Awesome Cheltenham: Nowhere else does a winner walk for seven minutes through uninterrupted applause

In my opinion, how the next four days go matters more than the months that have passed.

GLORY SECURED: Jockey Rachael Blackmore celebrating on A Plus Tard after winning the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup Chase. Pic: David Davies/PA Wire

Plenty of people in this great sport have been at pains through the winter to point out that the whole season is not all about Cheltenham. Too much is made of the next four days, they say, and there are other significant ones.

They have highlighted Sandown, Kempton and Leopardstown and pointed towards the days to come at Aintree and Punchestown being of equal importance and that the next four days are not the be-all and end-all of anyone's year. Perhaps they are correct, and they have every right to believe so, only I'm afraid I have to disagree.