Paul Townend took the top rider title for the first time after Al Boum Photo’s successful defence of the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup gave him a fifth winner of the week.

As so often in the past, the Weatherby’s Champion Bumper was kind to Willie Mullins, and this one was as welcome as any of the previous nine, writes Tommy Lyons

All that glitters is not gold, a talented writer called William Shakespeare (you may have heard of him) once wrote. He was right.

Last week was the start of the new race times – there were a good few of them in the UK - and I think, for people who were viewing racing on the whole, it was a better experience.

Christmas was different, very different. It only really dawned on me how different as I strolled through Dublin airport on St Stephen’s morning at 7.45 rather than 5.45.