Fly-boy Ruby and Choc treat us to early cash cheer
It can only mean one thing: Cheltenham Festival fever is back.
For yours truly, that meant an excuse to snivel €20 from the sports editor’s deep but rarely ventured pockets and try my luck with some ill-advised gambles. I was also able to increase my stake to €30 too with a sure thing, buying my morning Examiner and availing of two €5 free bets at Hackett’s.
I have to admit my punts are about as reliable as Jonny Sexton at the minute but in a recession, anything is surely worth a try. And given it’s a recession, I surely couldn’t go wrong starting with a fiver on Recession Proof at 9/1 in the opener, could I?
Of course I could. He may look like he’s had a few rounds with Willie Big Bang Casey (sporting a sore-looking eye scar) but Ruby Walsh is truly the king of Cheltenham and I should have realised he’d be capable of a flying start, bringing Al Ferof home in blistering style. Not the start I wanted.
Undaunted, I rode in behind Ghizao at 4/1 in the Arkle, only to see Captain Chris was first home.
I had a bloodied nose but I smelled a winner was coming soon. My five snots went down on Robert ‘Choc’ Thornton’s ride Bensalem at 5/1 in the Stewart Family Spinal Research Handicap Chase. It was money well spent, as Bensalem held off Carole’s Legacy to give me my first winner. Nice one Choccy.
The big race of the day was, of course, the Champion Hurdle. It surely had to be the story of the Hurricane?
My €5 went down on Ruby Walsh’s Hurricane Fly, and he duly obliged, belting home to edge Peddlers Cross and — in the words of Colm Murray — “smashing the lollipop”. Now that’s a Ruby Murray to remember.
The Ides of March were providing some good fortunes for yours truly.
And I still had €10 to spend, so my next €5 went for treble-chasing Quevega in the David Nicholson Mares Hurdle, another Ruby mount. A strong favourite, Walsh was right on cue, again delivering.
With one race to go, I was about €45 in the black. In celebratory mood, I decided my last €5 bet should go on Tullamore Dew in the Novices Handicap Chase. Alas he only tippled in third.
Still, after a slippery start, my Cheltenham is moving along nicely. It’s not even St Patrick’s Day but I’m in clover already.
Bookies 0 Mugs 1.
