Racetrack Wiseguy at Christmas

It's not been an easy year. One doesn't expect it to be easy as things worth having usually have to be worked for but that's betting without William Hill effectively confiscating the balance of my winning account and refusing to discuss the matter, the Autumn campaign setting off on the wrong foot a few weeks too early and the general realisation that it can be harder than one thought. It turns out to be true that the bookies and the whole industry would prefer me to be their cash cow and not them mine.

Well, that's not going to happen. I play my game and if it doesn't fit with theirs we need not play at all. Several months ago 'No More Mr. Wiseguy' was announced here and I've stuck with that but it ain't over til it's over, there's a profit going into the book for 2024, a bit carried over to begin 2025 with and they don't get shot of me that easily.

Kempton on Boxing Day, though. Like Dennis Brown, I'll have money in my pocket but I can't get no love for betting on the big races. And, as with Johnny Nash, there are more questions than answers.

Constitution Hill is at best a 2/5 shot on ratings but not even favourite with most bookies showing prices for the Christmas Hurdle. If anybody can bring him back to the wonder horse he was, it's Mr. Henderson but how do we know until push comes to shove. Lossiemouth is also immaculate, in receipt of 7lb, except possibly not the horse of a lifetime that the Henderson horse had promised to be. Don't let anybody tell you they know the answer to this one. Nobody can. I'd be on Lossiemouth if I had to have a bet but I'd prefer to see Constitution Hill see her off, giving away the weight, still not out of second gear. Only a fruitcake could lay into that race without the sort of faith that carries religious types through the day.

The King George is hardly any better. Much as I love Grey Dawning, that was a crucifyingly hard race he had at Haydock and I was there at Ascot when Altior and Cyrname all but finished each other's careers for them in heavy ground. Il Est Francais was readily pencilled in for this with his win in the Novice race this time last year but then was pulled up lamely, whether actually lame or not, in France last time and so, again, it's anybody's guess. And anybody concerned to make money rather than lark about with it is best advised not to guess because it's a hard enough game when one takes it carefully and seriously.

No, I'll be in front of the telly to see what happens but relaxed about my plus or minus situation. Hyland's been impressive, exceeded expectations perhaps, and so could be a bet in the Novice Chase and there must surely be chances to be taken round the gaff tracks on what remains a proper bank holiday of racing. But, as Ding Liren found out in the chess, it's better to be happy with what you got and stick rather than do something pre-emptive that turns out to be ill-advised.

2024 was another profit year even if it doesn't feel like it. Let's say it paid for a new suit, the printing of the book of poems and the expenses of going to Cheltenham in April.

That'll do.