Scotia after Cheltenham

Long Run -Cheltenham Gold Cup winner.



Good morning to the Clan and what a weeks racing from Cheltenham, top class and superb action.

Normally one would feel flat after watching the jumps with nothing to look forward to but we have the 26th (only next Saturday) with not only a great days racing from the big T but the World Cup meeting from Dubai.

The kids or ex-achievers (sounds better than non-achievers) are coming by bus and on all accounts going to have a party/ball with the DJ? I think he is called Fresh?

Well done to Sportingbet for getting the betting out early for the big day and Hollywood, Sportsbet etc for following suit, it keeps the interest high for the big days, plus our WSB competition enters the second leg.

With Igugu running the punters will be having a Pick 5 and in my case with Kavanagh a pick 4.


Igugu

The World Cup meeting should also be magic and hope that MDK again does us proud, JJ the Jet Plane will have plenty support and all the best to the connections with Gitano Hernando, but at this stage feel that Twice Over looks the part.

On the forum

Royal Zulu Warrior.....................a big topic of conversation.

As far as the latest betting horses and sport (including some strange results)

Horses:


Gitano goes for WC glory for Barry

World Cup: Twice Over has shortened to 3/1, Bold Silvano 5/1, Gitano 16/1 is on offer.

The early betting for the Big T is on the above links, but Kavanagh 7/2 and Igugu at any price should be good.

Grand National 9th April has The Midnight Club 12/1 fav and my early fancies are Big Fella Txs, Ballybriggs and Oscar Time.

Frankel has gone to evens for the 2,000 gns and why not? Uncle Mo 5/2 for Kentucky Derby.

Cricket:

I have now become a born again cricket fan and SA are doing great, now joint favs with India at 7/2, 11/2 for Australia and Sri Lanka and Pakistan 7/1, the English 10/1 and 25/1 West Indies and NZ.

Football/Soccer

Champions League with Man U and Chelsea clash, as expected Barcelona 12/10, Real 5/1, Man U and Chelsea around 8/1 with Inter and a bit 33/1 for the Spurs fans.

United 6/10 could have moved a step closer to the EPL with another bad show from the Gunners 3/1 and Chelsea 8/1, Man Utd also 12/10 for the FA Cup.

Rugby:

The Crusaders get better by the week and should prove hard to beat 18/10.

If you are watching the American Pop Idols: Scotty 33/10, Pia has the entire package at 4/1, Lauren and Casey 5/1, guess Casey will be a star win/lose or draw.

As far as this week "funnies"

A few more popular one liners:

A mate of mine recently admitted to being addicted to brake fluid.
When I quizzed him on it he reckoned he could stop any time.....

I had a mate who was suicidal. He was really depressed, so I pushed him in front of a train.
He was chuffed to bits.

I went to the cemetery yesterday to lay some flowers on a grave. As I was standing there I noticed 4 grave diggers walking about with a coffin... 3 Hours later and they're still walking about with it...
I thought to myself, these b*g**rs have lost the plot!!

I was at a cash point yesterday when a little old lady asked if I could check her balance.
Not being one to disappoint I pushed the old dear over.

A new Middle East crisis erupted last night as Dubai Television was refused permission to broadcast 'The Flintstones'.
A spokesman for the channel said.... 'A claim was made that people in Dubai would not understand the humour, but we know for a fact that people in Abu Dhabi Do.'



My son's been asking me for a pet spider for his birthday, so I went to our local pet shop and they were £70!!!
Bugger this, I thought, I can get one cheaper off the web.

Statistically, 6 out of 7 dwarves are not happy.

My wife was hinting about what she wanted for our upcoming anniversary.
She said, ‘I want something shiny that goes from 0 to 150 in about 3 seconds.’
I bought her a set of bathroom scales.

I start a new job in Seoul next week. I thought it was a good Korea move.

I got some new aftershave today that smells like breadcrumbs. The birds love it!

Good punting and may your God be with you

Scotia

Don`t think i have ever looked forward to seeing a horse run as a 3yo than i have Frankel

what about Mill Reef, Brigadier Gerard and Nijinsky Bob

Im 40 dave><

Forgot about that 20 years, time flies .....................lol

No plans to retire Kauto or Denman - Nicholls

TALK of retiring either Denman or Kauto Star, who ran such memorable races in defeat in Friday's Totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup, was on Sunday rubbished by trainer Paul Nicholls.

Denman's owner Paul Barber had on Saturday said that the chaser would stay in training as a 12-year-old, with the possibility of running in the Totesport Bowl at Aintree next month.

However Clive Smith, owner of Kauto Star had been more unsure about the plans for the two-time Gold Cup winner who would also be 12 next year.

The Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown and a trip to Punchestown are both possible destinations for Kauto Star for the remainder of this campaign.


Nicholls tweeted on Sunday morning: "Just to end all the speculation and rumour once and for all, Kauto and Denman are not going to be retired!"

Denman is a best-priced 20-1 for next year's Gold Cup, while stablemate Kauto Star is 25-1.

Reflections on Cheltenham

It was a racing feast that I would recommend to anyone

We stayed in a B & B ( GBP 55 per person .. single rooms ) so got the day started with healthy ( ! ) breakfast followed
by very good Channel 4 breakfast summary of the day ahead. this was followed by 40 minute walk into town to get
betting and place a few bets with Ladbrokes / William Hill ... the only betting on course is via the Tote or Totesport or
an on course bookie .. and due to the action only win/ e/w bets taken

then join the swarm up the hill to the course 55 000 people a day and not 50 000 fashionista and 5000 punters a la Met day

The most fabulous course .. aided by sunshine .. and fabulous racing

First day getting into the swing of it was tough .. but a double I had runnning in to Spirit Son for a place helped us through

But plan of running a few pubs in the evening and getting some tips lead to a day 2 placepot courtesy of Jessies Dream and Big Zeb
tips from Irish lass .. so we swung into the black ..placepot pays four places on HANDICAPS only .. remember this as it cost us a massive pay out
with favourite runnning into fourth last leg

And day 3 was the bonanza courtesy of a couple in a thai restaurant ....as they were leaving my frined asks if they can help us with
a winner day 3 ... yes he says .. race 6 Junior ... is this a tip ? my friend asks ... No he says .. it is a fact

So all bets centred around Junior ..... who won by 20 lenghts much to the dleight of the crowd as he was backed in from 12/1 to 3/1 fav.

After that we improved our style of eating but got no more tips so day 4 was a blank

But one can hardly call the story behind Sam Waley-cohen a blank .. and what a race ...

However for me the race to remember was Tony McCoy taking Get me out of Here ( McManus gamble from 16/1 to 7/1 ) 2 lengths

clear only to be nailed on the line by Ruby Walsh

Ruby had a great 4 days .. his name is echoed around the course rather like Didier Drogba ... his ride sans whip on Big Bucks was dreamlike

4 days of this is not for the faint hearted ... but if the chance comes around again ... or none of u out there have thought of doing it then think again


Thanks Dave for the help .......... and tips ......... Big Bucks and Junior was the double !!!

Thanks for the post Badger and welcome back (tu)