Punters were hitting turbulence 24 hours earlier than normal as they flew out of a windy Dublin airport last night en route to Cheltenham. But the real buffeting starts today.
If the challenge of matching last year's record nine Irish winners is as stiff as some experts think, it could be a torrid week for patriotic horse-backers.
Hardy Eustace will be wearing a visor rather than his usual blinkers this afternoon when he attempts to win a third successive Champion Hurdle for trainer Dessie Hughes. The many fans of the horse see no reason to change their tactics, however.
They were wearing blinkers, same as usual, last night and they still can't see the pride of Carlow being beaten. "He's the new Istabraq," said David Doyle from Tullow, the entire population of which was travelling to England for the race. Most backed the champion months ago, including Doyle, who says his investment is "substantial". But for all the confidence in the camp, there was nervousness that a late injection of money from The Irish Times might hex the horse.
"If you didn't attend the wedding, don't come to the funeral," said Noel Reynolds, an associate member of the fan club, from Leitrim.
Speaking of funerals, the Irish like nothing better than a wake.
If the Noel Meade-trained Sweet Wake justifies hot favouritism in today's opener, the Cheltenham widowhood of many Irish women may last longer than a week. Sadists would also like to see a good showing in the race from a horse called O'Muircheataigh, if only for the entertainment potential of hearing the Cheltenham race caller wrestle with his name.
Another big Irish fancy today is Accordion Etoile. The jockey who should have been riding him, John Cullen, was also flying out last night. Unfortunately he still had his left arm in a sling, the relic of a dislocated shoulder suffered in a fall at Thurles two weeks ago.
Michael Lowry knows the feeling - kind of - although whatever about missing his career as a government minister, he never misses the festival.
Tellingly, he spoke at the airport of Beef or Salmon having the "sympathy vote" in Friday's Gold Cup but his money will be on England's Monkerhostin.
With Best Mate dead and Kicking King injured, most of the horses left in the big race would be regarded as relatively low- budget carriers. Which may be why many people fancy Michael O'Leary's War of Attrition. Lowry he reckons the horse will be aptly named if he wins, "because a war of attrition is what he's in for". The former minister's tip of the meeting is Impek, who runs tomorrow.
One Tullow man who does not want to see Hardy Eustace triumph today is local bookmaker John "the Jackdaw" Wall. The fan club's policy of shopping locally has cost him dearly, especially two years ago when Hardy won at long odds.
Even so, the fearless bookie has "laid" him again (it's a betting term, nothing to do with eggs), and Tullow has piled in. One of these Cheltenhams, the bookie will get his own back.