Racetrack Wiseguy

It might seem like jump racing gets properly underway for the winter at Chepstow when Paul Nicholls takes away more than his fair share of the prizes but Cheltenham is a different class again.

It was a superb day there today enhanced as it always needs to be by landing the confident double that I'd been waiting for since Monday. It has been 'quiet' for me for a week or two but I'm back in the groove now, always remembering that confidence can do you a lot of damage in horse racing. While it's possible to have a good day at the cricket when your side loses, it's not like that when there's cash involved and enjoyment is almost all dependent on the day's balance sheet, notwithstanding the disbelief of the reverse once experienced at God's own racetrack that at least gave me the poem, The Winter Game.

But we will re-invest tomorrow in Allmankind (2.05) as the Skelton stable move from mopping up minor summer jumping prizes by the cartload towards the big league. Allmankind demolished juvenile fields last winter before finding doing the same thing in the Triumph Hurdle not quite so straightforward but, if coming to this fit and ready - and why wouldn't he be- 7/4 looks worth having.

I should also report a 200/1 shot I'm doing for not much, the account suddenly looking so much healthier. About 10 days ago, I drempt Fulham 5 Crystal Palace 0, looked up when that match was and it's tomorrow. Any Premier League team failing to score against Fulham seems unlikely but I wouldn't want to dream it and it happen without landing the odds.