Monday 31st January

Off to friends so probably shouldn't put this up as a challenge. Still, here goes.

Warwick 1:40

William Bonney looks a legitimate favourite here. No disgrace in being beaten by Pauillac and was the only horse to give Krugyrova a race last time. Mann's horses are in great form which should help. Presenting Express jumped better last time but it was at Ludlow so that's not saying much. The allowance is handy, Hobbs' record at course less so. Overstrand was a touch of class over hurdles last season and has to be a worry, but has run as if something wrong this season. Le Burf is more interesting. He was unfit on his debut and ran really well considering he clouted half the fences.

£500 Challenge
William Bonney £12 win at 13/8 guaranteed
Le Burf £3 win at 10/1

No posting tomorrow. Happy New Year all – let's hope for a profitable one!

Sunday December 30th

My habitual opposition to Liverpool hasn't been as profitable this year as for the last 5 or so. They still look the wrong price against Man City today though. Remarkably Man City have hardly played any of the top sides at home which is a worry, but I'll trust my ratings which give them a much bigger chance of getting something out of the game than the odds available.

£500 Challenge
Man City £15 +0.5 Asian handicap at 1.9

Saturday 29th December

The novice chases look tricky today. I'll probably side with the Nicholls' horses at Newbury but the prices aren't overly attractive. Mughas looks opposable at Bangor but I can't find a decent bet against him. Watching brief for now.

In the 3:10 Newbury I have Mighty Moose and Alfadora both in at 9/2. This relies on forgiving them their poor last runs and believing Nougat De Lisle to be far too short. I'll play both and probably the forecast as well.

However, the best bet of the day appears to be in the big race at Leopardstown. Jazz Messenger is 7/4 in my book to prove he is simply a much improved horse this year. He beat most of these fair and square last time and the new opponents here, Al Eile and Hardy Eustace, aren't improving and better over further. The form of the stable over Christmas is a tad worrying but may help the price.

Football. Falkirk look big at 6/4 to beat a side below them in the table, but Scottish football is hardly my thing so I'll concentrate on the chances of Charlton. Taking them on the asians (-0.25) matches my win price for them, and they'll make up a double-headed challenge package.

£500 Challenge
Jazz Messenger £15 win at 9/4
Charlton beat Leicester £15 at 11/8 on Asians (-0.25)

Friday 28th December

I think I'll give the Denman race a miss today. At least until the actua going is clear. Instead we'll go for the 'sure thing' at Catterick, and despite yesterday's setback I'm in favour of sticking to these uncompetitive novice chases.

Cedrus Libani was good enough to run in the Supreme Novices last year and has taken to fences really well. We've already profited from him on one match. This time he's already beaten Sunday City in a good race at Carlisle. There's no reason to think Sunday City will reverse form even getting the weight, especially if the rain gets into the ground (pulled out of a race last week). Quinn's horses have been in miserable form not helping Caraman.

If we're lucky Cedrus will drift as alarmingly as Kruguyrova yesterday, but 2/5 is at least fair, on a day of little obvious action.

£500 Challenge
Cedrus Libani £15 win at 2/5+

Thursday 27th December

We had a decent Xmas with Kauto Star and Rochdale winning.

“It's a bit depressing when you're going to the 4th last and you hear the jockey outside you saying "whoah" McCoy yesterday – what a great quote!

I'll be cheering on Geeveem today at 25s and Homer Wells at a less edifying 12s – the less said about all the non runners the better...

For the challenge it was a toss up between Kruguyrova or Voy Per Ustedes who both look to have a solid favourite's chances and are priced up similarly this morning. Both look to have only one credible rival. I'm inclined to think Ashley Brook may be more of a threat than Mr Strachan. The clincher though is that the rest of Kruguyrova's opponents look hardly anything, whilst VPU has to take on some decent, if second division types.

I was very impressed with Kruguyrova the other day at Plumpton. She was backed then and is noticeably weak right now. I'll hope she's sneaked under the radar, and that my old theory of getting value on selections that punters can't pronounce, let alone spell, holds good.

