FRENCH-BRED horses grabbed the headlines on the opening day of this year’s Cheltenham Festival, but Irish breeders had much to celebrate on Wednesday, when the pendulum swung back in our favour.

For day two, four of the seven races carried Grade 1 status, and three of them fell to horses bred in Ireland, even if the feature winner has a French sounding name. The late Michael O’Sullivan was on everyone’s mind as Marine Nationale (French Navy-Power Of Future, by Definite Article) flashed past the winning post in the Champion Chase. It was two years since the eight-year-old stormed up the hill in the opening Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.