The past week has been unique, as you start to read this on Gold Cup morning with a cup of tea in one hand and a form book in the other, we can safely say it has been a bloody fantastic week’s racing. In a time of war, depression, and rising fuel costs by the second, for four days we’ve just let all worries pass us by as we wait patiently for the last Cheltenham roar of the festival.

For the first time in a long time, I have almost felt like not having a single bet in Cheltenham this year the fact it was so competitive. But I did. Some heartbreaks, some triumphs but most importantly we walked away whistling and in complete awe of some of the best races I have seen in my life.

The world we live in is hard, we’ve gone from being encapsulated over a virus straight to a mad man on a warpath. The World we live in is miserable but thank god for the past 4 days. I know myself, it has given me and many others a reason to escape all of the problems in life and wake up smiling. 

I don’t know when this sudden rise in fuel started, to me it seems like it had risen nearly overnight. Truth be told, this time last year you could get Diesel for €1.28 odd per litre but the problem was we were stuck to a 5km radius for travel. Now, a euro dearer per litre and we can’t afford to travel 5km. I’m very tempted to rock around Piltown on an ass and cart like it was 1935. I’d be mad enough to do it too!

I’m rather content with the whole situation because like us all, we’ve focused solely on Cheltenham. Isn’t it absolutely glorious to think a horse running around a field could encapsulate a nation as it has done? Without it, it’s safe to say we’d be absolutely miserable because how could you not be if there wasn’t a Cheltenham Festival? Imagine not having the Shishkin/Energumene battle again with Chacun Pour Soi, Put The Kettle On and Nube Negre all in the mix as well? Imagine not seeing Honeysuckle retain her champion hurdle crown? Imagine not seeing Allaho and Tiger Roll completely obliterate the field of horses they were facing. It would be a grim, wet miserable March. 

Credit where credit is due to stable staff all over Ireland and England. You have represented racing extremely well. Not only the trainers and jockeys for carrying out superb performances all week but the stable staff for having the horses in fantastic condition. Racing has taken batterings from left, right and centre the past 12 months but you all have shown how strong we are as a community. It is ye who work the hardest and get the least praise from the wider audience outside of racing.

I nearly want to put life on pause for a while, at least until this war is over or until the government reduce the taxation of fuel. It’s been a hard time in life to keep the smile and positivity going. But Cheltenham has lived up to massive expectations. Thank god we only have until April for Aintree and Easter isn’t far away for the Irish version of the Grand National.

One thing I will say, Racing has brought us together in the tough times. When covid first struck, Racing was the first sport back to bring a bit of excitement in our lives. Racing is viewed by over a million households at Cheltenham time every year. Whether it’s €1 each way or €100 on the nose, the most important aspect is the communal gathering among friends and family especially in the times we’re in now.

It has been a spectacular festival as a racing fan. As someone looking to progress in the industry, it’s given me some massive inspiration.  And even if you have little to no interest in racing, only watching it for the sake of it being Cheltenham. I hope you were as blown away as I was. It’s now the community that needs to stick together as the dust settles after today. 

The future of racing looks bright with the star we have now and coming through. The Supreme Novices Hurdle, the first race of the whole festival was a sight to behold. It set the bar for what was about to come. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as me. And continue to enjoy it for the final day to come. Strap yourselves in. The excitement is far from over yet!