The Cheltenham Festival always showcases the best of National Hunt racing but this meeting seemed especially strong throughout, so the titles of top trainer and top jockey were hotly contested.

Cricket fans might have seen the writing on the wall as the Irish seem to be carrying all before them at the moment and the England’s 6 Nations game on Saturday rammed the point home.

Ruby Walsh is back on the racecourse this month after breaking his leg before Christmas, it has been a triumphant return, scooping the Thomas Pink Challenge top jockey award for the fourth fourth time in a row. He rides for Paul Nichols and Willie Mullins. William Hill had Mullins behind Nichols and Nicky Henderson going into the meeting but the luck of the Irish was not to be defered.

Thomas Pink CEO Jonathan Heilbron presented them with £500 of Thomas Pink vouchers and has also donated £1000 each to the Injured Jockeys Fund and retraining racehorses.