IT was difficult to keep up with the Festival coverage on TV this week, switching channels so as not to miss any interview. But it was a week where the racing dominated, no need for any fluff.

If you were not present on the glorious Tuesday and subjected to Whats Apps videos from your mates on the track showing the cheers for Honeysuckle, Wednesday ‘from home’ turned the tables and gave you a bit more of a “where are ya now?” as the rain came and social media came awash with comments of “never been so wet in all my life”.

Ian Bartlett’s RacingTV commentary as three broke clear in the Coral Cup was the story of the day. “The others are covered in mud, your guess is as good as mine which is which.”

In a later interview on RacingTV, a lady clad in white shoes in the parade ring needed education that Cheltenham is well removed from Royal Ascot. “There a few not handling the ground in the paddock never mind the racetrack,” Nick Luck remarked.

But it was off with a bang on a sunny day, and with a record 68,567 crowd on track. Is there any better way to begin a sporting feast than to unveil a potential new champion even before the current one has taken the stage?

On ITV, Alice Plunkett described Dysart Dynamo as a “classic type of Willie Mullins’” though you’d be hard pushed to define a ‘classic type’, the skill is that all shapes and sizes win from Closutton.

Later for the Arkle, the favourite Edwardstone is described as a “big, soft type of horse” but he was no soft touch in the race.

Eavesdropped

The ITV cameras in the winners’ enclosure eavesdropped on a few interesting words post-race. Nico saying Constitution Hill was ‘effortless’. Michael Buckley congratulating Alan King, “we’ve got two on the board.”

In the RacingTV round up, Jonathan Neesom describes Constitiution Hill as “the best novice hurdler I’ve seen in decades.” No experts disagreed.

“I’m on the ropes, where are these Irish horses?” Bookmaker John Hughes pleads to Brian Gleeson on ITV.

Honeysuckle and Rachael get the reception they deserved. “It’s incredible, for her to get the roar, I was just hoping she would get it,” Henry de Bromhead tells Rishi Pesad. But someone who was vocal in their opinion is now missing?

“We’re wondering where Matt Chapman is? Where’s Matt? Honey wants to meet Matt up in her stable later on,” Henry jokes. Now that’s something we need a few angles of after Chapman had disparaged the mare.

There’s so little time through the racing for much extras. Ruby is in his ‘truck’ for ITV but it was worth catching up with his late evening 10 minute debrief with Lydia Hislop on RacingTV.

He was high in praise for Rachael Blackmore’s ride in the Champion Hurdle. “It was a ride to win, it wasn’t safe. I like that.” He’s still with the mare if she meets the Supreme winner. She’ll be coming here for 19 when she meets Constitiution Hill.”

On Wednesday, ITV questioned Patrick Mullins before the Champion Chase. “There’s going to be a good bit of jockeyship going on, you’ll have to wait and see.”

Switch channels for a second and there’s Rich Ricci revealing all. “If no one wants to go on, we’ll go on. I don’t know why we didn’t go on last year. I want the horse to run his race.” Okay lads, get your tactics locked down!

In the race, Shishkin did an impression of Douvan from 2017, Chacun Pour Soi did a Douvan from 2018. ITV caught his jockey’s annoyance at the unseat.

Willie Mullins, completing the nap hand of the big Grade 1 championship races, is uncharacteristically emotional.

In the Racing TV round up Ruby says: “I think it was good to see Willie Mullins so emotional, for someone who has won so much, to see what it meant to him.” Walsh is also high in praise earlier on ITV for Charlie Deutsch. “Magical to watch. He never gives away momentum on the take-off side.”

Annoying

ITV have an annoying camera angle on the chase old course which switches from side-on to head on just as they cross the second last.

It might have been damp and dismal on track on Wednesday but this was a feel good Festival, a throwback a few years where wins came from all types of owners and provided good stories that are the heart of jump racing.

L’Homme Presse’s owner Andy Edwards told of how he arrived to Venetia Williams yard with his new purchase, recalling what she might have said: “’Yea, yea, some bloke I’ve never met has brought this horse over from France,” adding when asked why, “she’s the best trainer of a chaser in this county and has been for a long time.”

Some of the newer presenters still need to become more comfortable, but all the pros did terrifically in the conditions on Wednesday even if ITV went off air a bit rapidly before Tiger Roll returned.

It’s good to see so many female presenters, Rachel Casey, Lisa O’Neill on the RacingTV previews with Gary O’Brien. Jane Mangan telling it straight as she put some amused perspective on the degree to which standing water might affect the bumper runners. Don’t show them that day in Tallow!

The favourite in the latter races on Wednesday is described by Dave Nevison on RacingTV as “drifiting like a barge.” Pretty appropriate, but if it was named Facile Vega; he might be able to walk on water!