RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary has grabbed the opportunity to sponsor the World Hurdle at Cheltenham with both hands, affirming his deep love of National Hunt racing. However, he would not have done so if he did not believe in its value as a promotional tool. He never loses his business head.

In the announcement made by Cheltenham of the sponsorship, just a month away from the biggest National Hunt meeting of the season, O’Leary also expressed his support for the racecourse’s stance with regard to Authorised Betting Partners (ABP). This is very significant, coming as it does from one of the sport’s major players.