willie Mullins made history by training a record eight winners at a Cheltenham Festival when Killultagh Vic landed a thrilling victory in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

It’s Gold Cup day at Cheltenham but I won’t be disappointed if the forecast rain arrived overnight and continues through the morning as it will suit my mount, Djakadam, writes Ruby Walsh.

I’m off on my travels again today, heading to Doncaster for just one ride, Analifet, in a Grade 2 hurdle for mares, says Ruby Walsh.

Willie Mullins appears to hold most of the aces in the Navan Novice Hurdle on Sunday, with Shaneshill, Outlander, Killultagh Vic and Killer Crow among the 12 entries.

Willie Mullins’ Champagne Fever made an excellent seasonal debut at Clonmel yesterday when landing the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase with the minimum of fuss.

Willie Mullins warns that Champagne Fever may need the race, but the grey is still the choice to land the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase at Clonmel this afternoon.

To start with, two pieces of good news.

Patrick Mullins has let his heart rule his head in his decision to partner Black Hercules in today’s Weatherbys Champion Bumper (5.15) at Cheltenham.

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.

Quevega remains on course to bid for a historic sixth consecutive victory in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham after starring among 24 entries for the Grade Two contest.

Willie Mullins further strengthened his formidable hand for the Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham next month as Killultagh Vic produced a scintillating display at Naas yesterday.

Foxrock, a dour stayer, is fancied to land the Grade 2 Woodlands Park 100 Club Novice Chase at Naas today.