I doubt there is a racing fan that will want to miss the battle between Hurricane Fly and Jezki in the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown today.

It’s all systems go for the start of Punchestown today and I will arrive in a positive frame of mind, after making a successful comeback aboard Un de Sceaux at Auteuil on Saturday.

Well, I’m off to Paris this morning ready for action and very much looking forward to partnering Un de Sceaux at Auteuil in the afternoon.

I have to start this week with last Saturday’s Grand National and the furore concerning the false start.

What a great day to be on the couch, with the Grand National from Aintree and Heineken Cup rugby on the box! But, you know what, I’d give anything to be at Aintree, in the thick of the action.

Last Tuesday night it was my pleasant duty to be part of a large Irish contingent who were invited to be guests of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

I have had over a week now to come to terms with the injury I suffered on the last day of the Cheltenham festival and am just making the best of things at the moment.

A Festival that began so well ended on a bad note yesterday when Abbyssial sent me spinning to the turf in the Triumph Hurdle.

I was absolutely kicking myself after Annie Power had got beaten by More Of That in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday.