The National Hunt season that has just finished was a very strange one. At times it felt like the season would never get going as we waited and waited for the skies to open. For us in racing, they never really did, but hopefully for the flat season ahead they won’t open now.

Any doubts surrounding Tiger Roll’s participation in the Aintree Grand National were allayed by his trainer Gordon Elliott yesterday, who also revealed that the gutsy nine-year-old may well be one of a number of his charges who could follow up in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Sheila Lavery is planning to run Lady Kaya in the 1,000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown next month ahead of a possible tilt at a fillies’ Classic.

Oh, the up and downs, the highs and lows of national hunt racing. Yesterday had it all for me. It was amazing to win the first race on Klassical Dream and to watch Duc Des Genievres win the second – it was clear the horses were in great order.

For the third consecutive year, the fifth time in the last 10 runnings, and a record ninth time in total, the familiar green and gold colours of JP McManus were carried to victory in the Unibet Champion Hurdle.

Hard to recall a Tuesday card at Cheltenham as difficult as today’s but Benie Des Dieux can be the punters’ pal on the opening day to the 2019 Festival by proving a class apart from her rivals in the OLBG Mares’ Hurdle.