Tuesday 1st May 2018

Willie Mullins claimed the Irish trainer’s championship quite comfortably in the end. Gordon Elliott just didn’t have the numbers to run at Punchestown. It's very hard to compete when Mr Mullins has upto 7 chances in one race! No doubt Gordon will be champion trainer at some point, however he might have to wait until Willie goes on his long-term holidays.

No jumping until Saturday with the season over in the UK, it all starts again at the weekend though with everybody back on zero.

The info from the Varian yard came up trumps again for readers, Emmaus won nicely and made it 4 from 4. Hamada also won at Wolverhampton under a hands and heels ride. He won easy as you like and is held in fair regard.

We have our first flat runner of the season this afternoon at Yarmouth, Mountain Rescue makes his reappearance in the 3:45. Mountain Rescue is smart and has given us some great days out. He runs off a rating of 91 today, on figures he’s the best horse in the race by 6lb.

Our horse tends to need a few runs to gain his fitness, he’s a big strong type whilst trainer Chris Wall is never hard on them at this time of the year. The soft ground wouldn’t be ideal, but we must start somewhere and this looks a good starting point as any.

I dare say Mountain Rescue will show up well but likely get done for fitness at the business end of the race.