A week later than intended and in Cheltenham, rather than Ascot, Un De Sceaux gets his chance in the Clarence House Chase. The change of venue doesn’t really make any difference to him, the biggest difference to the race is that it’s a £70,000 race, and it would have been a £150,000 race had it been run last week.

An air of silence and sadness hung over the usually boisterous Ballybrit yesterday as the racing community mourned the passing of jockey John Thomas ‘JT’ McNamara.

Federici proved himself on course for next week’s Punchestown Festival when coasting to an emphatic victory in the Next racing At Fairyhouse June 2nd Handicap Hurdle in Fairyhouse yesterday.

I had planned to fly over last night but have been laid low by a chest infection since Friday.

WE can dress it up anyway we want, but one has to conclude this was a desperately disappointing Cheltenham for Irish horses.