WITH the 2024 Gold Cup giving us a thrilling race and terrific dual winner, you might have thought we’d relax into last Saturday and reflect on all the good points of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival.

But no. The BHA are often accused of being slow off the mark but a statement from CEO Julie Harrington hit the press Saturday morning with a comment that “the Irish domination of the Grade 1 races this week has illustrated that the issue is becoming more pronounced and more damaging for the sport on both sides of the Irish Sea.”