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Solwit unstopable in Leopardstown centrepiece.

Second favourite Celestial Halo tried to make all in today's Toshiba sponsered Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, but the pace he set on very soft ground proved unsustainable, and he cracked a long way from home, and it was left to Sublimity to take it up. For a stride or two approaching the third last flightin today's Grade 1 two mile contest, jockey Davy Russell had to give odds on favourite Solwit a reminder, but he soon latched on to Sublimity's tail, and by the last obstacle Solwit took a marginal lead. Up the run in, the six-year-old showed his proven stamina as he cleared away from the tiring Sublimity, and Solwit eventually collected his fith Grade 1 success by four and a half lengths from the late finishing Donnas Palm.

Late show secures Arkle for An Cathaoir Mor.

After Zaarito crashed out at the third fence in today's Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Chase at Leopardstown, the race seemd to be between the three leaders; Major Finnegan, Take The Breeze and race favourite Sports line, and when Ruby Walsh sent the latter on before the last, he seemd to have the race at his mercy. But all the while David Casey was bringing the Henry de Bromhead trained An Cathaoir Mor with a sustained run from the rear of the field, and he overhauled Sports line on the run in to score a length and a quarter victory.

Footnote: Following his fall from Zaarito, jockey Denis O'Regan was taken for a medical examination, and it was discovered he had a broken collar bone, and will now be unavailable to the Howard Johnson yard for up to a month.

Cool win for Geraghty as Quel Esprit suffers shock defeat.

Everything seemed to be going to script as Ruby Walsh took long odds-on favourite Quel Esprit into the lead in the closing stages of today's Synergy Security Solutions Novices Hurdle at Leopardstown, but suddenly Barry Geraghty on Jessica Harrington's Cool River became a major danger after the last hurdle, and try as he might, Walsh could not hold off the Geraghty drive, with Cool River getting home by half a length from his more illustrious rival.

Clear claims for Rights of Passage.

With a comprehensive triumph in this afternoon's Frank Conroy Memorial Maiden Hurdle at Leopardstown, Noel Meade's Rights of Passage proved he carries the flat form which saw him win the Irish November Handicap into his hurdling career, and the manner of his success indicates he is now a serious contender for major honourse at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Losing several lengths on his rivals as he was nearly carried out by a loose horse on the home turn, Rights of Passage soon came back on the bridel for partner Robbie Mcnamara, and he eventually just had to be pushed out to take victory by three lengths from runner up Grey Soldier.

Commenting after the race, Noel Meade said,

"He did what we expected. The plan now is to give him one more run and then go to Cheltenham. Whether that is for the Supreme Novices or the Neptune Hurdle will be decided nearer the time. Either trip will be no worry to him, as he is a very athletic horse with lots of gears. He has been a natural over hurdles since day one, and providing he stays sound, we will have a lot of fun with him."

Pittoni to be tried at Grade 1 level.

Charles Byrnes has decided his former John Oxx inmate Pittoni will follow up his graded win at Punchestown in mid week with an attempt to win the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown on 07 February. As Byrnes explains:

"We will only know how good he is by trying him at the highest level. If he were to do well at Leopardstown, we would obviously then consider him for the major novice hurdle races at Cheltenham."

Extra Newcastle meeting now subject to inspection.

Just when we all hoped national hunt racing was returning to normal after the recent winter weather, continental cold air originating in Europe is predicted to move back into Scotland and Northern England during the next 24 hours, and this is putting tomorrow's extra national hunt meeting at Newcastle in jeopardy, with predicted overnight frost necessitating an inspection of the course at 7.30 am on Monday morning.

Nina Carberry out for a month.

A bizarre incident during the Bumper Race at Saturday's Leopardstown meeting has left jockey Nina Carberry with a broken left foot which will keep her out of action for up to a month.

During her ride on Timesawastin in the national hunt flat race, Carberry's mount leaned into the rail at one point during the contest, and a loose section of the rail penetrated her riding boot and imbedded itself in her left foot. Despite the incident, Carberry managed to complete the race, with her mount finishing a 10 length runner up to winner Hidden Universe.

However, as soon as she dismounted, Carberry realised she had a major problem, and after being taken to hospital, it was discovered Carberry had dislocated her small toe and broken a small bone in her foot.

The jockey was this morning upbeat about the situation, saying,

"I don't have any pain at the moment, and with doctors saying it should take about a month to heal, I expect to be back in time to ride at the Cheltenham and Fairyhouse Festivals."

Murphy seems to have decided on David Nicholson for Voler.

Having reported Voler la Vedette is recovering well from the muscle pull which has kept her out of today's Toshiba sponsered Irish Champion Hurdle, trainer Colm Murphy seems to have decided his mares target at the Cheltenham Festival will be the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle rather than the Smurfit Capa Champion Hurdle. Discussing his thoughts, Murphy said,

"We should be able to start riding Voler la Vedette out by the end of this week, but with only six weeks then available to the Cheltenham Festival, it is asking a lot to get her 100% for the Champion Hurdle, and while the David Nicholson will not be easy with the likes of Quevega as opposition, with the time we will have to prepare her, I feel for this season Voler la Vedette will have more chance of winning the David Nicholson Mares rather than the Champion Hurdle."

Fanning keen to win despite lack of prize.

Having picke up a brace of winners for the last four days on the all weather circuits, Mark Johnston's stable jockey Joe Fanning has now scored 35 victories during this winter's all weather campaign, a lead of 13 over secodn placed Robert Winston.

Fanning, who finished as runner up in the all weather challenge in 2006 2007, realises with Arena Leisure having withdrawn sponsership, there is no cash prize available for this year's 'champion all weather jockey', but Fanning is not concerned, saying,

"It would just be great to finish ahead of my colleagues at the end of the official all weather campaign, and it would give me a lot of confidence going into the turf season, when I will have a lot of good rides for the various major owners with horses at Mr Johnston's yard."

Scoop Six not won on Saturday.

With no winners of the Totesport Scoop Six bet on Saturday, £177,524 will carry foreard to next Saturday in the Win Fund, while £179,778 will be the starting point for the Bonus Fund.

Totesport suggest this will ensure a combined jackpot of around half a million pounds for any single winner next week - thus ensuring even more interest will be focused on Cheltenham Festival Trials Day on Saturdy 30 January 2010.

Compulsive gambler given six year sentence.

Fifty year old Paul Sadler, the former managing director of Birmingham Research and Development Limited, the wholly owned subsidiary responsible for marketing the intellectual property rights of Birmingham University inventions throughout the world, is starting a 6 year prison sentence for embezzling nearly five million pounds from his company to finance a serious gambling addiction.

In conjunction with his book-keeper Christine Eggleston, who was sentenced to two years for taking over £208,000 - Sadler admitted he had embezzled the money over a ten year period to finance a gambling frenzy which included losing two million pounds in one visit to a casino.