A TOI Phil booked his place on the Cheltenham teams of Willie Mullins and Gigginstown (yes, you can play for two teams) with that win in the Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Novice Hurdle on Sunday.

The winning time wasn’t great, but there was a lot to like about A Toi Phil’s performance. His jumping was good, he travelled like the most likely winner from a fair way out, and he came away willingly on the run-in to put distance between himself and some well-regarded rivals, who finished strung out behind him.

This was effectively just his third run over hurdles, just his second for Willie Mullins, and he is entitled to come on for it.

There is precedent here too. This race was won last year by Outlander, who did not win at Cheltenham, but the horses who chased him home did. Runner-up Martello Tower won the Albert Bartlett Hurdle, third-placed Killultagh Vic won the Martin Pipe Hurdle, fourth-placed Windsor Park won the Neptune Hurdle. Also, back in fifth was No More Heroes, who finished a fine third in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle despite meeting trouble in-running.

For the record, the three horses who chased A Toi Phil home on Sunday were Acapella Bourgeois, Woodland Opera and Chain Gang.