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Captain's Blog - 14th March 2011

Excitement is at fever pitch!

The Festival is about to begin and I am preparing for a marathon four days in the booth. This preparation involves boiling up a load of pasta for my lunches, washing the torpedo like flask and deciding whether coffee, green tea, or normal tea will be my tipple on day 1. I also need to pack my bag and make sure that I have laptop plus charger, mobile phone plus charger, my weekly form data book with the all important figures in and a spare hoodie or jumper in case the air con in the booth is a little fierce. I was contemplating a sleeping bag but I am not sure that staying overnight would go down too well at home. Mentally I am prepared and I head into the week with no expectations and no antepost vouchers. I know the Racing will be as competitive as ever and I hope to use the figures to make a few shrewd decisions punting wise during the week, but finding a winner at Cheltenham is much harder than finding a winner at lets say Kempton on a Wednesday night so I do not enter the fray expecting to emerge richer at the end of the week. I have a few thoughts about the week and will be pleased if Imperial Commander wins having advised here on the blog that you back him at 4/1 a week or so ago. I will back Dirar in the County Hurdle and will be against Mille Chief in the place market for the Champion Hurdle but that is it at the moment. There will be more but for now that is enough for me to contemplate after all I need to make sure I boil enough pasta and for the correct amount of time.

Last year Binocular was a surprise runner in the Champion Hurdle, this year he is a surprise absentee. All did not look well at Sandown when he last ran and clearly they have not been able to fix whatever ailed him, unlke last year when his trainer took a new approach to his training and found the key to him just before the Champion. This leaves Menorah as the new favourite at 3/1. He is a worthy jolly and is sure to run well. I like the chances of Oscar Whisky but will not be getting heavily involved because he is not now the price he would have been had Binocular taken part. I will have a few more thoughts on this tomorrow in the first of my two blogs. Yes, you get two for the price of one during the Festival at 10.00am and 12am if you can stand it.

will be on air every day during the Festival from 9.30am with a comprehensive look ahead to the action and then we will bring you every race live during all four days. I do hope you join us and enjoy the action that we will be bringing you and do feel free to get in touch with me here on the blog, I will be available to respond to all your thoughts throughout the four days and a bit of interaction will keep me sane during my day vigil in the booth.

Now how long do you boil pasta for?

Today’s Selection

4:10 Stratford - Remember Now (3/1 Stan James )