WITH THE new National Hunt season in its infancy for 2010-2011, it is interesting to note the top 20 placings of some of our top jockeys and trainers in the current pecking order.

With Ruby Walsh on the sidelines due to injury, Andrew McNamara is leading the way with 21 winners to his credit before the festivals really kick into gear at Galway and Listowel. Michael Fogarty, stable amateur with Colm Murphy, is currently riding on the crest of a wave at the moment and sees himself in ninth place overall, which includes professionals and amateur jockeys.

This puts Fogarty, on my calculations at least, at the top of the qualified riders' table, ahead of Patrick Mullins, Katie Walsh and Nina Carberry. Two of our veteran jockeys, John Cullen and David Casey, see themselves in 11th and 13th places respectively, and the likelihood is that they will move up the ladder as the season progresses.

On the trainers' front, Colm Murphy is in ninth place behind the current leading trainer, Gordon Elliot, with 17 winners recorded. Murphy is joined in the top 20 by Paul Nolan in 13th and Conor O'Dwyer in 16th place.

While we have a long, long way to go, it is very noticeable just how quiet the Willie Mullins yard is at present, but given his level of firepower, he is not likely to be out of the headlines for long.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Racing at Limerick on the fourth of July saw a number of local yards celebrating American Independence Day. David Casey joined forces with James Nash to win the maiden hurdle on the sevenyear-old 'Theatrical' gelding, 'Rayhani'. This horse was always prominent and justified his odds of 6/4 favourite.

On the same card, Paul Nolan and Alain Cawley took the handicap hurdle with 'Seldom Fed'. This six-yearold 'Mr Combustible' gelding rallied to shade it on the line in the colours of the Deegan family at 6/1.

Staying in Limerick, Larry Byrne and Roy Tector teamed up with Tector's home-bred 'Har Will' to take the concluding bumper under Andrew Doyle. This four-year-old son of 'Pyrus' looks like a good sort for the future.

Down in Cork on July 9, John Brennan saw his colours carried by 'The Last Derby' to win the conditions hurdle under Barry Geraghty. This French-bred son of 'Anabaa' is trained by Eoin Griffin for Brennan and will head to Galway for the Plate after winning at a wellsupported 6/1 here.

With the ground riding yielding on the evening, Conor O'Dwyer sent out 'Nodouraboura', a five-year-old by 'City Honours', to stay on stoutly to win the maiden hurdle under Katie Walsh at 7/2. Colin Motherway sprang a surprise in the bumper when teaming up with fellow Corkonian, Desmond Kenneally, to win with 'Letter of approval', an 'Oscar' six-year-old, at 14/1.

On the flat, Colm Murphy sent out 'Aladdins Cave' under Pat Smullen to win at Leopardstown on July 8 at a drifting price of 9/2. It is more than likely that this six-year-old son of 'Rainbow Quest' will have a run in Galway later in the month.

Other flat winners to record are 'High Ruler', 'Rudolf Valentino', 'Queen of Spain' and 'Brittany', all for Aidan O'Brien, while Jim Bolger saddled 'Saoi' and 'Scandal Sheet' to win.

Completing our round-up, it was very good to see Castlebridge-based Myles Sunderland get back to winning ways when he sent out 'By The Sea', a fiveyear-old mare by 'Monashee Mountain', to win at Gowran on July 9. Ridden by Seán Leavy, the mare, owned by the Horsin Around Syndicate, justified favouritism of 4/1 to win well.

AUSSIE DYNAMITE

A stud career in his home country of Australia has been put on hold for the sprinting phenomenon, 'Starspangaledbanner', following his breathtaking success in the July Cup over six furlongs at Newmarket in Britain last week.

Trained to perfection by Aidan O'Brien and ridden forcefully by Johnny Murtagh, the four-year-old son of 'Choisir' saw off allcomers to land another Group 1 prize. If he was to begin a stud career in the southern hemisphere for 2010, he would have to have been retired and sent into quarantine this week.

But his new owners, Coolmore Stud, have decided to race on with him and go for the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. I would imagine a tilt at a race at the Breeders Cup in the Autumn will be on the cards for this piece of Aussie dynamite.

- With DickWhite