THE accompanying table summarises what it has taken in terms of my ratings to win the non-handicap races at the Cheltenham Festival in recent years, and where the leading contenders stand in each division at present.

It hopefully underlines that Cheltenham is at least as much a meeting at which champions are discovered as crowned. In the novice events, in particular, horses are likely to have to improve on already substantial achievements to come out on top.

Irish-trained

It paints an encouraging picture for Irish-trained horses, who head many of the categories, though one imagines that Benie Des Dieux, Envoi Allen and Allaho will manage to win a maximum of just one race each! Ireland was at 4/6 to win the Prestbury Cup, with Britain at 2/1 and the tie at 13/2, earlier this week.

We could well be in for a vintage Queen Mother Champion Chase (in addition to Chacun Pour Soi on 177, Defi Du Seuil is on 172 and Altior on 169) and perhaps a superior winner of the Ryanair Chase and the Stayers’ Hurdle (defending champion Paisley Park is on 165).

Of interest are those who have exceeded the usual standard but who remain at backable prices, such as Lord Du Mesnil (not a certain starter in the National Hunt Chase at the time of writing), Min, Monkfish and Santini.

Numerical assessments are not everyone’s thing in racing (though if no-one rated races or assessed time, their influence would quickly become obvious), but the part ratings play in providing historical context is under appreciated, in my opinion, and something that the sport does better than any other.