IT was the children wot done it!

Now we can see there was a sign of things to come – that early February Saturday when the Leopardstown stands erupted to cheer Apple’s Jade up the straight in the BHP Irish Champion Hurdle. Her owner, oft seen watching in the depths of winter racing, was not among the cheering crowd. Michael O’Leary then revealed on the Sunday of the DRF that he had been in the Aviva Stadium with his children, cheering on the Irish rugby team in their defeat against England.