£500 Challenge
Kruguyrova £15 win at 4/5

Monday 24th December

Here's a Christmas cracker. I keep looking at the price wondering what I'm missing. I'm also embarraseed to say how I priced it up, suffice to say it's closer to evens than 6/4.

We'll add it to our Boxing Day portfolio.

£500 Challenge
Rochdale to beat Wrexham £15 at 13/8 (anything over 6/4 OK)

Happy festivities to all.

Sunday 23rd December

I tried to find a bet in the football this afternoon, but no joy.

I may not have time to post Boxing Day so in case here's the King George tissue.

Kempton
Kauto Star 8/11
My Way De Solzen 7/1
Exotic dancer 10/1
Our Vic 12/1
Taranis 12/1
Racing Demon 16/1

For a change this year I have a decent antepost book. Our Vic 50s, Racing Demon 20s and Tranis 16s – all each way.

All of which is a bit inconsequential when Kauto Star wins again so I make no apology for using the challenge fund as a form of hedge. To my eye he hasn't been as good as last year but I doubt he'll need to be. Exotic Dancer has it all to do round Kempton and the stable hasn't been firing, and My Way De Solzen has to improve enormously – the rest are just ew pokes – and looking mighty short now as well.

£500 Challenge
Kauto Star £15 win at 4/5 NRNB

Saturday 22nd December

No time for tissues this morning – early starts and frost worries leave me a bit behind.

I'm building my day around three horses. There are doubts about all three, and I was going to go for Rotherham for the challenge bet at 4/6 to beat Wrexham, but let's stick to the horses.

£500 Challenge
Hardy Eustace £5 at 9/4
Sunday City £5 at 5/1
Troubadour £5 at 7/1
£1 treble

Friday 21st December

Not exactly what I'd call a value bet (a fair price I'd say). But he's the only horse I've added to my imaginary stable this year so far, and he owes us nothing. I'm backing him at least until he's beaten regardless.

£500 Challenge
£15 Hobbs Hill at 2/1 on.

Friday 20th December

Looks like I was the only person in Britain who thought Trust Fund was only a 6/4 chance!

House purchase stuff taking priority today – no bet.

Weds 19th December

Bristol would be good Toad (whereabouts?), always very happy there. Looks like I'll be digging in up here in Shropshire though! Where are you off to?

Also, if you see this, what's your take on the Listed race at Kempton. I have Capricorn Run as a legitimate favourite at 7/4. Any reason why that's not the case?

For today's challenge though:

Newbury 3:10
Trust Fund 6/4
Harrycone Lewis 4/1
King Harald 4/1
Si Grand 16/1

Surprised to see Trust Fund at odds on this morning. Usually I'd be ready to fire at the remaining runners. The thing that is most noticeable about the race though is the pace angle. There's three horses here all happiest when bossing the race. It's hard to know what the jockeys will do or which horses will down tools. The simplest solution is to lay Trust Fund, so that's what the challenge will do. I may play in-running and think I'll definitely keep Si Grand on-side.

£500 Challenge
Lay Trust Fund £15 at Evens or shorter

Tuesday 18th December

I realise I must be the only person in Britain buying a house right now – the stupidity of which is actually overwhelming me – but being a homeless flood victim does concentrate mind over money somewhat.

Anyway, I have to be admin clerk for the day to sort it out, so no challenge bet.

Monday 17th December

Ayr abandoned leaves us with just the Novice Chase at Plumpton.

Pauillac was impressive enough on his debut, but I also liked William Bonney, who now gets the weight turnaround. The Henderson horse does catch the eye. He had quite a few winners around Xmas last year who had been off for well over 100 days. Kruguyrova gets all the allowances and looks the type. I think the market may move – depending on whether Johnson gets his betting boots on or not so I'll hold fire on my bets. For the challenge though, I priced William Bonney at closer to 9/2, so let's aim there, and take advantage of the dead eight.

£500 Challenge
William Bonney £7.50 ew at 6/1

Sunday 16th December

I've sure as hell lost my way with reality TV. Not helped by hardly watching it!

Leon was a real surprise to me when I came home from a party last night and checked the results. Gethin's demise was predictable once the judges gave Matt a perfect 40. I hope any of you who waded into Gethin took the insurance suggested, and backed the 'perfect 40' when that was highlighted.

