Ruby Walsh: Why are horse owners choosing to invest their money in Ireland more than ever before?

To think the Irish-based trainers, participating at the UK’s marquee National Hunt event, could depart for home with 75% of the races won is a prospect Irish people should be proud of

DOMINANT FORCE: Irish-trained horses routed the British 19-9 in the 2017 Cheltenham Festival and the odds suggest a similar level of dominance is again on the cards this week. Picture: Cody Glenn/Sportsfile

I am not certain I ever envisaged a day when Irish trainers would train the winners of 19 races at a single Cheltenham Festival, but they did just that in 2017.

However, as I look at the ante-post betting and make-up for this week’s renewal, I find it equally unthinkable that I am trying to pick which races the English trainers might win.