Taoiseach Enda Kenny has moved to assure Roscommon residents that there will be no “land grab” to move part of the county into Westmeath.

A potentially eventful morning as I’m due to be in Naas but, should that fall to the frost, I could be heading for Warwick, provided, of course, Willie Mullins wants me to do that.

Each passing festival provides a window into the burgeoning talents of trainer Gordon Elliott, and the Co Meath handler capped another fine week by taking the Grade 1 Neville Hotels Novice Chase with top-class prospect No More Heroes.

Lucky Pass gets the nap to stretch his unbeaten record to three in the bumper on day four of Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting.

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.

Champion Hurdle runner-up Arctic Fire is the headline name that remains in Sunday’s Bar One Racing Hatton’s Grace Hurdle.

The prosecution has finished calling evidence in the trial of a retired army private accused of murdering a prostitute who he claimed blackmailed him for up to €40,000.

Vautour was most impressive in the 2014 Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and, despite his blip at Leopardstown in December, remains really exciting. The quicker conditions should prompt improvement, and recent reports are positive.

Foxrock’s addition to the Ryanair Chase field sees 19 horses stand their ground for next Thursday’s Grade One at Cheltenham.

Equestrian: Leading owner Barry Connell is undecided whether to let The Tullow Tank line up at Leopardstown on Sunday week.

Willie Mullins created history at Gowran Park yesterday when becoming the first trainer in history to win Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase for a sixth time.

Owner Andy Stewart has revealed Saphir Du Rheu will revert to smaller obstacles for a likely tilt at the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

Noel Meade is considering a tilt at the Irish Arkle with Apache Stronghold after he finished second at Grade One level for a third time in the Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown on Monday.

Lieutenant Colonel began a memorable day for Bryan Cooper when proving a very popular, and rather poignant, winner of the other Grade 1 on the card, the Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle at Leopardstown yesterday.

US-founded drug firm, Jazz Pharmaceuticals is to spend up to €50m on a new manufacturing facility in Co Roscommon; creating more than 200 jobs in the process.

Fifty full-time jobs and 160 construction jobs have been announced for Athlone.

Four-times champion Big Buck’s tops 29 entries for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at Cheltenham on March 13.

Horse Racing Ireland has announced the 2014 Fixture List which revealed 349 meetings will take place, the same as in the previous two seasons, with an ’Irish Champions Weekend’ scheduled for the first time.

A man in his 30s is in a serious condition after a single-vehicle crash in Louth.

Ninety jobs are expected to be created by an international drug company at a green field site in the Midlands.

Imperial Commander heads a list of 49 horses left in the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree on Saturday following the five-day stage.

Just three days before she saddles her first runner since being granted a trainer’s licence, Nina Carberry was on the mark when partnering the Noel Meade-trained Benemeade to victory in yesterday’s bumper in Downpatrick, the Ballyalton Flat Race.

Willie Mullins’ Zaidpour gets the nod to land the Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran Park this afternoon.

I’m spending a rare Saturday at home today in Naas - weather permitting - after Ascot was abandoned yesterday.

Henry de Bromhead has confirmed Sizing Europe will not run in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day.

Leading bumper horse Champagne Fever is one of seven remaining entries in the Bar One Racing Royal Bond Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

Hundreds of family and friends attended Custume Barracks in Athlone to formally bid farewell to the 107th Infantry Battalion, which leaves for Lebanon next month.

Punchestown continues its battle with the elements this evening, housing a five-race card headed by the Rabobank Champion Hurdle, if the course passes an 8am inspection.

The army has made safe an explosive device in Athlone.

Willie Mullins extended his impressive strike-rate for the Supreme Horse Racing Club when debutante Letherbelucky justified 13/8 favouritism in the Knockhouse Stud Mares Flat Race, the bumper on last night’s card in Wexford.

There was a fairytale 33-1 success for the connections of Lion Na Bearnai in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse this afternoon.

Conor O’Dwyer has all but ruled out taking Folsom Blue to the Cheltenham Festival after he runs in Thursday’s Boylesports.com Michael Purcell Memorial Novice Hurdle at Thurles.

A teenage girl was swung by the hair and had her face smashed into a steel pole during an assault which a judge compared to being “flung around like a rag doll”.

A total of 91 entries have been received for the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, the opening race on day one of the Cheltenham Festival.

DERMOT WELD, fresh from beating Thousand Stars with Unaccompanied at Leopardstown on Thursday, can saddle El Toreros to land the nap in the Festival Hospitality three year-old Maiden Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

More than 100 new positions being announced in Westmeath and Dublin today.

AN ex-soldier has been charged with the murder of 37-year-old Marie Greene, whose body has been recovered from a midlands bog.

A man has appeared in court in Athlone charged with the murder of Marie Green.

GARDAÍ arrested a man in his 60s on suspicion of murdering missing woman Marie Greene after checking phone contacts between him and the Athlone woman.

THE two faces of the Irish economy were in full show yesterday as plans to create as many as 491 new jobs over the coming years were overshadowed by 391 people being told they are now surplus to requirements.

A section of the M6 Galway to Dublin Road has reopened following a fatal crash earlier.