THE front page has a large photograph of Merry Gale leading the field in the Cheltenham Gold Cup earlier this month, with the caption stating that Jim Dreaper’s gelding is now heading to the Mumm Melling Chase at Liverpool.

Fianna Fail on course: There are two news items by Valentine Lamb. First concerns Leopardstown racecourse. It has emerged that last summer, at the Galway Festival, Leopardstown entertained some guests at a table in the Fianna Fail marquee. The bill was £8,100. But that was when Fianna Fail were in power!