It is the sporting event that, more than any other, is most anticipated by Ireland’s clergy. I mean of course the Cheltenham horse racing festival, which runs for four days from Tuesday (13 -16 March). Boatloads and planeloads of Irish punters will descend on the Georgian spa town that sprawls across the Cotswolds for the greatest jump racing meeting in the world. They come to worship the horse and do battle with the British.