The turf: Cheltenham jinx

Here is one for the experts at pub-quiz racing nights: which well-known jumps trainer has scored twice at Royal Ascot without yet registering training a winner at the Cheltenham Festival? Answer: Paul Webber. His glorious Cropredy Lawn yard near Banbury turns out a stream of decent hurdlers and chasers most winters — think of Flying Instructor, De Soto and Imperial Cup winner Carlo Brigante — but never seems to have much luck at the Festival. Meanwhile, from his comparatively rare forays on the Flat Paul can point to Royal Ascot victories on the Flat both with Ulundi (who also won a Scottish Champion Hurdle) and Full House.

In March this year, 99 per cent of the racing world was convinced that things were going to change. The leading novice chaser Time For Rupert, an imposing chestnut gelding by Flemensfirth, was the heaviest-backed horse at the Festival in the RSA chase.