It was a day like no other I can remember in all my years following Cheltenham. A barren wasteland with the hopes and dreams of many-a-punter left sprawled across the deck. In all seven races only one favourite made the top three, Rachael Blackmore winning in style with A Plus Tard in the 4.50. In the Champion Hurdle only Apples Jade managed to finish out of the three horses we expected to fight for the spoils, and she was well beaten a long way before the gongs were handed out.
It was an upside first day at the Festival.
Only two out of my six selections managed to finish their races. The aforementioned Apples Jade trailing home in the big one and Springtown Lake claiming a very distant fifth in the Novices Chase. It was in short a disaster for me personally but I won’t be the only punter dealing with empty pockets tonight, I could hear the bookies laughing in Cheltenham all the way from London ninety miles away.
However, those bookies would do well to remember, that Cheltenham is a marathon not a sprint, and in that analogy we are less than seven miles in. Even the knobs wearing Disney costumes still have their jog on.
Each day of Cheltenham is a puzzle of the most devilish design, tough enough at the best of times but throw in torrential rain for four hours on the first morning and planning goes out of the window.
So how will today’s racing shake out? More horror for the favourite backers? Will the bookies be laughing again tonight? I am expecting a calmer day, a little more predictable, after all, horses coming to the Festival as favourites, are generally doing so for a reason.
Hopefully Champ underneath Barry Geraghty can get me off to a flyer in the first. The Queen Mother Champion Chase should be a cakewalk for Altior with Min looking the only opponent capable of any serious resistance. The other races look like altogether trickier puzzles to unpick so I’ve got behind a couple of good each way shouts and will just have to see what’s occurring.
A speculative each way double on these two.
Going for the favourite in the first, can Champ be a winner for me?
Only two horses in the running for the Queen Mother, guaranteed returns?
Starting Balance: £19.48
Opening Balance: £13.48
Yesterday’s Returns: £0
Today’s Stake: £6
Gold Cup Friday Pot: £1.48
Closing Balance: £6
