The Cheltenham Festival is going through a down period, but here's one to be taken seriously for next year's Gold Cup

There can be little doubt that the Cheltenham Festival is going through a down period. It doesn't seem to be as fun as it used to be and any hope that the smaller stables had of competing with the big guns seems to have all but expired. 

Things can turn around quickly – after all, Manchester City were in League One and Reading were in the Premier League not that long ago – but two of the key components in life are fun and hope and there wasn't much of either floating about last week.

Of course, some amazing performances on the track ensured it wasn't all doom and gloom. Pride of place went to Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup and, provided he gets to next year's race in one piece, he's going to be hard to stop in his hat-trick bid.