WE saw again this week how difficult it is to run big races at Cheltenham and at Aintree, then come on to Punchestown and win.

Sprinter Sacre won at all three festivals in 2013, but Sprinter Sacre was a monster then, vastly superior to his contemporaries and even he wasn’t as impressive at Punchestown as he had been at Cheltenham and Aintree.

On The Fringe won at all three festivals last year. Douvan won at all three festivals this year. But we are talking about special horses here.

This year, Bellshill did exactly what he did last year: finished down the field at Cheltenham, finished a close second at Aintree, won at Punchestown. God’s Own also took in all three festivals this year, finishing fourth in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham before winning the Melling Chase at Aintree, then ending his season by winning the Champion Chase at Punchestown. So it can be done.

But Yorkhill came up short, beaten at odds-on at Punchestown after impressive wins at Cheltenham and Aintree. Cue Card ran keen and flat at Punchestown after falling at Cheltenham and winning impressively at Aintree. Annie Power was scratched from Punchestown after hugely impressive performances at Cheltenham and Aintree.

Vautour also came up short, beaten at Punchestown after winning easily at Cheltenham and falling at Aintree, although his defeat on Tuesday may have had as much to do with the distance as it had to do with anything else.

Ultimately, it is down to the individual horse, his or her specific make-up: talent, comparative ability with rivals, constitution. You can win at all three festivals, but it takes a special horse to do it.