Ruby Walsh: A new programme, but has anyone noticed?

History shows us a lot we want to forget, and many see what they would like to change, but it also shows us what was done right. But you just have to look for the positives.

Fairyhouse has had a winter festival for yonks now, but its lunchtime blockbuster card on Sunday is the one that fills the venue. It creates noise, atmosphere and a sense of “I am glad I was there”. Its Saturday is hardly recognisable beside it, but it fits in beside Newbury's Coral Gold Cup card. Yet, here we go, placing two winter Sundays into Saturday slots to clash with Cheltenham and Haydock.

However, I do think the re-jig is correct, but meetings needed to be amalgamated and condensed, not just moved about. To tee this up properly for the better of National Hunt racing fans and the sport, Down Royal should be in the slot it found itself in this year, a week later than usual but sticking to its Friday-Saturday slot.

Naas can follow on Sunday, taking the For Auction Novice Hurdle and Lismullen Hurdle from today at Navan. It would give those two Naas winners 21 days to turn out at Fairyhouse, in the Royal Bond and Hattons Grace.

Navan’s big day should be tomorrow, with the Fortria and Troytown giving three weeks to the Hilly Way for the two milers and six weeks to Christmas for the stayers. It could also have its 2m4f novice hurdle, giving four weeks' grace to its runners to reappear before Christmas, at Navan.

Next Sunday should contain the Morgiana Hurdle and John Durkan at Punchestown, one shindig in which both its novice chases should be downgraded to winners-of-one contest so as not to give the multiple winners the option of skipping the Drinmore.

Fairyhouse's stand-out card should follow it, and then onto Cork for its Hilly Way card, which could have a decent mares’ open chase added to it. Crucially, that allows all the best horses time to recover and reappear at Christmas, if all goes well.

Navan has a second Sunday, as mentioned above, and Thurles should be racing on December 23, regardless of the day of the week. That should be a venue and date arrangement.

Navan has the best racing on offer this weekend, but it won't attract the eyes it should because of its placing. Somehow, I feel that if I look at the history of what I have written before, something along these lines might crop up – a broken record and all that.

We have ample maiden hurdlers and beginners’ chase candidates that could support lower-grade handicappers to fill Saturday spots and bask in the overflowing eyes of busy, quality English Saturdays. Complementing might be more beneficial to sport rather than challenging each other's product.

England is Saturday, Ireland is Sunday. Believe me, it worked spectacularly not long ago. And, for that matter, tomorrow's Cheltenham card should be axed too, and the Shloer and Greatwood run today to make it a proper card.

How and ever, we move along where I find myself in the shadows of the Cotswolds for the weekend at the Paddy Power Open Meeting. The sight of water lying in the fields around Birmingham airport used to excite me in the past: soft ground, extra goggles, waterproof britches, tactics, and fun. Now I wonder if I have enough dry clothes and if I can possibly limit my time in the elements.

Either way, the feature has what it has lacked in recent years: some of last season's top novices looking to exploit handicap marks before dipping their toes into deeper water.

Stage Star and The Real Whacker were the two UK-based winners of novice chases at last season's Festival. Stage Star won the Turners and sticks to that trip, but The Real Whacker is dropping a few furlongs and will need to be every bit of what his Irish-born trainer, Patrick Neville, believes him to be if he is going to defy top weight here.

I hope he can do it because he would add real intrigue to the King George, and if he can manage to hold a good position in the early exchanges here, it could take a lot to get by him.

Good Risk At All could be worth the risk in the novice chase at 1.45pm, and Buddy One can continue his rise up the ranks for the Gilligans by winning the 3 o’clock. Londonofficecalling has claimed a few big scalps on the Flat this summer and looks well handicapped in the 3.35pm.

Navan has some big names on show this afternoon and is the best card on the weekend. You have Stellar Story and Dancing City in the first, Dee Capo looks the answer to the For Auction, and Zanahiyr holds the key for the Lismullen. Dysart Dynamo seems to be best fresh, so today could be the day to catch him in the Fortria, and then you have a horse race: Facile Vega versus Inthepocket and Saint Felicien. I am in the Facile camp.

Tomorrow, Jonbon and Edwardstone face off in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham, and Jonbon needs to be winning if he is going to bridge the gap with El Fabiolo.

In the Greatwood Hurdle, Willie Mullins runs Onlyamatteroftime, who showed a wayward tendency at Cork last time and needs to be on his best behaviour here. There is no doubting his ability, but his attitude needs to match it.

Back at Navan, Gordon Elliott dominates the Troytown, and it would be a weak contest without him, but plenty of people will be waiting to watch the beginners’ chase, too, with Fact To File and American Mike amongst the runners.