THERE’s a bit of a change about the Commonstown gallops from my last visit to see Sizing John at the beginning of the 2017-18 National Hunt season. Where once you had the sturdy sons of Milan, Flemensfirth or Midnight Legend, it’s now a bunch of frisky two-year-olds heading up the gallops.

And their breeding makes you pause awhile - Dubawi, Kingman, Invincible Spirit, Zoustar, Frankel, Galileo. A list of the leading sires in the world. Add in the new kids, Sioux Nation and Saxon Warrior, and the flat string in Jessica Harrington’s care looks as strong as in any yard in the country.