“ROLL Up, Roll Up” was the shout by the circus man, when the wagons would land into the towns and villages long ago.

Roll up to see the Bearded Lady. Roll up to see the Strong Man. Roll up to see the Lion Tamer, but most of all, roll up to see the Clowns.

This week, jump racing’s biggest circus rolls into Cheltenham town and, while I hope I don’t come across a Bearded Lady, I am hoping to see some acts that will live long in the memory.

I am in the Media Marquee, which is situated behind the weigh-room, for 8.30am. Why so early, you ask? Well, the Healy Racing office is open and that means jobs to be looked after. This is our busiest week of the year media contract wise, so all the team are on duty. Nephew Sean is on course with me and we also have our UK-based man, Dan Abraham. Cathy steers the ship at home, with Liam, Kevin and Jack looking after the images that we send back after each race.

That ensures, all going well, clients can have their images 15 minutes after the race. As is the case every year, the media marquee for the Cheltenham Festival is the busiest on the circuit and there is approx. 150 seated. If I’m honest, it’s a camel hike to the winning line, but sure the running keeps me fit.

Today is a day of days, with the drama that the Champion Hurdle brings and, while we don’t see an Irish winner, everybody will remember the name Golden Ace.

She provides a 25/1 shock under Welshman, Lorcan Williams, for West Country trainer Jeremy Scott and his owner Ian Gosden.

The race had brought us the clash we wanted. England (Constitution Hill) v Ireland (State Man and Brighterdaysahead). Everyone had an opinion, everyone had a theory, but in the end, everyone hadn’t a clue.

Constitution Hill falling at the fourth and State Man at the last, both brought huge gasps from the 55,000 crowd. If John B Keane wrote the script, we would have laughed.

Irish winners

The rest of the action on the track brings us three Irish winners, with 4/6 fav Kopek Des Bordes kicking off in the opener, giving trainer Willie Mullins his eighth Supreme Hurdle success and jockey Paul Townend his second and is led in by groom Ava Murphy.

Charlie McCarthy is the owner, a proud Fermoy and Corkman, and is accompanied by his sons David, James, CJ and Andrew. He must be made of iron Charlie, as he had a kidney removed two weeks ago and, when advised not to travel, he told his family he “would swim the Irish Sea to get here”.

Lossiemouth collects her third Festival success for owners Rich and Susannah Ricci, trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend and doing so provides the owners and trainer with their 100th Grade 1 success together.

Led in by groom Julie Flory, there is controversy involved with whether she should have run in the Champion Hurdle or not. “We made the right decision and will see about the Champion next year,” insists a delighted Mr Ricci.

The final Irish winner is Putyourhandstogether, under Mark Walsh, for trainer Joseph O’Brien and owner J.P. McManus, making it a 79th Festival success for the Limerick man and led in by groom Natalia Bilkova at odds of 17/2.

Lads, I don’t care what ye say. I thought I’d seen it all. But, what happened today meant, for me anyway, that there is a “higher power”.

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am no Holy Joe! I don’t go to Mass very often, but one thing I do every day is say my prayers, so I do have a little “faith”.

But today, for me, was just pure spooky. I mean, the horses that Michael O’Sullivan, God bless him, won on two years ago at the Festival, romp home today!

It brings a whole new emotion to the Festival. How must Michael’s brother Alan and girlfriend Charlotte, who are both here, have felt? Please God, today will ease the pain a small bit for all of Michael’s family and friends.

In all, the Irish bag six winners out of the seven races, with the odd one out The New Lion, owned by J.P. McManus.

Marine Nationale triumphs in the feature Queen Mother Champion Chase for owner and trainer Barry Connell, under Sean “Wallace” Flanagan.

Of course, “Wallace” is one of the hardest workers in the game, also doubling up as a jockeys’ valet, having bought Dave Fox’s business in the past year. His wife Lauren is on course to cheer him home and you would think a few days away in Cheltenham will feel like a holiday for them.

Kerry winners

We have two Kerry winners on the card, with Jazzy Matty under Galway man Danny Gilligan providing Tralee native Cian Collins with his first Festival success and is owned by his dad Alan, Michael Lucey, Mervyn Grey and Tom Man Racing Syndicate.

Stumptown is the other for again Tralee natives, Ger Teahon and Furze Bush Syndicate, trained by Gavin Cromwell and giving jockey Keith Donoghue a fifth success in the Cross Country Race.

Willie Mullins has a treble with Lecky Watson, Jimmy Du Seuil and Bambino Fever. The Slaneyville Syndicate, which is Lar Byrne, he of Hardy Eustace fame, and his eight siblings, own Lecky Watson and he tells us the SP return of 20/1 is their kind of price!

With Jimmy Du Seuil winning the Coral Cup for jockey Danny Mullins, it marks the first success that he chalks up for his uncle Willie at the Festival and the Closutton trainer then rolls on to the Bumper, winning it for a 14th time, with Bambino Fever providing Jody Townend with her maiden Festival success and great winner’s enclosure scenes, with owners O’Connell Morgan Syndicate from Clare and Tipperary.

We have four out of the seven today lads, with one of the UK winners owned by J.P.

The feature Stayers Hurdle is a Robcour 1-2 with Bob Olinger under Rachael Blackmore for Henry de Bromhead lasting home from Teahupoo and Jack Kennedy.

It completes the full set of Festival Championship races for Rachael and Henry, fair play to them. Robcour is Brian and Carmel Acheson and their kids, Rob and Courtney, and all four are here today to enjoy a special day, when they also bagged the opener with Air Of Entitlement, also for Rachael and Henry.

Fact To File is awesome in the Ryanair for J.P. McManus, Willie Mullins, Mark Walsh and groom Georgia Fenwicke Clennell at odds of 6/4 and, in the final race, it’s another maiden success for a jockey, with Barry Stone on his first ride in England, steering Daily Present home for owners DKCR Partnership, trainer Paul Nolan, his fourth Festival success and groom Ciara Walsh.

Cleariestown native Barry, who rode a double at Lingstown on Sunday giving him 19 winners for the season, is an older brother to jockey Conor Stone Walsh, who rode runner-up Robbies Rock during the week, and a nephew of former jockey now trainer, Benny Walsh.

Lads, a wise man said: “Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away”. Well, this year’s circus leaves us with lasting memories. Roll on next year.