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Subscribe to RSS Feed hotpots fail to satisfy
Well Chief gallops riderless on Wednesday.
By Dave Ord
Three hotpots, not my dinner order but what we had as we arrived at the track on Wednesday morning. 14-1 all three to win with Ladbrokes and the punters steamed in. Two out of three ain't bad for Meatloaf, one out of three spelt disaster for most by 3.30. It all started to go wrong even before Aran Concerto went to post for the opening Ballymore Properties Novices' Hurdle. The infamous racecourse rumour factory was in overdrive. Depending on who had your ear, Noel Meade's charge had either not travelled over well, kicked out and hurt a leg or banged his head and was dazed. The bookies sensed a weakness and went for it. Whatever the truth was Aran Concerto was beaten. He didn't settle, made a mistake two out and Tony McCoy felt he was "babyish", not man enough for the job. Denman was in the Royal & SunAlliance Chase and he was said to be the most vulnerable of the trio in the morning. He was tested by Aces Four up front but was head and shoulders the best horse in the race. The bookmakers were impressed and he is 5/1 with William Hill for next year's totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup. You would want that price for any horse to even get to the race. So at 1-1 everything hinged on Well Chief. The punters waded in, the bookmakers accommodated them and there were smug grins of satisfaction on the faces of the layers. It was a typical Cheltenham fall, in that he didn't make much of a mistake, but it was further proof that there is no such thing as a Festival banker. Punters took the setback on their chin and drank in the sunshine. Behind the parade ring, away from the madding crowd, groups huddled together and found solace in the bottom of an empty glass and the craic. There are two days still to go after all Much now depends on Kauto Star, our one remaining hotpot, and Black Jack Ketchum - who cooled somewhat with his Cleeve Hurdle defeat. Whatever their fate we know this is an uneven struggle. Just occasionally the sun shines, the Guinness flows and the favourites oblige. They are the days that never fade. Wednesday wasn't one. It was still intoxicating though, on and off the track.
