A great beginning - four winners and an agonizingly close second. The jewel in the crown was Honeysuckle’s (above) scintillating win in the Champion Hurdle. Three of the four legs in my Yankee won and only the defeat of Concertista by inches in the Mare’s Hurdle thwarted an even more lucrative day. I had a saver on the winner Black Tears at 13-1. He was trained by Gordon Elliott’s stand in Denise Foster - the name seems somewhat apt. My major disappointment was Busselton who made a bad mistake four out and never figured.
But I mustn’t get cocky - the wheel keeps turning. Today’s a similar kind of betting day with a number of short priced favourites dominating things. Monkfish and Chacon Pour Soi will be odds on and don’t interest me even though I think they’ll both win. I’ll be looking for each way value in their races in the form of Eklat de Rire (10-1) and Put the Kettle on (17-2) - both trained by Henry de Bromhead. The same trainer should win the first race with Bob Ollinger (13-8) - I have nibbled at him ante-post. For betting purposes the Coral Cup is paying 7 places so I’ll be having a go there. Nicky Henderson wins this race regularly and he has four runners - two of whom I fancy: Monte Christo (10-1) and Craignechie (7-1). The latter is a bit short so I may stick to the former - depending on prices nearer the off. The last race, the Champion Bumper, is nearly always won by Willie Mullins and he has three of the first four in the betting. I fancy Kilcruit (7-4) to thwart my old school mate Joe Donnelly’s Ramillies (12-1).
