ANY review of how various trainers performed at the Festival must start with an acknowledgment of how far Willie Mullins was ahead of the field.

He had 63 runners over the four days, yielding 10 winners and 10 placings. Incidentally, nine of his 10 winners were under 3/1. If you backed all the Mullins runners which started at 3/1 or less you would have made a profit of almost 10 points.

The six Mullins losers at those prices were Dysart Diamond, Gaelic Warrior, Galopin Des Champs, Klassical Dream, Dinoblue and Concertista. If these were the Mullins ‘bankers’ you backed last week then you knew your luck was out.

Returning to the overall trainers’ table, it was a very long way back to the second-placed finisher, Henry de Bromhead. Some of us questioned the form of the Waterford yard in recent months but there can be no doubt that – once again - he produced his Champion Hurdle winner and Gold Cup 1-2 in tip-top shape.

You could argue a few of the yard’s other 18 runners at the meeting - including the successful Bob Olinger - ran some way below their best. But remember too that Telmesomethinggirl was going well when brought down and Journey With Me would have been placed but for falling at the last. To rework a phrase used a year earlier by de Bromhead, the ball didn’t bounce their way in every race last week but they won the ones which mattered most and that’s all that will be remembered.

Older horses

Gordon Elliott had great hopes for his team and probably won’t be celebrating two winners from 60 runners, though he did saddle seven second-placed horses and had four thirds. It’s a bit worrying that it was left to two of Cullentra’s older horses – Commander Of Fleet and Delta Work – to save the day.

It was a case of ‘so near and yet so far’ for the yard’s novices. Three Stripe Life, American Mike and the juveniles Fil Dor and Pied Piper all ran lifetime bests without ever laying a glove on the winners of their respective races, all of whom were trained by you-know-who.

Losing Ginto was a real sickener on the final day for all concerned. Such a tough and likeable horse, he had the world at his feet. His owners Noel and Valerie Moran deserve a change of luck at Cheltenham.

After saddling two winners and two runner-ups on the opening day, Nicky Henderson could smile for the rest of the week. Even allowing for Shishkin’s rare blip, the Seven Barrows team did well. They only had 13 runners across the final three days – none of them favourites – and managed three more second place finishes and a third.

Now, in the panels below, let’s look at some of those below the elite level who either exceeded expectations or underperformed.

BADGE OF HONOUR

Venetia Williams: An outstanding week. Two winners, two second and two thirds from just 11 runners. And Royal Pagaille was only inches away from third place in the Gold Cup.

Gavin Cromwell: Just six runners and came away with a winner, a second and a third. Winning a second Stayers’ Hurdle with Flooring Porter gets all the headlines but supplementing Gabynako for the Arkle (finished second) was a brave move which paid off. A yard which continues on the up.

Lucinda Russell: Two runners, Corach Rambler (first) and Ahoy Senor (second). That covered the petrol money from Scotland.

Padraig Roche: Has been steadily making his name since taking out a licence four years ago. To win a race like the Fred Winter with your first runner in Britain is a huge achievement.

UNDER THE RADAR

Sam Thomas: Only had three runners, all in handicaps, and one of them was a no-hoper. The other two earned prize money and it could have been so much better if stable star Good Risk At All had got into the Coral Cup. The rain would have suited.

Lorna Fowler: Putting Colonel Mustard in the County Hurdle was risky but what a race he ran, only giving best to State Man, a probable Grade 1 horse.

John McConnell: Has made a habit of winning races at lesser Cheltenham fixtures and enhanced his Festival record with Bardenstown Lad finishing third in the Albert Bartlett, a year after stable companions Streets Of Doyen did the same.

Paul Nolan: Came away with a third (Mrs Milner) and a fourth (Hms Seahorse) from three runners. A trainer who gets the best out of his horses.

Fergal O’Brien: Has had 114 winners in Britain this season but doesn’t have a single Grade 1 horse. Only had four runners at Cheltenham last week and two of them (Alaphilippe and Imperial Alcazar) finished second in ultra-competitive handicaps.

BELOW EXPECTATIONS

Paul Nicholls: You could say Britain’s champion trainer didn’t come out to play. He withdrew Bravemansgame and high-class chasers Pic D’Orhy and Greaneteen are waiting for Aintree and Sandown respectively. Of the nine horses he did run at Cheltenham, just one (Bell Ex One) was placed. Stage Star, Threeunderfive, Frodon and Bob And Co were all below their best.

Dan Skelton: This is a bit harsh as the vast majority of his 12 runners performed with great credit but he will have hoped for even better. Skelton has had four Cheltenham in the previous five years and two weeks ago hailed his 2022 Festival squad as “significantly the best team we’ve had in terms of quality.” He wisely took Nube Negra out of the Champion Chase when the rain came but Shan Blue was disappointing in the Ryanair Chase having been kept for this race for months. Protektorat’s third place finish in the Gold Cup put a gloss on things. Overall it showed the yard has a fair way to go to be truly competitive at the very top.