Henderson reflects on his 'brutal' Cheltenham Festival - but at least this time no one has accused him of stopping his horses

If a single moment summed up this festival so far, here it was.

The outrageously talented Ballyburn walked into Cheltenham's paddock, where three of his stable companions were already being refreshed with water after finishing second, third and fourth in the card's Grade 1 opener. Astonishingly, yet at the same time unsurprisingly, Willie Mullins had just trained the first five home, the last of whom was slumming it in the enclosure reserved for beaten horses. Also there was someone who had become horribly familiar with the spot no trainer wants to be during the festival.

Nicky Henderson was chatting with the owners of Jingko Blue, pulled up by Nico de Boinville before the final flight. It was there on Tuesday that the white flag had also been raised aboard Jeriko Du Reponet, Iberico Lord and Marie's Rock, while Excello and Theatre Glory were brought to a halt even earlier on an afternoon when Henderson's only cheer was found in Luccia's Champion Hurdle third.