IT is getting late in the piece for horses to put forward Cheltenham Grade 1 claims, but Tullyhill seemed to do just that in winning the Madigan Group Irish EBF Sheila Bourke Novice Hurdle at Punchestown last Sunday.

This listed contest has not been a fruitful source of Cheltenham winners of late - Thedevilscoachman the best recent winner - the race a bit close to the Festival for comfort, though Willie Mullins has won it with some good horses, among them Wicklow Brave (2014), So Young (2011) and Mikael D’Haguenet (2009).