Cheltenham was dominated by one trainer - the start of the Flat showed how variety can reinject some fizz into the spring

Given the dominance of Willie Mullins in the big races at the Cheltenham Festival it probably came as a bit of a relief for British Flat trainers that he was unable to find a runner to line up in the Lincoln on Saturday.

It also came as a relief to me to be able to watch someone different claim a major prize. Nothing against Mullins, but sport thrives on variety – and thankfully the Flat ought to provide a good deal more of that than what we have seen over jumps recently.

The gap between Ireland and Britain, Mullins and everyone else, was borne out in the Graded races at this month's festival and led to a great deal of head-scratching. It is of obvious concern and people have been tripping over themselves to pitch solutions, some of which, such as the nuclear option of banning Irish runners from competing, are frankly ludicrous.