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Captain's Blog - 12th March 2011

I have been thinking about Cheltenham and wondering whether backing a winner there is in fact any different than backing one at the same price on any other day elsewhere. The reason I have been thinking about this is I have heard people talking about making sure they have a decent betting bank for Cheltenham. In essence as far as I am concerned a 5/1 winner at Southwell is the same as a 5/1 winner at the Festival but it does not carry the same kudos. People like to have a Cheltenham winner to brag about after all it sounds better to say that you backed the winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup rather than to say that the Lingfield specialist Chjimes had just won another seller there. Personally backing Chjimes to win at Lingfield is good enough for me but some people want a Cheltenham winner to prove they were right all along, to vindicate their judgement and prove others wrong. It seems as if they sometimes prefer to simply be right rather than to see their profit and loss account tick along in the right direction. Yes I will be betting at Cheltenham, but in the realisation that it is one of the hardest four days racing in the calendar for punters and as such it is strange that people want to get heavily involved. A winner at Huntingdon on Wednesday next week will be just a sweet as one at Cheltenham as this game is about finding winners and in truth it does not matter how they come or indeed where.

I have a day off today and it is a beautiful Spring day which means we will be taking the little one to the park and may even have a cheeky lunchtime beer or two. The onset of Spring means an uplift in the soul and also the start of gardening once again. I am contemplating mowing the lawn tomorrow and getting the borders in order as well. This morning I actually had a cup of tea sat outside with daffodils blowing gently in the breeze next to me, all a bit Wordsworth I know except I was for from being lonely as a cloud as a local cat was stalking close by in a vain attempt to use one of my borders as a toilet, he soon got a flea in his ear shall we say and will need to be a lot braver than I think he is if he is going to return in a hurry. The delights of Spring are many and varied folks and I for one am loving today.

There is some good Racing on your favourite Racing Channel today and the Imperial Cup at Sandown is the feature event. It is as competitive a sever and I wish you well in trying to locate the winner although doing so will give you good practice for just about every race at the Festival, good luck with that project and any others you are embarking on this weekend.

All the best.

Today’s Selection

2:10 Wolverhampton - Bohemian Melody ( each way 13/2 Skybet)