I should get back from my hungover morning constitutional in time to hoover up the two big games this afternoon. Can't find a bet though, so no challenge selections today.

Saturday 15th December

Let's hope for a better day today!

Cheltenham 12:55
Maljimar 5/1
Otoole 5/1
Tramantano 6/1
Crozan 7/1
Saintsaire 7/1
All Star 9/1

Maljimar (flat track), Crozan (best fresh) and Saintsaire (flattered newbury) make the market for something. So, I'll play Tramantano and O'Toole against them.

Cheltenham 2:40
Il duce 8/1
New Alco 8/1
Faasel 8/1
New Little Bric 8/1
Abragante 8/1
Knowhere 9/1
Palarshan 12/1
Idole First 20/1
Patman Du Charmil 20/1
Black Hills 25/1

Funny race really. It seems being part of Nicholls' stable has had its effect on New Little Bric's price, but most the others have their share of doubts. Knowhere needs to keep his form and first time blinkers isn't usually a positiive in my book. On the other hand he really does fly up this hill based on his last two runs and 20+ looks too long. More likely a place price of 4/1 or better.

I've never been impressed by Faasel's jumping but again 14s is longer than I would have expected.

Cheltenham 3:10
Sublimity 7/2
Katchit 5/1
Macs Joy 5/1
Afsoun 6/1
Osana 6/1
Desert Quest 9/1
Straw Bear 11/1

With no outstanding horse on show this looks tighter than the market suggests. I've been a fan of Osana from the start (and all the poorer for it). This is his (last) chance to step up as a legitimate contender.

Lingfield 2:30
Labelthou 2/1
Michael Muck 7/2
Old Benny 4/1
Verasi 4/1

I know it was only a two runner race but Labelthou didn't look to me like she is going to take to this game. The longer they take to go chasing the less reluctant they seem to be to arch their backs in the way necessary to make the switch successfully. Michael Muck has a penalty. Verasi blundered away his chance of winning for the challenge midweek, but had done little wrong to that point and this ground will suit (left handed I'm not so sure about). Old Benny is highly regarded and although I don't like betting horses on their first attempt Alan King's stats on turning his highly-rated hurdlers into chasers on their first attempt is very good. I'll dutch the two at 5/1 each or better.

Football.

Portsmouth remain under-rated and Spurs remain overrated. My ratings suggest 5/4 Portsmouth is well worth taking.

Blackburn have probably been eased a bit too much on the back of a few poor results, and Wigan tightened up on the back of Bruce's appointment. I'm happy to ignore both, which makes 11/8 Blackburn a very nice price.

Chesterfield have the away form and whilst I don't usually follow what are usually short-term anomalies, they also have in their favour the fact Accrington are pooh. 6/4 is too long.

£500 Challenge

A lot to choose from – I'm bound to choose wrong! Football has been much better this year than racing so I probably ought to stick with that, but I think the people who look in are much more racing folk, so let's see if this is the day Osana steps up to the plate.

Osana £7.50 ew at 9/1

Friday 14th December

A decent card at Cheltenham today and I find myself without a stand-out bet. I turn out to be with Pricewise in liking Blue Splash and Principe Azzurro in their race. (The latter has been in and out of my imaginary stable for over a season now).

That's true of All in the Stars of course, one of my favourite horses (and of yours too if you were with me at Escorial's the day he was the last leg of my 1000/1 treble!) I don't suppose the merry-go-round could reawaken interest today could it – they should go slow enough early on for him to get going. I will of course throw a few pointless nostalgic pounds at the old slowboat at these prices! In fact I couldn't resist a 5000/1 treble with Milord Lescriba and Principe Azzuro...

The other two that are attracting me are Nicholls runners – always difficult to ignore, but devilishly difficult to profit from these days.

I priced Ornais up at 2/1 against Imperial Commander, and priced up I'msingingtheblues as 13/8 joint favourite with Snap Tie. I was pondering which one to put up for the challenge, and in the end decided split stakes may as well be the order of the day (quite rightly not an approach recommended by the purists).

