"I made money nearly every day last year," John Francome begins before delivering the punchline with precision timing.

Here’s a horse to follow for the rest of the season, Aidan O’Brien’s American import, Verrazano.

The bumper at Navan on December 15, won by Willie Mullins’ Royal Caviar, was rather interesting.

There have been plenty of National Hunt jockeys with far more talent than Tony McCoy, but none with the almost savage will to win, durability and the sheer bloody- mindedness of the man most refer to as AP.

THIS week, Ted Walsh continues his long-standing love affair with the Cheltenham festival.

IF I live to be a hundred, I don’t think I will ever quite get my head around the phenomenon known as Cheltenham.

John Francome is considered by many who saw him at his best to have been the finest jump jockey of all time, and he enjoyed his greatest success in the saddle on Midnight Court in the 1978 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

RICHARD JOHNSON surpassed the total of John Francome to become the fourth winning-most jumps jockey of all time in Britain when scoring a double at Huntingdon yesterday.

Richard Johnson surpassed the total of John Francome to become the fourth winning-most jumps jockey of all time in Britain when scoring a double at Huntingdon today.

BOOKMAKER Victor Chandler yesterday expressed his disappointment that the Panorama team did not take up his offer to answer any questions concerning letters sent to two trainers regarding no-lose accounts.