I know this gorgeous Willie Mullins grey is so good he could win two races at Cheltenham Festival

THERE are many myths about the Cheltenham Festival, but the most annoying is, by far, people’s obsession with ‘The Hill’.

It’s a test, sure, but the pundits and punters who wax lyrical about it are probably the type of people who believe in the Loch Ness monster, the earth being flat or that every year good old Saint Nick defies the laws of physics when visiting over a billion homes in one night!

Spoiler alert: There have been seven ‘official sightings’ of Nessie this year alone — I kid you not — I would love to know who decides which sightings are ‘official’.

It’s probably the same people who think Mexico are in possession of a pair of mummified aliens — for some reason they don’t look like E.T. do they?

Anyway, back to the business in hand.

Anybody talking about the Cheltenham Hill as if it were Mount Everest is talking out of an orifice.

For the doubters, here are the facts: Cheltenham is a unique track because it has two different courses — the Old and New.

They demand different qualities, but like most premier tracks, both are a serious test of speed and stamina.

I have picked the Champion Hurdle trip of two miles and a half furlong. This will allow us to work out a standard time to compare to other top courses.

Course and Time

Cheltenham - 3min 49s
Ascot - 3min 52s
Newbury - 3min 47s
Sandown - 3min 58s
Leopardstown - 3min 52s
Navan - 3min 55s
Punchestown - 3min 51s

As you can see, the times for each track is more than compatible with Cheltenham — especially in Ireland, where their tracks are arguably more demanding stamina-wise.

Obviously, there are other factors to consider at the Festival but please, please let the myth of ‘The Hill’ forever be laid to waste.

FESTIVAL PUNT