LORD OF THE RING

I DIDN’T have two desserts on Wednesday night. despite my early bath, I was shattered when I got home.

I’m not quite as mentally resilient after bad losing days as I used to be and losing £800,000, as I did on Wednesday, is a very bad losing day!

I got here yesterday full of optimism but I don’t mind admitting that had the 4-6 favourite Mighty Potter won the opening turners Novices’ Chase, I would have been very much on the back foot. We got him beaten — he finished third — so I could blow my metaphorical trumpet at last. One for the bookies!

I was screaming the even-money favourite Shishkin for the Ryanair Chase. We took an even £9,000, £2,000, £800 and £2,500 plus plenty of monkeys, but they were not exactly knocking me over.

So I tried the ‘Easy peasy, just back the favourites at Cheltenham’ call, which usually gets the punters in and seemed to work again. At the off, the jolly was losing about £26,000 over both our pitches. I must admit to being a bag of nerves, despite not knowing how bad things were in the office. I was very glad to see Envoi Allen win. It was another good result where we got some more back. there had been shrewd money for Blazing Khal (9-2) before racing for the feature Stayers’ Hurdle. We laid bets of £50,000 to £12,500 each-way on the rail. then another £10,000 a couple of times on the same horse at 7-2.

What can I say, the 33-1 winner Sire du Berlais was a virtual skinner for both of our pitches. We were back in front on the week on course, which was a great feeling. I left the track with a smile on my face and looking forward to Boodles Gold Cup day, which in recent years has been very good to us.