Not So Much Festive Cheer

Simon Nott gets in the Christmas spirit at Cheltenham

The wind was fresh as it whistled past the bookmakers on the rails. The layers were wrapped up well against the elements and prepared for the onslaught of the shrewd each-way types in the opening British Stallion Studs EBF ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Hurdle.

The percentages may have been a boon for the boffins but the backers that don’t mess about were betting win only, and mostly on Lalor. Trained in South Molton, Devon, by Richard Woollacott, the gelding was backed from 3/1 into 2/1 briefly dipping into 15/8 in a few places. The first heat underway in brilliant sunshine, the bookies squinting to see what was where. Turning for home it became apparent that Lalor cruised ominously into the race, cue groans from bookies. Richard Johnson on Western Ryder had other ideas though and the combination forged up the hill away from the jolly to win at 5/2, the ring settled for that.

Despite being only four runners in the Horse Comes First Novices’ Chase the bookmakers I spoke to weren’t complaining about the business. ‘We’ve gone around the clock’ said one, basically there was money for all four. Best backed of the quartet was Sizing Tennessee, sent off 2/1 jolly. There were groans in the ring when the gelding won, but it might have been different had several firm’s chance Tintern Theatre not fallen out in the country when still going very well.

There were more combatants in the Catesby Handicap Hurdle, in which Champagne City was sent off the 9/2 favourite in a competitive race. His backers still had high hopes half way up the hill when doing battle with Remiluc but then supporters of both hopes were dashed when Smaoineamh Alainn under James

Best came slicing between the pair to bolt home the 7/1 winner, landing a bit of a punt in the process. It had been 11/1 in early exchanges, and that is cash between bookies and punters not the odd quid on the internet.