Why top-class Edwardstone and L'Homme Presse look real threats to the Irish

Gordon Elliott doesn't seem to think British racing is very competitive and it's true there aren't that many top-class jumps horses trained here, but there's a decent chance the very best ones are.

Just a few weeks ago it would have been hard to think that, but while some of the reigning Cheltenham champions have been running way below form or losing their unbeaten records, the best of British have been enhancing their reputations and I can't but think that if Edwardstone and L'Homme Presse were trained by Willie Mullins the narrative would be totally different.

We have got to a stage in jump racing that if a top-class horse isn't trained in Ireland they aren't reckoned to be that good. That has been the story of Edwardstone's career to date.