TUESDAY at the 2023 Cheltenham Festival was a day when, centre stage in the sporting world, horse racing held its head high and delivered the layers of brilliance and emotion that have thrilled fans for long decades.

Far away from this day were the pre-Festival negativity of whip rules, welfare issues and any sense of racing having to be ashamed that it was continually linked to that now apparently unsavoury pastime of gambling.

Race after race delivered until the often maligned Mares' Hurdle even outdid the spectacular triumph of the favourite Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle, as Irish racing’s dual darlings, Honeysuckle and Rachael Blackmore, gave the de Bromhead family reason to enjoy a day of happiness, after a year that had changed their lives forever.

Racing’s allure was there for all to see - loud and proud.

The opening Supreme Novices', Marine Nationale a new star, was vindicating his owner/trainer’s six-month long prophesy that this was the best novice hurdler in Ireland.

Marine Nationale is owned by wealthy businessman Barry Connell. He was followed in the Arkle by El Fabiolo, owned by wealthy businessmen Isaac Souede and Simon Munir.

Constitution Hill took the Champion Hurdle crown as all had expected of him to do – even making that little error that we feared might be his undoing. Standing too far of one – the last.

Nico de Boinville let the side down slightly in not going for the 10 lengths or more margin that many had supported!

Here, again, a wealthy businessman in Michael Buckley, totally engaged in racing, took home a championship race that his long patronage deserved.

And before the Champion Hurdle, throw into the mix the unusual combination of a former champion jockey, one who can speak his mind, combining with the business-eventing background of Scottish based trainer Lucinda Russell, in partnership with Sligo jockey Derek Fox, who Scu said in his post-race interviews, had left school at 12 with little to show for his time but “has always had an innate sense of a horse – highly intelligent when he gets on a horse”.

A place for all and everything in its place – that Cheltenham winner’s enclosure.

There was a new star on then jockey front too – not only did his horse fulfil his faith but Michael O’Sullivan fulfilled Barry Connell’s faith with his cool ride in the Supreme and then went on to win his second Cheltenham Festival race on Jazzy Matty for Gordon Elliott.

The final two races went to the big two Irish stables – no change there. Elliott and Mullins in the winner’s enclosure – but again small reward for their investment to Andrew Brown and Joe Donnelly.

But it was the return of Kenny Alexander's Honeysuckle to that hallowed arena, for the fourth year in a row, which restored faith in the sport and banished ugly headlines. It’s why we, and all who love and work in the sport, will always defend it.

And it was a day when everyone who earns a living from the sport could be proud that with the spotlight on. Horses and humans answered every call and left a united feeling of joy and satisfaction, that Cheltenham is. as we always believe, the most glorious sporting arena.