BONJOUR from Paris. As I type from the well-equipped media centre with excellent Wi-Fi, it’s an overcast 20 degrees day, which started with rain but cleared about halfway through the morning’s veterinary inspection, where all Irish event horses were thankfully accepted to start the competition.

On meeting Susie Berry afterwards (see more from her in the adjoining story on this page), she was beaming from ear to ear; she swiftly said that, despite telling herself that it is just another competition, it really doesn’t feel like that and Olympic fever is starting to take over.