Killarney hosts day two of its three day May meeting with a seven race card due of off to post at 5:50 at the picturesque county Kerry venue.

The opening Mares Maiden Hurdle looks a wide open contest but slight preference will be for Flaming Pop who had a decent run behind Shadow Eile at Fairyhouse and despite a poor run last time out she looks the one to beat with Bryan Cooper booked to ride.

The Laurels Bar (C&G) Maiden Hurdle can see Ballyadam Approach improve

Downpatrick hosts a seven race card this evening with the first race due off to post at 5:20 at the county Down track.

The opening Viva Las Vegas At Downpatrick Maiden Hurdle can see Perfect Gentleman break his maiden duck for Willie Mullins and Patrick Mullins having finished third last time out at Navan. Realt Den Chathair looks a huge danger if

Clonmel host a seven race mixed card this evening with the first of seven races due off to post at 5:40 at the county Tipperary venue.

The opening Clonmel Hospice Support Group Maiden looks a very competitive contest. Some decent dual purpose horses use this race as a prep race for national hunt as it is run over two miles. Rebel Fitz finished a close fourth

Punchestown host a seven race card at the county Kildare venue with the first of seven races due off too post at 5:10.

The opening Dobbins Food Hall Maiden Hurdle has only attracted nine runners and it is likely that the Willie Mullins trained Balnaslow looks the one to beat at very short odds. Balnaslow was last seen winning the Racing Post P-to-P Flat Race at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival but was only awarded the race in the steward’s room as he got squeezed out by Rogue Angel. Goosing Around may be a good each way bet as the favourite looks to short priced to back.

The Tote Sports Lounge Handicap Hurdle looks a wide open race. Conor O’Dwyer and Ben Dalton team up to saddle Donttellmother and following a close third at Navan last time out, he looks to run another big race but the Fran Flood trained Tornant has also been running decent races and maybe another to consider with Mark Walsh booked to ride.

JP McManus is represented with five out of the nine runners in the Punchestown For Events Steeplechase and no doubt he will feature with one of them. Down Under looks to have a solid each way chance with Mark Walsh booked to ride. Willie Mullins saddles Arvika Ligeonniere who makes his chasing debut after a two year absence and he may be primed for this event but looks too short to be taking on.

The Breakfast With Hector On 2FM Handicap Steeplechase looks a wide open contest and slight preference is for the John Berry trained Give Us A Hand who has a nice weight and if he can bring back his form when he finished third to Cadogan at Navan; he looks a solid each way bet after Cadogan boosted form by winning at Punchestown again yesterday.

The KFM Bishopscourt Cup Hunters Steeplechase looks a wide open contest and slight preference is for the Tony Martin trained Top Four who won around the Punchestown point to point track in early February. Chris Cully takes the ride.

Rudi Trucker came back to form when finishing third at Fairyhouse at Easter and looks a solid each way bet in the Racing Post Champion Hunters Steeplechase. Enda Bolger’s On the Fringe fell over the banks last time out and may be the one to beat.

Operating looks the one to beat in the concluding May Evening Meetings Flat Race but stiff competition will come from the well bred newcomer Cross Avenue.

Punchestown Selections

5:10 Balnaslow (NAP) – Goosing Around each way

5:40 Tornant each way

6:10 Down Under each way

6:40 Give Us A Hand each way

7:15 Top Four each way

7:50 Rudi Trucker each way

8:20 Cross Avenue

Happy Punting – Giddy Up

Irish racing moves west this evening as Ballinrobe host their first meeting of 2012 and the start of the 2012/13 National Hunt season. The first off eight races goes to post at 4:55 at the county Mayo venue.

The opening Western People Maiden Hurdle sees 15 runners go to post. Willie Mullins Passage Vendome can improve on his second last time out at Tramore but he will have stiff competition from the Noel Meade trained Six Stone Ned and Celestial Prospect.

