Bookies’ Star shines brightly
That really is good business if you can get it and would have to be regarded as the rob of the century!
The odds on the two horses came together following that well-publicised injury scare to Kauto Star on Saturday night.
Layers will lay 5-4 each of two all day, literally until they begin to bleed out both ears. And with good reason.
Assuming the same amount of money is bet on both horses, in this case that should be reasonably close to the truth, they have the potential to win a bundle with little risk.
Essentially, for every €800 they take in, the possible loss is a paltry €100. Now if by some miracle neither Kauto Star or Denman won the Gold Cup then they would cop the lot.
Admittedly, it is virtually impossible to see beyond the Nicholls pair, but this is a different race entirely to any other and you can never dismiss the notion of a real shock.
The likes of Nortons Coin, Cool Dawn, Mr Mulligan and See More Business were winners who weren’t exactly easy to identify.
Of course, as the Kauto Star scare receded, then the price of Denman began to lengthen again, although not by much.
But, for a while there, when the likes of Ladbrokes still wanted to play this game, it was simply a case of line up ye mugs and give us the loot!
Realistically, at the end of the day, as about a dozen Premiership managers might say, it will be the river for virtually every punter should both Kauto Star and Denman get turned over.
On Saturday evening well-known photographer, Pat Healy, kindly rang to say he’d heard Kauto was in trouble.
At that stage it didn’t look good. Healy offered the opinion that the clash would have made it to the front pages of the newspapers come Cheltenham and that the loss was bad for the game.
He couldn’t have been more right. Usually, when racing is given prominence, it’s for all the wrong reasons, just ask Kieren Fallon.
But now the battle is very much back on and we should all rejoice. It has been likened to Arkle and Mill House, but that’s stretching things.
To head down that particular road one of the contestants would have to be representing this delightful country of ours. At the same it is a pretty good second best.
Everyone has an opinion as to who is going to win, so we may as well toss in our tuppence worth.
We must assume the ground is going to be on the good side, because it has been like that for most of the Festivals over the post 20 years or so.
Denman is considered in many quarters to be a monster and there are plenty who believe him capable of galloping Kauto Star into the ground.
I’m not in that camp, while accepting such a scenario is perfectly possible. What is a fact is he he has never had Kauto Star on his tail.
I’m inclined to the view Kauto may well swamp him in the closing stages. A soft surface, of course, would change everything.
* FINDING winners at Cheltenham has always been the most difficult of tasks, but I forecast here and now that this year could well be the worst ever!
Just looks at what’s currently on offer. It’s 9-1 the field in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, 7-2 in the Arkle, 5-1 Ryanair Chase, 6-1 Ballymore Properties Hurdle, 8-1 SunAlliance Novices’ Chase and 5-1 the Bumper. And don’t even mention those infernal handicaps.
Value is a hugely important ingredient when punting, but it actually takes on a life of its own at the Festival.
So how about a bit of that 25-1 which was on offer regarding Catch Me for the Champion Hurdle, following a decent effort at Gowran Park on Saturday.
If you are lucky enough to be holding a 25-1 voucher about Sizing Europe for the Champion, then having another string to your bow is hardly a minus.
Catch Me isn’t good enough, I hear you scream. Probably not, but if going there in rude good health I’ll wager he beats a lot more than beats him!
