Cheltenham Festival - Great week to be Irish

AT 1.30 this afternoon one of the great Irish festivals of the year will begin when the runners in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle over two miles and half a furlong race across Prestbury Park. It is no more than a passing inconvenience that it takes place across the Irish Sea in an English field in the Cotswolds.

Indeed it adds greatly to the jollity week that it is hosted by the English racing fraternity and the determination of the Irish raiders to win as many of the 26 races as they can is not a reflection of ingratitude towards the hosts.

As in every walk of life, the changing economic circumstances means that some regulars will be absent. The organisers expect a 20% fall in the numbers of Irish punters attending. Nevertheless it is a great spectacle and usually a great week to be Irish.