ERIC McNAMARA produced a fine training performance to land the Grade 3 Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle with Larkwing at Tipperary yesterday.

Larkwing showed a touch of class under Barry Geraghty to win the Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle at Tipperary.

SALFORD City reverts to the smaller obstacles when he tackles the Grade Three Kevin McManus Bookmaker Grimes Hurdle over two miles at Tipperary tomorrow.

EXPERIENCE and stamina might give Kerryhead Windfarm the edge over novice Salford City in the Syncreon Automotive Chase at Limerick tonight.

ON her highly creditable fourth to Winchester at Leopardstown, Always Beautiful looked to have the easy winning of the Charleville Maiden at Cork last night. However, the layers were against the filly in the morning and she was available at 7-4.

THE most interesting horse on view at Cork this evening is Salford City, who makes his debut over fences in the Fleetwood and Coolgown Beginners Chase.

A brilliant tactical ride by Barry Geraghty saw Nicky Henderson’s Punjabi decisively land the ACC Bank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown yesterday.

Sublimity and Harchibald clash in the ACCBank Champion Hurdle at Punchestown on Friday – but Sizing Europe will not be there.

TWIST MAGIC, so disappointing at Cheltenham, came back to something approaching his best when landing the Kerrygold Champion Chase at Punchestown yesterday.

Tazbar can emerge an animal of the highest order by winning the Citroen C5 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

Thousands of Irish racing fans are braving adverse weather conditions in Britain today for the opening of the annual Cheltenham Festival.

WHAT’S £150 million (€196m) between friends?

JOHN SMITH’S have boosted prize money in the Grand National by £100,000, meaning the 2008 renewal of the world’s most famous race will be worth a record £800,000 to the winner.

Eastern Appeal is set for a trip to America after repelling the late challenge of Excelerate to take victory in the Group Three Coolmore Stud Home Of Champions Concorde Stakes at Tipperary.

GORDON ELLIOTT, who enjoyed his biggest success when Silver Birch landed the Grand National at Aintree in April, was on the mark in the Grade 2 Killerk Construction Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday when Salford City proved a surprise 12-1 winner.

Johnny Murtagh continued his rich vein of form with a double at Bellewstown this evening.

JOHN MURPHY, enjoying a break in Italy, missed seeing his Royal Rhythm easily beat hot-pot Salt Lake in the ladbrokes.com Maiden Hurdle at Limerick yesterday.

MARK PRESCOTT, who has a tremendous record with his raiders in Ireland, can do the business with Elusive Dream in a fascinating St James' Gate Race at Galway this evening.

GODOLPHIN’S Refuse To Bend is 2-1 favourite with Ladbrokes to complete a hat-trick of Group One wins in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

MICHAEL JARVIS has expressed his concern over conditions at Sandown Park ahead of Rakti’s bid for today’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes after heavy rain changed the going to good to soft.

Rakti will face 12 rivals in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes on Saturday as he bids to move one step closer to landing the British Horseracing Board’s Summer Triple Crown.

REFUSE TO BEND will need to be at the top of his game if he is to continue his revival in form in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes this weekend.

DAVID ELSWORTH is looking for bold showings from his duo Norse Dancer and Salford City when they line up for the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

Long-time Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats has been displaced at the head of the market for the premier Classic.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien reported Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats to be “stiff” after working on Friday.

Kevin Darley is “likely” to partner Percussionist in the Vodafone Derby, according to the colt’s trainer John Gosden.

Cairdeas, an easy winner at Naas earlier this month, was the subject of a huge ante-post gamble for the Vodafone Derby today.

All the leading fancies stood their ground as a total of 25 horses were left at the second forfeit stage for the Vodafone Derby today.

James Toller believes Bachelor Duke, the only maiden in tomorrow’s UltimateBet.com 2000 Guineas, is no forlorn hope despite having the odds stacked against him.

Connections of Haafhd issued a very positive bulletin over their UltimateBet.com 2000 Guineas contender today as a total of 21 colts stood their ground for the Newmarket Classic at the confirmation stage.

Ante-post favourite One Cool Cat heads the list of 21 colts remaining in the UltimateBet.com 2000 Guineas after today’s confirmation stage.

A weekend of trials closed with an emphatic victory for Vodafone Derby favourite Yeats in Ireland yesterday, while the horse to make the biggest impact on the Classic picture in Britain was undoubtedly Salford City.

David Elsworth was left dreaming of the Vodafone Derby after seeing Salford City enhance his Classic claims with an impressive success at Newbury.

Grey Swallow, impressive winner of the Group Three Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown in October, has hardened in the betting for next year’s Classics with Ladbrokes.