IT certainly isn’t his fault by any means, but it feels as though nearly every conversation in National Hunt racing right now somehow links back to Willie Mullins.

From the fallout after his stunning clean sweep of the eight Grade 1 races at the Dublin Racing Festival, to debates over the overall health of jumps racing - and the fact he is only an even-money chance with the Betfair Sportsbook to train more winners than all British trainers combined at the Cheltenham Festival - it’s probably fair to say there is no figure more spoken about in the sport at present than the 17-time champion trainer. Crucially, his horses are certainly doing the talking for him when it matters most too.