One of the principle reasons that National Hunt racing is more popular than the flat is that you build relationships with horses that can sustain for years and this was proved again and again this week.

Funny sort of week. Great week for Willie and a brilliant week for Paul Townend, but it was a funny week for me.

Colm Greaves (Good Day/Bay Day

Good day

We drew a blank yesterday but most of the horses ran very well, writes Ruby Walsh.

Stable companions Footpad and Un De Sceaux are among 12 horses declared for the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham.

With the ground the way it is, this is going to be another quiet weekend for the stable. There was rain due yesterday evening, more today and by tomorrow we could even be thinking we should have had more runners declared but, as it stands, the ground at Fairyhouse and Navan is too dry.

Welcome to the most exciting weekend of the National Hunt season this side of the Cheltenham Festival.

After the festive feast of the last week this afternoon’s fare in Britain is less than compelling. That said, the main race of the day, the Betfred “Goals Galore” Challow Novices’ Hurdle at Newbury looks a pretty classy affair.

I’ve ridden in a lot of King Georges but I don’t remember riding in one with such a small field.