Tom Taaffe is represented by

The final day of the Punchestown 2012 Festival takes place today with a six race card scheduled to go off to post at 2:40. The rescheduled Gold Cup will take place at 3:15 and see eight runners go to post.

The opening Irish Field Steeplechase sees twenty two runners tackle the banks over three miles. Enda Bolger is well represented and On The Fringe looks like the one to beat with John Thomas McNamara booked to ride. Cooldine makes his banks debut and could be the dark horse for champion trainer Willie Mullins and his son Patrick. Sizing Australia could also be

Day four of the Punchestown 2012 Festival will see another five race card with three Grade One’s taking place and the first race off to post at 4:55.

The opening Grade One rescheduled Ryanair Novice Steeplechase will see seven runners go to post. All eyes will be on recent Aintree winner Menorah from the Philip Hobbs stable with the main danger looking to be the Mouse Morris trained First Lieutenant who ran a cracking race to finish second to the talented Bobs Worth at Cheltenham. Other dangers include Kumbeshwar and

Punchestown has gotten the go ahead after an 8am inspection and will host a five race card with the first race due of to post at 4:50 at the wet Kildare track.

The opening Stephens Green Hibernian Club Hurdle sees David Pipe send over his horse The Tracey Shuffle and judging by the movement in the market he is well fancied. Tom Scudamore takes the ride. Dessie Hughes Tofino Bay looks the main danger with Davy Russell in the saddle for owners Gigginstown House Stud.

The La Touche Cup is always an excellent spectacular to watch over the Punchestown banks and it looks a very competitive race. Uncle Junior who won around the Cheltenham Cross Country course last November looks the one to beat. Tally Em Up has gotten around the course before and finished a nice fifth in the Cross Country at the Cheltenham Festival and it would be great if she could win as the legendary RTE horse racing broadcaster Colm Murray holds a share in the horse.

The feature World Hurdle will see two of Europe’s top mares battle it out for the valuable prize. The lightly raced Quevega is set to go off favourite and will bid to win the race for the third year running but she will have it up to her as Colm Murphy’s mare Voler La Vedette will relish the bottomless conditions and bid to overturn Quevega’s crown. Other interesting runners include Berties Dream, Mourad and Mikael D’Haguenet.

The Naas Court Hotel Handicap Hurdle looks a tricky contest on paper but slight preference is for Novarov who ran a nice race at Fairyhouse to finish second to Dedigout. Sean McDermott is booked to ride the John O’Shea trained six year old with Cairdin and the mare Catleen looking like possible dangers.

Twelve runners will go to post for the concluding Kildare Post Flat Race and it looks like that the king of Irish bumpers Willie Mullins has an excellent chance with Morning Royalty. His son Patrick who recorded a nice double at the Kildare track yesterday takes the ride. The main dangers look to be the Philip Hobbs trained Village Vic and Tony Martin’s Ted Veale.

Punchestown Selections

4:50 The Tracey Shuffle

5:30 Tally Em Up each way

6:05 Voler La Vedette

6:40 Novarov each way

7:15 Morning Royalty

Happy Punting – Giddy Up

Day Two of the Punchestown Festival looks to be a cracker with the feature Punchestown Gold Cup due off to post at 5:30 at the county Kildare venue.

The opening Martinstown Opportunity Final Handicap Hurdle looks a competitive affair with some English raiders crossing the water including the David Pipe trained Weekend Millonair and the Brendan Powell trained

Punchestown hosts the opening day of its 2012 Festival with the first race due off to post at 3:40pm. Despite the horrible weather, thousands are expected to flock to the county Kildare venue over the coming days and the festival is expected to generate over €60 million to the local area.

The opening Kildare Hunt Club Fr Sean Breen Memorial Steeplechase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup has attracted eighteen runners to tackle the cross country course. Boxer Georg was unlucky at Aintree after making an early mistake and stayed on too late to finish eight but looks to have a lively chance under Patrick Mullins today. Enda Bolger is no