ON the 13th hour, of the 11th day, of the third month, the good Lord looked down on the grassy plains and saw that all was good. “They’re off,” he cried! And yes, everything stops at Cheltenham 2025 for the next week.

Racefans, owners, trainers, punters, we’re all on the same bandwagon this week.

There are many short-priced favourites. Some tweaks have been made in the races and mostly for the better.

It’s been easy to get distracted this week. Twenty-eight races. Remind yourself - you don’t have to bet in every race.

I picked up a self-help book in Eason and it opened at a chapter headed Stay in the Present Day. But there’s all these races to study, too many horses... the Pertemps, the County, back to the Supreme, will Ballyburn jump… I’ve horses already marked for the Grand Annual, but look at that County Hurdle puzzle?

I liked the thoughts expressed by Tony Keenan and Rory Delargy earlier on the stashed away ante-post sneaky one that you can boast about now. I still remember Cool Dawn with pleasure.

It’s the ‘I saw something you didn’t’ oneupmanship. There’s nothing that brings you together to share it like Cheltenham.

Who was listening to Gordon’s throw-away line at Down Royal, when the Mares’ Hurdle was suggested and he said maybe even the Champion Hurdle was a possible? (Me – there, I’m guilty of gloating.) Who thought Ballyburn as 3/1 Arkle favourite was madness? Who backed Majborough at 12s? Yes, I thought it, but no, I didn’t bet!

There are so many short-priced favourites and all look solid on form. But anything can happen. Galolpin Des Champs fell over after the last three years ago.That run from the first down the far side is littered with fallen hopes. Remember Carvill’s Hill. Long lost names. Lanzarote, Ten Plus, Valiramix, Our Conor.

Week’s wages

A €50 accumulator on Kopek, Majborough, Constitution Hill, Jonbon, Teahupoo and Galopin Des Champs gets a decent week’s wages for little work!

An opening day acca on Kopek, Majborough, Lossie and Constitution would be a nice balance in the pot before it gets trickier. Is it that easy?

I hear a commentator like the ghost of Micheál O’Hehir coming to call… ‘A goal, a goal’… becoming ‘He’s down, he’s down…’ as one of those shorties crashes out, like the goal that scuppered Kerry’s five-in-a-row in the 1982 All-Ireland.

They all can’t win, the law of averages dictates that. I’d rather have the field than Kopek in the opening Supreme. That he has Cork connections would make it poignant, but it’s a strong field and Workahead is the value.

Majborough just has to jump 13 fences, that’s it for me. Constitution Hill could be below his best and really still win the Champion. It’s hard to see past him. Nico, hold on, don’t go looking for long ones to him! It would be nice to see a mare win it too. Heart versus head, it’s the usual quandary.

I’d backed Jade De Grugy at longer than she is now in the Mares’, but not in confidence now. What is Lossiemouth doing here? And the Fred Winter is a ‘take a break’ race.

On Wednesday, I hope - for a horse of his quality - Jonbon gets his reward in the Champion Chase and Nico can do an upper-class version of Kieran Donaghy’s Joe Brolly, what do you think of that to the unfaithful, who criticise the horse.

Denman

Ballyburn could do a Denman. Or he could go headlong to the turf. Townend doesn’t get the choice of Mullins runners wrong. But I prefer Dancing City.

King Turgeon has the form for the Ultima, Iwilldoit could be an each-way one in the Cross Country. The Skeltons are bound to have a winner. Unexpected Party has been campaigned not to win – could the Grand Annual be the day? And Valgrand looked good earlier in the season for the County. Sandor Clegane could be a mad one for Paul Nolan in the Coral.

Maughreen is overrated, because she has Faugheen in her family, I prefer Karoline Banbou. I’m not convinced on either Henderson runner in the Triumph. Perhaps a Mullins at bigger odds could show up - Lady Vega Allen each-way.

The two handicaps on the final day are a ‘wait to see more’, but Nurburgring is an obvious one earlier – he’s better than he has shown over fences. I like the cut of Ballybow for the Albert Barlett.

Galopin Des Champs can’t be beaten on form. But Kauto Star was 8/11 in 2010. Galopin somehow fell in the Turners. It’s a good move to add Inothewayurthinkin, horses who stay well always get placed. Corbetts Cross is a better horse though, I think and is my each-way. So, here’s to four great days, we’ll salute the winners, we’ll get emotion flowing, that’s the sure-fire shot, we always do. We’ll be thinking too of those who helped make those joyous few days, Michael O’Sullivan especially.