THE Cheltenham Festival concluded last Friday and once again we are left with so many memories of four top days, including Don Cossack, who landed the Timico Gold Cup.

Trainer Gordon Elliott is still trying to come to terms with the big race success, saying: "It's been an amazing few days and I am overwhelmed at all the good wishes I've received."

Despite Don Cossack going on to success at Aintree and Punchestown after running at last year's festival, Elliott reiterated that Aintree was not on the agenda for the horse after last Friday's heroics, when he beat last year's Gold Cup runner-up Djakadam by four-and-a-half lengths.

The trainer added: "We won't be going to Aintree again and fair play to the horse for doing what he did last year."

Jockey Bryan Cooper, who agonised over his decision to ride Don Cossack over last year's RSA Chase winner and eventual third Don Poli, explained why he opted for Don Cossack in the end.

"It's rare things work out as well as that," said Cooper. "On good ground, he is basically able to get into a jumping rhythm, and he's a different horse. Choosing between him and Don Poli was tough, but the ground made my mind up."

Don Cossack heads the market for a repeat win in the Timico Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017, priced between 5-2 and 6-1 to land back-to-back wins.

Back to domestic action, and the most impressive winner this week came in the bumper at Wetherby on Tuesday, when Happy Hollow made a winning debut for Alan Swinbank and Paul Moloney.

Swinbank, who excels with these types, will have options where to go next, but the winner looks to be a young horse with a very bright future.

A jockey who also has a bright future is Connor Beasley and it will be fantastic to see him back on track this weekend after a fall at Dunstall Park last July left the 21-year-old with life-threatening injuries.

He suffered a fractured skull and spine, as well as damage to his neck, when his mount Cumbrianna took what proved to be a fatal fall.

Beasley will be riding a couple for Julie Camacho at Wolverhampton, where Spirit Of Wedza and City Of Night are intended runners in the Dacia Wolverhampton Handicap, with the possibility of riding them both in two divisions.

After that, Beasley will be at one of his local tracks, Redcar, on bank holiday Monday, riding for Michael Dods.

"Connor was apprenticed here and we go back a long way," said Dods.

"It's important to me, the staff and the owners that we give him as much of a helping hand as we can to get him back going because he'd done so well for us.

"From what I've seen of him at home, he's riding every bit as well as he was before his accident. I've got complete faith that he'll succeed.

"I'm quite happy with what I've seen, but he knows this season will be difficult."

Beasley's biggest win to date came on the now-retired Spinatrix in the Coral Sprint Trophy at York.

Today, Lingfield stages the £1 Million Championship Final Day, competitive top-class racing at it's very best.

Middleham trainer Mark Johnston and jockey Joe Fanning team up with a few chances, while Thirsk handler Kevin Ryan has a big chance with Goken in the 2.10 race, a progressive horse which is due to be ridden by Graham Lee.