#John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase

We are deep inside the final furlong of 2022. I'm hoping plenty of you will be powering to the finishing post hard on the bridle, rather than wearily struggling to the line or having pulled up sometime during the summer heatwave. That was then, this is now. We go again in 2023, and what a momentous year it promises to be. Here are ten reasons why…

Horse racing takes centre stage over the Christmas period with over twelve meetings taking place on St Stephens Day alone. From the William Hill King George VI Chase to the Lexus Chase and the Paddy Power Chase to the Welsh National, there is some brilliant racing to look forward to. Here is ten things you must know ahead of the action getting…

The Gordon Elliott-trained Itswhatunitesus successfully conceded weight all round in the opening Jim Ryan Racecourse Services Rated Novice Hurdle. The five-year-old was a maiden winner at Cork in November under the recently retired Davy Russell and, sent off at 5/4, duly followed up in the hands of stable jockey Jack Kennedy. Kennedy kept things…

Galopin Des Champs ran out an impressive winner at Punchestown under Paul Townend (left) Galopin Des Champs was cut to 7-4 favourite from 5-2 by Paddy Power for the 2023 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup after producing a performance of real quality for trainer Willie Mullins in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase. The eight-day delay in the…

The two-and-a-half-mile Grade One is the centrepiece of a meeting that was originally due to take place last Sunday, but was cancelled due to a frozen track. Horse Racing Ireland moved quickly to save the card, though - and while the course was still unraceable on Saturday morning, rising temperatures mean Punchestown's racing manager Richie Galway…

FAKIR D'OUDAIRES can land a big prize for Ireland in the Grade 1 Marsh Chase. Joseph O'Brien's chaser is as tough as they come and bounded clear by 11 lengths in this race 12 months ago. Returning in his usual consistent manner, JP McManus' seven-year-old recorded a 15-length score at Grade 2 level in November. There was no disgrace in finding…

KLASSICAL DREAM can triumph in the Paddy Power Stayers' Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.30pm), the feature on the third day of the 2022 Cheltenham Festival. Willie Mullins' eight-year-old could easily bring up a Grade One treble for the Irish trainer in what could be a spectacular afternoon for the County Carlow handler. Klassical Dream has had his problems…

Jump racing fans were treated to a bonanza weekend that reshuffled the pecking order of many markets for the Cheltenham Festival. From Gordon Elliott's seven-timer at Navan on Saturday to Kilcruit getting beaten at odds of 1/14 on Sunday, there was a lot to digest. Here we look at the potential ramifications for the Champion Chase, Ryanair Chase,…

Rachael Blackmore could be the toast of punters once again when she partners Gold Cup hero Minella Indo in the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase at Kempton. The top Irish jockey, recently voted BBC World Sports Star of the Year, has already teamed up with trainer Henry de Bromhead to plunder the Betfair Chase this season. The 32-year-old has an…

Watch how Desert Orchid, French Holly and Yorkhill won the Tolworth Hurdle as Andy Stephens takes a nostalgic look back Desert Orchid won the Tolworth in 1984 on his way to great things (Racingfotos) The Unibet Tolworth Novices' Hurdle, first run in 1976, has a rich roll of honour and Saturday's renewal could yield another star with Constitution…

With the flat season concluding at Ascot's prestigious British Champions Day back in October, the National Hunt Racing season has once again taken centre stage and it was fantastic to finally see racegoers back at a jumps event when they turned out in their thousands for the Cheltenham November Meeting - the season's traditional curtain…

Punters and racing fans will truly be treated this weekend with the racing in Ireland for the Dublin Racing Festival held at Leopardstown. The meeting will feature eight Grade 1 races and many horses that are being aimed at the Cheltenham Festival in just a few weeks, giving a much better idea on the market as we approach the highlight of the…