National Hunt racing is praised for having a ‘narrative’ – the focus is always towards March and the Cheltenham Festival. For the top Irish trainers Punchestown then comes next in priority.

Willie Mullins has dominated both for much of this decade. But in recent years, jump racing has become divided into Festivals – Christmas, Dublin Racing Festival, Cheltenham, Aintree, Punchestown. All that goes before is just a preparation for those big days, for owners, trainers and jockeys.

Cheltenham and Punchestown is where Willie Mullins excelled – you could reply that the horses were trained to peak at Cheltenham and hold their form to Irish jump racing’s biggest week.

The Dublin Racing Festival added another element to the season with its great prize fund.

The run of Irish success at Cheltenham centred on the Mullins yard.

LEADING TRAINER

With 61 winners he is the current leading trainer in number of winners at Cheltenham. He was leading trainer there four years in a row from 2013 to 2016 before Gordon Elliott shaded it in 2017 and won it last season with eight winners.

Should we be worried, looking forward this year that the Mullins’ hold on the top prizes has slipped? Elliott, de Bromhead, Meade all look to have quality in their strings and are offering stiffer competition than in recent years.

Every trainer goes through a slow patch. So far in 2019 Willie has had 31 runners, they brought up five winners to Monday, including Laurina’s 1/8 Sandown stroll.

This season has posed two extra problems – the ground has been too good to risk many jumping horses. The warmer weather also helps incubate more colds and virus

Two well fancied runners appeared to under-perform in the Grade 2 at Punchestown, Come To Me was coughing after the Grade 1 at Naas where the favourite Tornado Flyer was pulled up and no explanation forthcoming for his poor run.

The maiden hurdles have not been mopped up with the regularity of previous seasons.

Slightly disappointing runs from Footpad, Limini, Melon and Annamix and the loss Grade 1 winners Draconien, Next Destination and Quick Grabim through injury depleted his top reserves.

On the plus side, he did have 10 winners over the Christmas between Leopardstown and Limerick so evidence is there that on the big days, the winners are still there.

The Dublin Racing Festival is almost upon us. Last year Willie won seven of the 15 races there.

With an increased prize fund, the challenge from Britain is also likely to be much stronger this year - La Bague Au Roi was one confirmed this weekend.

Many more euros might be for export this year.

It will be a key examination of the depth of the Mullins fire power – but chances are reports of his impending demise might be a bit premature.