£500 Challenge
Ornais £8 win at 9/4+
Imsingingtheblues £8 win at 15/8

Thursday 13th December

There was the most amazing sky over the Midlands yesterday. Quite a sight from the train. If this all goes tits up I think I'll just become a poor but dedicated cloud watcher.

Beau Michel interests me today at odds against, but let's go to Ludlow for their novice chase for the challenge.

Enlightenment looks one to take on with the penalty. Not least because his yard seem to be completely mis-firing. Presenting Copper is the obvious one to take him on with. She gets an awful lot of weight and could get a nice easy lead. The latter may be required given how badly she jumped last time. Ludlow isn't the greatest test of jumping though, but if you're of a nervous disposition youmay want to sit this one out!

£500 Challenge
£15 Presenting Copper at 11/4 (5/2 ok)

Weds 12th December

Oh well, we were due a hit on the football.

I'm off to London again for a short piece of work this afternoon, so no racing/football today.

Instead I'll leave you with a reality TV tip. Strictly Come Dancing is as finely poised as ever. Gethin has swooped up the blindside rails in the last couple of weeks and is now in with a serious chance. A favourite's chance in fact. He is already beating Aleysha with the judges, and almost certainly outvoting her.

There is a potential fly in the ointment. He could be dumped out by the judges at the semi-final stage. Should they be put in the position of choosing between him and Aleysha they would surely go for a boy-girl final. You could cover that if you liked – either in a bet for him to be eliminated (around 4s), or back Matt to be top male (around 5s), or to win outright (around 8s).

My book overall means I don't have to do that and will simply press up. I managed to get 5/4 – you may have to settle for 6/5 – I'd suggest anything over Evens is attractive.

£500 Challenge
Gethin to win Strictly Come Dancing £15 at 5/4

Tuesday 12th December

Another week, another mad football price, based on sentiment and likely liabilities.

I can't see how Liverpool should be odds-on tonight. We're due a smacking on one of these, but short and sweet on a no-brainer today.

Marseille £12 at Evens+ at +0.5 on the Asians
Marseille £3 win at 7/2

Monday 10th December

A day to forget.

Looking to keep the daily challenge going I was left deciding on which was the better 1.2 shot – Swansea beating Horsham or the dodgepot that is Red Blossom placing again. In the end I decided I'd rather do something else with my time than stay in for the racing.

That said, I remember a day when Fulham drew 1-1 with Leigh RMI when we were where Swansea are now (top of third tier). It was one of the best matches I've ever been to actually. Leigh RMI had a very fat goalie (who once had been a minor pro I think) who somehow kept us at bay for 90 minutes. For at least 5 minutes of the second half the normally quiet Craven Cottage crowd chanted “sign him up, sign him up, sign him up”. Must be an incredible memory for the bloke.

The clincher is that my mother lives in Horsham and I hate the place.

I hope that gives the right indication as to how I feel about the professionalism of this bet!

The £500 Challenge
Swansea £15 win at 1/5

Sunday 9th December

Three Mirrors and Silver Jack have cost us recently and this may be the day for recovery missions. However, I thought Three Mirrors was heading to Cheltenham and Silver Jack's stable could hardly be in worse form. One to ponder.

So let's stick to football.

Stoke look big against a stuttering Watford. I had them at 11/8 and they are out to 15/8.

But for the challenge bet I'll go with Bolton. I have them at fancy prices to be relegated, and a rather nice relegation accumulator that they look like spoiling. In a way this can be seen as a hedge against that. However, there are clear signs of a revival. In terms of my ratings they plummeted down them early season but the last 10 games have shown definite signs of a steadying ship. Evens is very fair, but neither side are goal happy so I'll keep 0-0 onside.

£500 Challenge
Bolton £13 at Evens
No goalscorer £2 at 9/1

Saturday 8th December

Verasi looked the winner yesterday before ploughing through the last, and I was so confident I didn't manage to lay any of the 1:12 in-running as insurance. (In truth my record of laying off in-running is woeful. I get picked off by the sharks and end up with unwanted insurance on the ones that win and don't get matched on the ones that lose!).

I think I'll stick with Sandown today and have three nice races to concentrate on.

