'It wasn't fair' - Patrick Mullins annoyed by pre-race procedures at Cheltenham

Patrick Mullins has questioned the fairness of the pre-race routine at the Cheltenham Festival and believes the top three in the market for the Supreme were handed an unfair advantage by not having to canter past the grandstands on their way to the start.

Ireland's most successful amateur of all time enjoyed a terrific festival thanks to the victories of Stattler (National Hunt Chase), Facile Vega (Champion Bumper) and Billaway (Hunters' Chase), but one aspect of the week irritated him.

Mullins said: "Something that annoyed me during Cheltenham was seeing a few horses allowed to go down to the start without going up past the stands, the Supreme Novices' being one example.