The tales at Cheltenham have been shared round throughout an excellent week, writes ED CHAMBERLIN – and now it is time for the unbelievable finale

Cheltenham is the place you go to make wishes and this week, in no uncertain terms, mine have come true.

I wrote on Tuesday how I was desperate for the stories to be shared around, for it not to feel like one trainer or one owner was being so dominant. Yes, Willie Mullins has had six winners but it really doesn’t feel like it has been a benefit for his yard – and that is magic.

On Tuesday, we had Jeremy Scott, Ian Gosden and their incredible Champion Hurdle win with Golden Ace; that was sandwiched by victories for the yards of Lucinda Russell and Rebecca Curtis, women flying the flag for Scotland and Wales respectively.

How could it get better? Well, Wednesday was the Golden Hour in memory of Michael O’Sullivan, Marine Nationale and Jazzy Matty stirring the souls and not leaving a dry eye in the place when it seemed that celestial forces were at work.

In my position you need different stories and different people to discuss. We’d been blessed in the opening 14 contests. I didn’t think for one moment today would get into the same orbit, as Thursday is usually the quietest day, but it was even more remarkable.

When Rachael Blackmore wins, there is always going to be a feel-good factor. She spoke with such poignancy about losing her cousin, Robert, last weekend and not being able to attend the funeral due to her commitments.

It’s been another brilliant Cheltenham Festival across the past three days with plenty of drama

Willie Mullins has had six winners but it does feel like the stories have been shared around

When Rachael Blackmore wins at the Festival, there is always going to be a feel-good factor

On and on it kept coming: Caldwell Potter, the horse who has sparked so much debate, ran away with the Jack Turner Novices Chase in the silks of the late John Hales. His co-owners, including Sir Alex Ferguson, danced a jig on the lawn and there’s no doubt John would have loved every second.

Harry Cobden, the jockey who dictated the pace, was given the ultimate compliment by Sir Anthony McCoy. 

‘That was Ruby Walsh-esque,’ he said. Praise doesn’t come any higher.

I had a feeling Caldwell Potter would run well. When he got beaten at Windsor on January 17, I had a conversation with Paul Nicholls, his trainer, and he was adamant that the two-and-a-half mile handicap would be right up his street. What a mind Nicholls has got. He was spot on.

Surely there couldn’t be more? Yes there was. Doddiethegreat, named after the late, great Scottish rugby giant Doddie Weir gave three-time Champion Jockey Brian Hughes his first Cheltenham win in six years and boosted the fight against MND by £61,897 by taking the Pertemps Handicap.

All that before Fact To File put up the outstanding performance of the meeting – he was like machine in the Ryanair – and Bob Olinger leaving owner Brian Acheson in tears after he won the Paddy Power Stayers Hurdle with the performance his talent has always threatened.

Rachael has now completed the Cheltenham Grand Slam – Champion Hurdle, Champion Chase, Stayers Hurdle and Gold Cup – to go with the Randox Grand National. 

Don’t ever take for granted what she has achieved for a second. Anthony, for one, doesn’t have that CV.

Now here we are, with everything building up to the final day and Galopin Des Champs. 

Caldwell Potter’s win in the Novices Chase left his co-owners, like Sir Alex Ferguson, delighted

Galopin Des Champs is aiming for his third Gold Cup on what will be an action-packed Friday

The place will go wild if he wins his third Gold Cup and it would be an enormous result for the sport if he could put a display that carries him onto the back pages. Everyone wants him to win.

Don’t have a bet, just watch and enjoy an all-time great. If you are having an investment, in what has been a difficult week, I wouldn’t dissuade you from Lulumba, who I had backed at 25/1 early in the New Year but foolishly got the jitters before his hurdles debut and cashed my bet out.

He’s 2/1 now and his owners, Joe and Marie Donnelly, think he is a bit special. East India Dock would be good enough to win most JCB Triumph Hurdles but he’s got a massive task ahead dealing with Lulumba, who might be cut from a similar cloth to his extravagant stablemate Sir Gino.

If it is true that the best is being saved for last, we are in for an incredible – and emotional – finale. Savour every second.

Ed Chamberlin is a SkyBet UK ambassador