DOUBLE HANDFUL

THANK goodness all this Black Friday frenzy is over, There were riotous scenes at my local shopping centre yesterday and it was only when the cashiers were ordered to fix bayonets that people finally began to retreat.

The mission today is to win some money in order to spend again on Cyber Monday, which is pretty much the exact same as Black Friday except you can buy things wearing only your pants.

Today’s Betfair Chase at Haydock will be run on really testing ground, which is why Sizing John won’t be lining up. Trainer Jessica Harrington has made the sensible decision to keep him at home. It’s a long, gruelling season and there’ll be plenty of opportunities to race another day.

In Sizing John’s absence this looks like a two-horse race between BRISTOL DE

MAI and Cue Card. The pair locked horns last month in Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase, where the grey gelding prevailed with Cue Card falling five from the finish. Before that race I questioned how much Colin Tizzard’s exceptional 11-year-old had left in the tank and I’m still of the belief it’s nearly at the empty mark. It was the third time in his past 10 races that Cue Card had hit the deck and at nearly 12 years of age there’s no reason to think the ninetime Grade 1 winner is getting any better. There would be no more popular winner today than Cue Card were he able to match the achievement of Kauto Star and win this race for the fourth time. Only a fool would write off his chances but then I don’t think 15-8 is a fair reflection of his chances. Bristol De Mai has won twice round Haydock, is still only six and has never finished out of the frame on going described as soft or heavy in nine starts. He’s won five times on such ground and is in fine fettle at home. He’ll be carrying my money today, until I spend it all on Cyber Monday.