IF YOU were shaken from your slumber early last Friday morning by the walls rattling and the sound of a distant crash, it was probably just a giant falling to earth in a land far, far away.

ANDREW McNamara doubled-up on Equation and her former stable-companion Fearnwood Girl in last night’s maiden hurdle action in Sligo.

ADAJAL, in the colours of JP McManus, completed a quick hat-trick when landing the Oran Handicap Chase in impressive style at Roscommon last night.

PAT SMULLEN gave Grace O’Malley a quite magnificent drive to land the Group 3 Kerry Group Noblesse Stakes at Cork yesterday.

TWO-TIME Major champion Sandy Lyle closed with a superb eagle for an opening round 66 to set the pace in the Handa Irish Senior Open presented by Fáilte Ireland, as he chases his maiden European Senior Tour title.

RORY MCILROY answered his critics in emphatic fashion by winning the Quail Hollow Championship by four shots from Phil Mickelson last night.

RACING at the Curragh yesterday began with a dramatic incident in the Dubai Duty Free Full Of Surprises EBF Maiden, when Johnny Murtagh took a crashing fall from the favourite, Petronius Maximus.

SEEHARN staked her claim as a realistic Moyglare Stud Stakes contender when landing the listed Ballygallon Stud Balanchine Stakes at the Curragh last night.

Reigning champion Gary Carroll and longtime championship leader Ben Curtis are tied on the 32 winner mark in the race for the apprentice title following their victories at Sligo yesterday.

ALAIN CAWLEY, having a first ride back since dislocating his shoulder on August 19, powered Far Away So Close to victory in the Visit Tipperary Maiden Hurdle at Tipperary yesterday.

KIEREN FALLON continued to profit from Ryan Moore’s misfortune as he made an extremely rare but nonetheless successful visit to Brighton yesterday.

Mouse Morris’ Rathlin sprang a 16-1 shock when turning over hot-pot Unika La Reconce in the Munster Hurdle at Clonmel yesterday.

They came last in 2007, but a new album marks 24 wonderful years on the road, says Siobhán Cronin

How To Dress Well’s new album Total Loss is infused with singer and songwriter Tom Krell’s grief for a friend who died, says Ed Power

Colm Murphy’s Quito De La Roque, a horse who had been struggling to find form, came back to his best at Thurles yesterday when landing the Grade 2 Matty Ryan Memorial Kinloch Brae Chase.

The superb fourth series of Breaking Bad begins on TG4 on Thursday.

IT MIGHT seem bit of paradox, but the best way to see Ireland’s raw, elemental natural beauty is to leave the place behind you, in your wake.

You know the way you often hear Aidan O’Brien talking about horses he has in major races that like to bowl along in front.

Appointed retained jockey for Prince Khalid Abdullah this week, James Doyle celebrated in style when guiding the Clive Brittain-trained Rizeena to victory in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh yesterday.

I have no runners today or tomorrow but will have five at Naas on Monday with Bendzoldan probably represents my best chance of a winner in the seven-furlong handicap.