Six takeouts from Cheltenham preview nights - including Davy Russell's big call

For many it was the unmasking process or being allowed to stay in your local boozer after 8pm but, for me, the real sign that life is slowly but surely returning to normal is the fact that Cheltenham preview nights are back in fashion.

Not just Zoom ones either, but live audiences who heckled and howled at you if you dared suggest Honeysuckle was vulnerable, or some obscure British-trained thing like Protektorat or Royale Pagaille might win the Gold Cup.

Oh, yes, the preview night circuit was back with a bang over the last fortnight and, with over 400 people packed into the Arkle bar at Navan racecourse on Wednesday night until near midnight, or much later in some cases, it is safe to say the share price of preview nights has soared rather than stalled because of the pandemic.