THE calendar has seen the spring festivals condensed into six weeks, so affording forgiveness for the participants at Punchestown who have either danced all the dances or contested the races which have returned a big speed figure seems fair.

This applies to none more so than Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs who also strove to overcome a chronic lack of pace in last Wednesday’s Punchestown Gold Cup; a scenario he hasn’t faced since being held up in his races.