It is a quite enough weekend but not without some intrigue all the same and some good performances might book a passage to Cheltenham. 

Dogora should get off the mark over fences - at the eighth attempt - in the Irish Stallion Farms Beginners Chase in Fairyhouse.

Lockstockandbarrel should make a winning start over hurdles in the thurles.ie Maiden Hurdle in Thurles today.

Back in Leopardstown this afternoon for what will be a busy few days and I get started on Buiseness Sivola, for Willie Mullins, in the juvenile hurdle.

Gigginstown Stud and Bryan Cooper completed a Grade One double when Valseur Lido emerged an emphatic winner of the Bar One Racing Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse yesterday.

It was a bit like old times yesterday, riding at Haydock and then heading down the M6, for about four hours, on the way to Ascot.

Vics Canvas, who had never previously won over fences, broke his duck in style when running away with the Paddy Power Cork Grand National at Cork yesterday.

What a great day to be on the couch, with the Grand National from Aintree and Heineken Cup rugby on the box! But, you know what, I’d give anything to be at Aintree, in the thick of the action.

Trainer Dessie Hughes is concerned conditions at Navan will not be testing enough for last year’s winner Tofino Bay and Raz De Maree in tomorrow’s Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase.

There are two Graded races on the card at Naas today - should the meeting survive an 8am inspection - but the opening 22-runner INH Stallion Owners’ EBF Maiden Hurdle may house the best betting proposition in the shape of Pat Fahy’s Morning Assembly.

The Gold Cup dream is still very much alive following Flemenstar’s spectacular defeat of Sir Des Champs in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase in Punchestown yesterday.

The Dessie Hughes-trained novice Tofino Bay landed the €80,000 Ladbrokes Troytown Handicap Chase in gruelling conditions in Navan yesterday.

I have just five rides over the next two days, but this could still be a great weekend. What it really comes down to is whether I can win the Betfair Chase at Haydock today aboard Silviniaco Conti.

Raz De Maree gave trainer Dessie Hughes his first Ladbrokes Munster National when, delivered with a perfectly-timed challenge by Bryan Cooper, he mastered Quietly Fancied and joint favourite Questions Answered in Limerick yesterday.

Back at the scene of his memorable Guinness Galway Hurdle success with Rebel Fitz, Mick Winters struck again at Ballybrit yesterday when classy mare Missunited made every yard of the running to justify 8/13 favouritism in the Easyfix Rubber Products Novice Hurdle.

PAUL NICHOLLS got among the winners yesterday, which was a big relief to all of us associated with the stable.

BIG ZEB showed he is far from being a back number when powering away with the Grade 1 Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown yesterday.

Groody Hill capped a red-letter day for owner JP McManus with a last-gasp victory in the Ladbrokes.com Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan.

JOHN QUEALLY’S Memories Of Milan justified strong market support, under Tim Carroll, in the Powerstown Maiden Hurdle at Clonmel last evening.

THIRD in the race last year, Siegemaster defied top-weight in the Connolly’s Red Mills Thyestes Chase yesterday, giving trainer Dessie Hughes, jockey Davy Russell and owner Michael O’Leary of Gigginstown House Stud their first win in the traditional Gowran Park feature.

Willie Mullins’ Mourad (4-9 favourite) had no trouble in landing the odds in the Grade Two Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran.

Dessie Hughes, fighting flu’ all week, completed a fine big-race chase double at Leopardstown yesterday with Magnanimity and Rare Bob.

You hear this said a lot but I have honestly never seen snow as bad this early. It’s frustrating as it impacts on what you can do with the horses and racing is put on hold but it’s the same for everyone.

HORSES can make liars of you at times and it happened to me again during the week, although in this case, I was quite happy about it all.

OWNER Seamus Murphy and trainer Peter Casey crowned a memorable Sunday when ten-year-old Jack The Bus landed the €85,000 Ladbrokes.com Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan yesterday.

The good thing about being involved in horse racing is that you don’t get a complex about things going wrong for you. Racing is a great leveller so you’re just used to things not going your way.

BERONI, confidently ridden by Paul Townend, gave champion trainer Willie Mullins his first win in the prestigeous Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan yesterday.

MICHAEL Hourigan expects another bold show from Church Island (above), despite the burden of top weight, in Sunday’s Ladbrokes.com Munster National Handicap Chase at Limerick.

THE million dollar question at Listowel today is can I win my fourth Kerry National?

THE Michael Bowe-trained Coolcashin sprang a 25-1 shock in the Grade 3 ladbrokes.com Hurdle at Fairyhouse yesterday.

OPERATION Houdini is the 10-1 favourite with the sponsors for the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown on December 27.

I finally arrived home about noon yesterday, after what can be best described as a less than enjoyable few days.

Kalderon has had a successful operation on a fractured shoulder at Troytown Veterinary Hospital in Kildare following a fall at Punchestown.

THE Powers’ Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse today is as open a contest as you can get, but a little each-way on Ballycullen Boy may not miss the target by much.

Danny O’Sullivan’s stable star Benefit Night is now the clear favourite for the Paddy Power Chase on December 27 after Wednesday’s forfeit stage.

Benefit Night makes his first appearance of the season in Sunday’s williamhill.ie Troytown Handicap Chase in what could be the beginning of an exciting campaign.

Noel Meade’s golden run of form continued as Mattock Ranger won the paddypower.com Cork Grand National.

COLM MURPHY is closely monitoring the weather as he looks to complete Brave Inca’s preparations for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle.

Tom Taaffe believes Cane Brake is capable of taking a hand at the finish of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup.

THE Department of Agriculture has confirmed it allowed the discharge of horses from Troytown Equine Hospital last year even though it knew swamp fever was present in the Kildare facility.

THE Irish Farmers Association (IFA) this week said it is “outraged” by the Department of Agriculture’s refusal to provide compensation for four breeders it says are at a financial loss as a result of swamp fever restrictions.