Day 3 would have been a heavy losing day were it not for the divine intervention of Irish pundit Kevin Blake on ITV. My first two selections Fusil Raffles and Champagne Platinum were placed at 16-1 and 17-2 respectively - and my each way Yankee was looking good. However then Min ran a stinker in the Ryanair and Fury Road followed suit in the Stayer’s Hurdle. Joseph O’Brien’s poor run continued with Wave of the Sea petering out - so my morning fancies largely failed me. However, listening to Blake on TV after the first race I was persuaded to bet on Mrs. Milner in the second race and de Bromhead’s Telesomething Girl in the 4.15. Both won at 12-1 and 5-1 respectively. Modest enough bets but enough to get me back in the black for the day.
So after an unprecedented three winning days in a row I can face into final day with complacency knowing that I will finish ahead overall. I will be restrained. I will have an interest in both A Plus Tard and Minella Indo in the Gold Cup and will end the meeting with a bet on Langer Dan in the last race - he’s going for the £100K bonus after a very impressive win in the Imperial Cup.I’d love to see my old favourite Minella Indo win the Gold Cup but his jumping in his last race was very sketchy and he fell in the previous one. Sentiment rather than reason will make me back him. And he loves Cheltenham. I just hope that old plodder Al Boum Photo doesn’t win again - we can’t have such a horse emulating Arkle and Best Mate.
