Thirty years ago, a stubborn mare piloted by a veteran jockey and trained by a quiet genius produced the most iconic, spine-tingling moment in Cheltenham Festival history

Willie Mullins created history at Gowran Park yesterday when becoming the first trainer in history to win Goffs Thyestes Handicap Chase for a sixth time.

Vics Canvas, who had never previously won over fences, broke his duck in style when running away with the Paddy Power Cork Grand National at Cork yesterday.

Liam Lennon has his fingers firmly crossed Tammys Hill can transfer his smart hunter chase form to the open ranks when his stable star goes for glory in the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

David Owen

A new documentary reveals how the only horse capable of beating the legendary Arkle was his stable mate, Flyingbolt but that they only had one little-known explosive race together around their home gallops.

Ted Walsh has just one bullet to fire at Cheltenham, Foxrock in today’s four-mile National Hunt Chase.

Willie Mullins made history at Gowran Park yesterday when joining the legendary Tom Dreaper as the only trainer to win the Goffs’ Thyestes Handicap Chase for a fifth time.

Willie Mullins produced a terrific training feat to land the William Hill Supreme Novices’ Hurdle with Champagne Fever.

Willie Mullins may be Ireland’s most successful Cheltenham trainer but respect was in short supply as he prepared his feisty champion hurdler Hurricane Fly for yesterday’s renewal.

IT WAS only when the last race ended and the snaking columns of car lights began to illuminate the roads out of Prestbury Park and up towards Cleeve Hill that realisation dawned that we get to do it all again today.

Mark Twain once wrote that it is the difference of opinion that makes horse races and none generate as much conjecture and argument as the 27 that are run over four days here at Cheltenham every March.

Willie Mullins is currently dominating Irish National Hunt racing in a manner not seen since the days of the late Tom Dreaper.

In the lead up to today’s Grand National much has been made of the fact that to win the race Synchronised will have to defy the weight of history.

THIS week, Ted Walsh continues his long-standing love affair with the Cheltenham festival.

EARLIER this week’s boxing’s ‘The Greatest’ Muhammad Ali, celebrated his 70th birthday and 50 years ago yesterday, National Hunt racing’s equivalent, the peerless steeplechaser Arkle, gained his first victory in a modest novice hurdle at Navan.

LIAM McLoughlin of Ratoath, Co Meath, who has died at the age of 75, had the distinction of riding legendary steeplechaser Arkle to his first victory in Navan in January, 1962.

ST PATRICK’S DAY couldn’t have kicked off better for Ruby Walsh. It also ended as we expected, but for three hours there in the middle, it looked like it was all going to be one, big damp squib.

FOUR more winners, including a three-timer for Ruby (which he predicted in his column in these pages yesterday) left the Irish at Prestbury Park in disbelief.

Lucky Nellerie is described as a “lunatic” by his trainer Ferdy Murphy but he put up a fine staying performance to win the Weatherbys Bank North Yorkshire Grand National at Catterick.

Ferdy Murphy hit the Ayr jackpot for the third time in seven years when he completed a tremendous one-two with Hot Weld and Nine De Sivola in the Coral Scottish Grand National.

Racegoers will have the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of turf legend Arkle at Cheltenham’s April 19 fixture.

Ferdy Murphy has elected to send Aces Four to Aintree rather than throw him in the deep end in Monday’s Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

Brian Ellison is hoping Wetherby beats the weather tomorrow to give Loulou Nivernais the chance of continuing his winning ways.

Champion jockey Tony McCoy made the long journey to Sedgefield but was out of luck and had to settle for the runner-up spot on both of two his mounts at the Durham venue.

Character Building booked his ticket to the Cheltenham Festival with an impressive victory in the feature race of the day at Market Rasen.

Imperial Commander stole the show at Newcastle with an impressive victory that sets the scene for a likely trip to the Cheltenham Festival.

Ferdy Murphy will gauge whether Leading Man is up to Cheltenham Gold Cup class in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock on Saturday.

Malcolm Jefferson’s Calatagan may have been the 14-1 outsider of the party in the £30,000 skybet.com Castleford Handicap Chase but he ran out a game winner of the two-mile test at Wetherby today.

POLINAMIX looked a smart recruit to the British jumping scene when outclassing his rivals in the Take Control With WBX.COM Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle on his way to completing a double for David Pipe and Tony McCoy at Sedgefield.

Classy Flat performer Percussionist appears to have found his niche in the winter game after leaving a disappointing hurdling campaign behind with an impressive first run over fences in the bet365 Beginners' Chase at Wetherby.

THOMAS O’Leary holds the halter of stable star Scarthy Lad in one hand, while the other hoses the ‘Stay Sound’ compound from the horse’s off foreleg. There’s a wistful, but resigned, look on his face as the plaster-esque substance dilutes and runs down the drain.

THOMAS DREAPER, whose family is steeped in the history of Fairyhouse, savoured his first success at the County Meath track yesterday when partnering Desperado Queen to an all-the-way win in the Ratoath Mares Chase.

Canavan, carrying the colours made famous on the Flat by such stars as Halmahera and Amadeus Wolf, gave owner John Duddy more cause for celebration with victory in the Camerons Brewery Maiden Chase at Sedgefield.

Ginger McCain equalled his previous best seasonal total when Regal Heights’ victory at Ayr put the Aintree legend on 22 for the campaign.

ROBBIE OSBORNE'S Latino Magic found a devastating turn of foot to land the featured McDonogh EBF Handicap by two and a half lengths at Galway last night.

FAIRYTALES are supposed to be the province of Hans Christian Andersen, but the Cheltenham Festival once again proved its ability yesterday to weave the most incredible stories together when Kicking King won the Gold Cup for Ireland.

THERE is a time in every sporting career when the hero gets overturned by the guy next in line, or the no-hoper or by the fairy story - and that happened to Best Mate at Leopardstown yesterday when he was beaten by Beef or Salmon.

Ireland made a great start to Cheltenham Festival week yesterday with a victory for the Dessie Hughes stable plus the legendary name Tom Dreaper in the winner’s enclosure at Stratford.