Drastic Cheltenham Festival cuts are driving me mad once again

I relish the Cheltenham Festival countdown as much as anyone, but with the return of racing's winter warriors comes a bugbear of mine that continues to rear its head in terms of ante-post betting.

There's little doubting that staking in long-range markets can be challenging at the best of times, with physical setbacks and 11th-hour changes of targets always possible due to a variety of factors.

Vautour's switch to the Ryanair Chase from the Gold Cup in 2016, for example, undoubtedly caused consternation for some, but such are the well-established peaks and troughs of advance wagering.