CHELTENHAM is a magical place and I am really looking forward to seven rides there this afternoon for Paul Nicholls.

IN LOTS of ways, at least for me, today marks the real start of the National Hunt season. I’m at Chepstow and ride seven horses for Paul Nicholls.

I’VE won four of the last six runnings of the Kerry National, but am no more than hopeful off adding another aboard Deutschland today.

IT’S nice to be back with you this morning, if only briefly, having been on the sidelines of this great game of ours since last April.

LOOKING at the Champion Hurdle at Punchestown today the first thing which strikes me is from where is the pace going to come.

AS far as I’m concerned there is only one plus to me not riding today, and that’s the fact I don’t have to choose between Willie Mullins’ three runners in the World Series Hurdle.

I have little hesitation siding with Denman in the Guinness Gold Cup at Punchestown today.

SINCE I began riding, I have never missed a Punchestown Festival through injury.

I’D be telling lies if I didn’t admit that the last week has been a strange one. To go from being absolutely flat out to doing literally nothing has been difficult.

IT’S Grand National Day again and last year proved, with a 100-1 winner, that the National is the National whatever way you look at it. You can take form, ground, jockeys, trainers and whatever else you like but, at the end of the day, it’s the National and anything can win it.