LESS than four weeks to go until the great Cheltenham Festival begins, and it was great to see the team from Prestbury Park in Ireland to stress the importance and value of the Irish contribution to jump racing’s greatest spectacle.

Without doubt the Festival would not be the same without the Irish, whether that be of the two- or four-footed variety. The Irish runners ensure that we can call the four-day meeting the best jump racing anywhere in the world, while Cheltenham executives can finally put a figure on the contribution made by the many who travel there from this country as part of an annual pilgrimage.