Too cold to play golf and have put a couple of useful hours this morning into some music and cabaret pictures.

So back to my earlier love - horse racing, specifically National Hunt – 'over the sticks' – Cheltenham.

The first race at Cheltenham always brings back some happy memories. This year it was Willie Mullins with Champagne Fever beating Nicky Henderson with My Tent Or Yours. Both Willie and Nicky were serious punters for my racing cartoons.

Watching with Jackie Mullins a horse went through the wings and gave me the idea for 'Been Hunted in Ireland' which turned into a best seller.

Richard Pitman gave me the inspiration for the racing cartoon 'Ask and Thou Shalt Receive'; Jenny Pitman the idea for 'The Handicappers Welcome' based on Corbiere. All of which went a long way to keep my ears apart in the 80's.

Ruby Walsh's comment on Champagne Fever 'he only woke up two weeks ago' clicked in my brain that there is a picture in that somewhere …