Cheltenham Festival: Irish dominate on a day to remember for Mullins and Elliott

Indeed - after a run of nine consecutive Irish wins - the first ever ‘green sweep' at the Festival appeared on, heading into the last race.

However, Warren Greatrex's Missed Approach saved the blushes of the home trainers

That victory shouldn't paper over the cracks, with Ireland now boasting an unassailable 15-6 lead in the Prestbury Cup.

The unstoppable double act of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott boast all but two of those Irish wins, with the latter enjoying a narrow 7-6 lead in the battle to finish the meeting as top trainer, with Penhill's victory in the day's showpiece, the Stayers' Hurdle, the highlight.

But it was classy mare Laurina who delivered the race that took Mullins to a career 61 Festival wins, taking him, perhaps just briefly, past Nicky Henderson as the most successful trainer in Cheltenham history.

Mullins has been the leading trainer at the Festival five times and needs one more win to eclipse his most successful week, eight wins three years ago.

"When you start training from a base in Ireland you think it will be amazing to get one Cheltenham winner," he said.

"I never dreamt of being the leading horse trainer or anything like that, it has come as a complete surprise. Without the owners especially and the staff, I wouldn't be in this position, I'm lucky."

The Festival has long dominated sporting conversation across the Irish Sea but until recent years they were here for the craic not the trophies - how times have changed.

Last year their raiders won a record 19 of the 28 races, surpassing their previous best of 15 from the year before. It's a record they could and probably should, improve for the third time in succession on Gold Cup day.

But go back through the history books and you'd have needed more blarney than was believable to sell this sort of dominance, which must pose serious questions for British trainers.

At the 1989 Festival Irish trainers returned home empty-handed, indeed ten years ago their record return had been ten races, the idea of besting the British something of a pipe dream.

"Obviously you are seeing an Irish dominance again and I think it's totally down to the programme, race planning and the prize money they give to good horses in Ireland," added Mullins.

"Good horses are rewarded in Ireland, they don't have to go handicapping like they do over here.

"English owners are realising that now. They buy a good horse and have no races to run them in. Over here a lot of novices have to go through a handicap to win any prize money and you leave a lot of good horses behind that way. Our programme is better I think and it is reflected in these results."

British racing is full of worthy initiatives aimed at getting people more invested in the sport - with youngsters and families their target market.

Cheltenham packed to the rafters every day with 60,000 fans - paying nearly £100 for a ticket - would give the impression all is good.

But results from this week underline the fact that change is needed and needed fast.

James Toney/Sportsbeat 2018