IT’S been a grim week up in the north-east since last Saturday, despite some fine performances to distract, on the racetrack and in wider sports fields.

I felt a bit of a killjoy when the Troy Parrot adulation and Irish supporters’ frenzy was in full swing. It reminded me of a ‘damning with faint praise’ farewell to an athlete of the 60s and 70s who hailed from these parts. In giving the news of his passing to a friend, one individual described the athlete as “that fellow who used to run for Ireland but never won anything”.

I was in the same frame of mind over the whole Irish soccer celebrations, with a dose of Roy Keane realism. We’ve won nothing! We haven’t even qualified for anything!

But over the racing weekend, there was lots of cause for optimism, despite National Hunt racing regularly coming under the cosh and criticism.

The Tattersalls Cheltenham Sale again had a top lot making big money with a £370,000 top lot. It was nothing compared to Arqana where top lots sold for €710,000 and €520,000.

Dan Skelton gets a share of negative comments on social media, yet his interview on Saturday after Panic Attack’s win was still something to take heart in for followers of jump racing.

“If you hang in there and work hard, this sport can give you unbelievable highs that you can’t get anywhere else. It’s simply about running the right horses in the right races and if I’ve a horse for these races I want to be running them. I love running horses. I don’t shy away from running them.” And it was a weekend where most of his decisions got the rewards and horses performed.

The interest and enthusiasm from the owners of two of the best novice hurdlers from last season in Bryan Drew and Charles McCarthy is also heartening to see going forward into the season. Of the stars of last weekend, Final Demand has been more the talking horse, his chasing debut surpassing what most novices achieve, the six-year-old looking totally comfortable over his fences.

He is the third Willie Mullins-trained novice to hit the real wow factor on chasing debut following Gaelic Warrior and Majborough in recent seasons.

Both Gaelic Warrior and Majborough ended up in the Arkle, where Mullins’ other star novice Kopek Des Bordes is bound.

However, Majborough’s initial impression and high rating on the jumping index, didn’t see him home at Cheltenham, re-inforcing that jump racing can throw a lifeline to anyone.

Punchestown and good cards and some high profile reappearances make this weekend one of the best yet and perhaps for one weekend, we’ll enjoy what we have in front of us without looking for the negatives. It’s all about the anticipation.