BIG race today is the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Newbury, and there are no Irish-trained runners. Two weeks ago, the Mackeson Gold Cup was run at Cheltenham (won by Jupiter Boy), and again, there were no Irish-trained runners.

On the front page, writer “Formor” raises the rather pessimistic issue: “Not the least of our problems for the new National Hunt season will be that of finding ’chasers worthy to contest the top-class cross-Channel events where the big money is to be won.”