IT has been a funny old National Hunt season half term, the unprecedented Leaving Cert weather leading dry ground, playing havoc with trainer’s plans.

The star students who have been tested haven’t exactly prospered, while some of the lesser lights have achieved sterling results. That’s the way it goes indeed in school and with young horses, but there is much left to play for, with the knuckling down for the biggest and defining exams set to begin. For now, the following is my half-term report on the biggest name jumpers in Ireland.