Retired champion hurdler State Man is to say a final goodbye to the Punchestown crowd with a lap of honour on Saturday 21 November, returning to the track where he was all but unbeatable. The Willie Mullins-trained nine-year-old will appear in the parade ring at around 1.50pm on the opening day of Punchestown's Premiere Weekend, shortly before the William Hill Morgiana Hurdle, a race he won in successive years. The two-day fixture concludes on the Sunday with the John Durkan

Aidan O'Brien's pursuit of a new world record moves to the Gulf this week, with 2025 Epsom and Irish Derby winner Lambourn set to represent Ballydoyle in Friday's Bahrain International Trophy. Victory would hand the Irish champion trainer a 29th Group or Grade One success of 2026, taking him clear of the global benchmark of 28 he set in 2017 and matched at the Breeders' Cup at the end of October. Lambourn has made the trip and O'Brien, in comments carried by the Irish Times,

Jockey Kevin Healy has been suspended for 14 race days and trainer Simon Cavanagh fined €3,000 after Naas stewards found both in breach of the non-trier rule over the running of Fortunate Miss on Sunday. The four-year-old filly, having her first run over hurdles, was sent off at 80-1 and finished 11th, beaten 44 lengths, in the Cavan Developments Maiden Hurdle won by Cheltenham Champion Bumper hero The Mourne Rambler. As well as serving the ban, Healy must forfeit his riding