The was a sense of foreboding around Cheltenham ahead of the opening race on day three of the Festival, those present waiting on news as to whether there would by a day four, writes Darren Norris

As so often in the past, the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper was kind to Willie Mullins, and this one was as welcome as any of the previous nine, writes Tommy Lyons

HAVING found Altior an immovable object in three previous trips to Cheltenham, Min can make it fourth time lucky by winning the Ryanair Chase today.

Altior remains in the running to defend his crown in the Betway Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham on Wednesday.

Daragh Ó Conchúir picks out three big races at Cheltenham which are set to thrill punters.

If a poll was taken on the best riders at Cheltenham over the past couple of decades, Davy Russell would surely be somewhere near the top of the list.

After making the difficult decision to relinquish his licence in September 2016, it appeared Murphy’s days of saddling Festival winners were over.

Willie Mullins described Un De Sceaux as a “once-in-a-lifetime horse” as he confirmed the multiple Grade One-winner’s retirement following injury.

We’re three weeks and around four hours removed from the flag dropping to announce the commencement of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle and Gordon Elliott, who will hope to win it with Abacadabras, is in top form.

The fixture was due to be staged on Sunday, but flash flooding forced its cancellation and the card was rearranged.

Paul Nicholls is confident Britain’s highest-rated jumper Cyrname can lift the pressure on his shoulders by striking gold in the Betfair Ascot Chase for the second year in succession.

The President's Cup Final has been postponed, the FAI have announced.

Last week was the start of the new race times – there were a good few of them in the UK - and I think, for people who were viewing racing on the whole, it was a better experience.

Douvan and Klassical Dream are previous Festival winners, while Saldier looked to be a major player in the Champion Hurdle.

The highly-promising Zero Ten is primed for just his third run over fences at Punchestown this weekend.

Darren Norris selects eight takeaways from the Dublin Racing Festival with a view towards Cheltenham.

Talking horses with Darren Norris.

Delta Work, Kemboy and Presenting Percy remain on course to renew rivalry at Leopardstown on Sunday, after all three stood their ground for the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup.

From Willie Mullins’ point of view, Allaho in the Beginners’ Chase and Jon Snow and The Big Getaway in the maiden hurdles are the key horses this weekend.

Yes, indeed, Footpad again buried punters — many of them — one more time when failing to deliver in a Grade 2 chase at Thurles last Sunday.

Sizing John is on course to try to reclaim the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup on February 2.

The 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero returned from 733-day break in a conditions hurdle on New Year’s Eve.

Yesterday bookmakers were going 5-1 the field for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and that indicates they’re just as confused as us mere punters.

What What did we learn from the Christmas racing period? Lots we already knew, and a few things that we should have known.

With the Christmas festival blitz in the rearview mirror, the focus now turns to a new decade and 2020 promises plenty. Here Darren Norris highlights 10 dates not to be missed

As the curtain falls on 2019, we asked our writers to share the moment which encapsulated all that is good about sport this year..

Christmas was different, very different. It only really dawned on me how different as I strolled through Dublin airport on St Stephen’s morning at 7.45 rather than 5.45.

You don’t have to be any sort of genius to now know Notebook is a very good horse.

Notebook continued his unbeaten record over fences with a convincing victory in the Racing Post Novice Chase at Leopardstown.

There’s a brilliant day’s racing to look forward to, with quality racing spread across the 10 meetings which are scheduled to take place in Ireland and Britain.

So, Conor O’Neill, general manager of Punchestown racecourse, admitted to being ‘very disappointed’ the John Durkan Memorial Chase (run at Punchestown last Sunday) was broadcast on a split screen with no commentary in the early stages.

Last Sunday was a blustery day, a status orange weather warning was in place for a lot of west and southern counties but in racing the only storm was over the TV coverage Irish racing got last week.

Davy Russell hopes to return to the saddle this weekend after falling ill at Punchestown on Sunday.

Jessica Harrington’s 2017 Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Sizing John is set to make his return from a two-year absence at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve after pleasing connections in a post-racing workout at the County Kildare circuit on Sunday.

Quality. That’s all it takes it to attract a crowd.

Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott are responsible for nine of the 14 remaining entries in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown on Sunday.

One of the other big deaths this week was Clive James, and while we haven’t been able to find any Leeside branches in his family tree, some might remember his visit to the Everyman in 2006 as part of a tour around his memoir, North Face of Soho.

Douvan defied a 569-day absence to win the Clonmel Oil Chase on his long-awaited return to action for Willie Mullins.