The impact of Storm Brendan is having an effect on this week's race meetings in Ireland with one meet already abandoned today.

Today's meeting at Punchestown was cancelled earlier due to a Status Orange warning.

The seven-race card has been rescheduled for this Wednesday afternoon, January 15.

Tomorrow's card at Fairyhouse is also under threat.

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board released a statement today which reads:

"Following 8mm of rain today and with Met Éireann forecasting further heavy rain, there will be an 8am precautionary inspection at Fairyhouse tomorrow morning ahead of the fixture scheduled to take place tomorrow, Tuesday 14th January 2020.

"The track is currently fit for racing and the ground is heavy."

Meanwhile, almost all of Ireland's big hopes for the Championship races at Cheltenham in March appear amongst the entries for the third Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown on February 1 and 2.

There will be festival clues in almost every race and jockey Robbie Power is a big supporter of the February meet in the capital which is in its third year.

"It's been a huge success," Power told Racing TV. "Time-wise it couldn't fit in any better. It's the perfect length of time between Christmas and the Cheltenham festival.

"It's ideal to give your horse the last prep run before Cheltenham and the prize money on offer is absolutely fantastic. It's high quality racing and deserves the prize money your running for."

Power believes that everyone involved in the action at Leopardstown will have a clearer idea of where they stand ahead of the trip to Cheltenham in March.

"There's a great variety of races at the festival as well and trainers have a great idea of what races they're going for with their horse," said Power.

"There'll be plenty of bubbles burst at the Dublin Racing Festival but then there'll be a lot of people going home [feeling] very confident as well."