Irritant back too soon

MATT CHAPMAN, ITV Racing’s arch irritant, was missing from the Opening Show preview programme yesterday because he lost his voice.

Unfortunately for TV watchers, it had returned in time for the afternoon programme.

Publicity-hungry Chapman had been upset at not appearing in this column earlier in the Festival, telling me: ‘The irritant needs a return.’

THE secret can be revealed behind golfer Lee Westwood’s remarkable number of winning bets at Cheltenham, including a £20,000 jackpot on the first day. Westwood listens to friend and owner Graham Wylie, who doesn’t gamble to any extent. A POWERFUL consortium, including racehorse owner Alex Frost and former BHA director eamonn Wilmott, is seen as a major challenge to the new exclusive Tote set-up Britbet.

The group are set to take a 25 per cent stake in bookmaker Fred Done’s Tote business, which loses its monopoly pool betting licence in July.

Some high-level racing people who have talked to the super-wealthy Alizeti consortium believe Britbet won’t even get off the ground.

But Britbet, who have 55 courses signed up compared to Done’s Ascot and Chelmsford, are confident they have watertight contracts and there will be no defectors, especially as their rivals cannot operate pools betting on course from July.