AS the Cheltenham Festival loomed, so too did the spread of Covid-19 in Britain, and the Mecca of jump racing found itself in the eye of the storm, attempting to stage a major international sporting event with 250,000 spectators at just the point scientists were telling governments they should be instigating a national lockdown.

Measures were taken to increase hygiene and protection for racegoers, but it was hard to escape the feeling that the event should not be taking place at all.