Mug's Game: Back in the Cheltenham hunt with forgotten bet
BACK IN THE GAME: Stellar Story finishing second to Lecky Watson in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase sparked some hope for your correspondent. Pic: David Davies for The Jockey Club/PA Wire.
Yesterdayās column, you may recall, was filed from Middle Ireland rather than Benidorm. Seems yourselves and meself were among the few poor eejits stuck in this part of the world. , knowing a good idea when they see one, despatched a crack operative to the Alicante municipality to give us the lowdown on Cotswolds-on-Benidorm.
Turns out that for many of the hotels and bars there Cheltenham week is nothing less than āthe most lucrative date in the calendarā. Thereās even a pub that doubles as a bookieās and less than an hour after opening on Tuesday morning the betting slips had run out. In another bar across the road a group had been in since 8.30am, six hours before the Supreme Novices Hurdle, to bag the best table.
Pints for ā¬2. Five-bottle beer buckets for ā¬6.50. Full English breakfasts ranging in size from large to extra extra large. What more could anyone ask for?
The sports editor is hereby notified that next yearās Cheltenham betting column will be filed from Benidorm rather than Middle Ireland.*
Readers will also recall that I was among the victims of State Manās mishap in the Champion Hurdle, meaning that I have no winnings to play with. The opening day of the meeting, last year excepted, has never been a good one for your correspondent but having zero instead of ā¬100 in the kitty come teatime on Tuesday was supremely irritating. So we beat on with F Scott Fitzgerald, slow horses against the current.
In dire need to get something on the board asap I go for a short cut, a ā¬10 double on Final Demand and Ballyburn in the opening two races. Letās face it, WP Mullins is going to have a couple of winners today. I also invest ā¬15 in an each-way Lucky 15 comprising Stellar Story, Beat The Bat, Busselton and Dancing On My Own.
The double dies quickly when Final Demand can only finish third to The New Lion. As Ballyburnās jumping lets him down in the novice chase it doesnāt matter. The runner-up in the latter event is Stellar Story at 22/1. A spark of hope is kindled that becomes a very small flame when Beat The Bat finishes fourth in the Coral Cup. I check my account. With two horses still to run I can cash out for ā¬50.47. Naturally I do nothing of the sort.
On the basis that itās not good to tease the reader weāll cut to the, ahem, chase. Busselton runs no sort of race and is pulled up; Dancing On My Own runs no sort of race and finishes plumb last. The Lucky 15 returns ā¬13 euro. Am I sorry I didnāt cash out after the second leg? Not in the least.
Jonbon in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at last? Two thoughts occur simultaneously. First, if he was going to win it heād probably have won it by now. Second, Captain Guinness, unconsidered in the betting, is the title holder and on this very page this very day last year I was chastising myself over not backing him, given that in 2023 heād beaten everyone but Energumene.
Iām wonāt allow myself get fooled again. Meet the new horse, same as the old horse. Three euro each way on the Captain it is.
Taking off too soon has been the downfall of a few fancied horses already this week, notably Constitution Hill and State Man. Clearly Jonbon wasnāt watching the Champion Hurdle because he does precisely the same halfway down the back. He isnāt quite kaput but his hopes are.
Marine Nationale, formerly the ride of Michael OāSullivan, wins. If you thought Kopek Des Bordesās victory yesterday was poignant, wellā¦ Sean Flanagan, the successful jockey, says just the right thing to Alice Plunkett on ITV. āIām only the man who steered him round today. Michael is the man who made him what he is.ā Perfect.
He and Alice gesture to the heavens. It is charming rather than jarring.
Somehow Jonbon recovers himself to finish second, pipping ā yes ā Captain Guinness. My three euro each way returns ā¬19.60. In the circumstances I am almost pathetically grateful.
But hold, whatās this? A peek into my account shows Iām farther ahead for the day than I imagined. What dark magic is this?
Aha - Iād completely forgotten that on foot of a tip last week I had a couple of euro each way on Shuttle Diplomacy in the bumper, 33/1 Non Runner No Bet. No, he didnāt win. He did come third, though.
Back in the game. Woo hoo!
*Obviously Iām joking. Baked beans and Brexiters for breakfast? Ewwww.
ā¢ Running total after Day Two: ā¬32.20