Sandown 2:05
Pancake 5/2
Moon Over Miami 3/1
Marodima 3/1
Mahogany Blaze 7/2

Pancake is my favourite by default really. He gets a very useful allowance in a race Fair Along won last year. Moon Over Miami may have looked good last time but two fell behind him, and his record right handed is woeful. Mahogany Blaze should really be at least the same price. I've not been happy with the way Twiston-Davies's horses have been finishing their races though, and his victory over MoM was when his yard was flying. Marodima had it easy at Warwick last time but had been poor before that. He and Pancake could get hooked up in a duel here. The obvious thing to do is to lay Moon Over Miami. I think I will, and have a small press up on Pancake.

Sandown 2:35
Voy Per Ustedes 5/4
Monets Garden 4/1
Twist Magic 5/1
Ashley Brook 6/1

Corals are ducking Voy Per Ustedes and that's a worry. This does look his race to me though. Monets Garden is a 2 and a half mile horse, who doesn't travel, and Twist Magic loves a flat track and this ground may not help him. In fact Ashley Brook appeals more to me at the prices than those two. I thought he may well have hung on at Aintree, but you'd have to be disappointed if VPU couldn't beat him. 11/8 or better looks perfectly fair.

Sandown 3:40
Tana River 3/1
McEvoy 5/1
Kilbeggan Blade 11/2
The Luder 11/2
Bubble Boy 6/1

I want to side with the two horses with good course records. Tana River won this well last year. The going and topweight is a worry. However, the ground didn't seem too bad yesterday on the jumps course and hopefully there'll be more wind than rain today. McEvoy's trainer is in terrible form and I was surprised to see him priced up favourite this morning even without taking that into account. Kilbeggan Blade is a plodder and this isn't a plodder's course unless the rain really does come. The Luder did seem to jump better last time but prior to that had looked a dog pure and simple. Which leaves Bubble Boy, who has to cope with going and distance but did win round here rather well last time, when we were on, and at the price I don't see much reason to desert him.

£500 Challenge
Tana River £9 win at 4/1+
Bubble Boy £4 win at 10/1+
£1rev fc

Friday 7th December

My favourite track today, though given the weather forecast I think I may have given it a miss even if I were back in Tooting. No obvious bets though. I think I'll keep Henrietta's onside and play the two good chases. Mighty Matters looks to be taking the Kerstino Two route, Killard Point should place at around Evens, and I was interested in Hard Act to Follow for the Hennessey so he must be of note up against some who are beginning to look disappointing.

However, for the challenge let's go to Exeter, not my favourite track.

1:35 Exeter
Lead On and Verasi both chased home Hobbs Hill this year. You'd have to say Verasi did the better of the two, paying the price for at least trying to give him a race. Verasi was as good a hurdler as Lead On, and loved bottomless ground. I'm surprised he's not at least joint favourite. He's 2/1 on my tissue.

£500 Challenge
Verasi £15 win at 11/4

Thursday 6th December

There are a few races that interest me today but finding one for the challenge isn't going so well. Instead let's head for the big boxing bout.

This is a no brainer. Mayweather can be backed at 1.6 on betfair, as a good old fashioned patriotic punt gathers pace on Hatton. As someone who'll be tucked up in bed when this fight takes place I have no emotional stake in the outcome, and can bet on there being another plucky British loser entered into the hall of fame come Sunday.

2/1 on is probably the longest Mayweather should be and that'll do for me. It's not inconceivable he'll drift even more – to 4/6 say, when I may have to have another lick of the spoon.

£500 Challenge
Mayweather bt Hatton £15 at 1.6+

Weds 5th December

Betting against these conspiracy theories has been good for us of late. Opposing heavily backed Johnson/Pipe runners hasn't.

I was thinking of opposing Dear Villez today, and may still do, but it's a bit of a riddle finding which of the three could beat him. So instead I'll head for Ayr and their novice chase.

Endless Power looks short enough for what could be a right slog. Jungleland and especially Scarvagh Diamond get useful weight from the favourite. The former shaped well on debut as did the latter before falling. The trip won't be such an issue in the going, and if Supply and Fix can get Endless Power into an early duel all the better. I'd price Jungleland at 4s and Scarvagh at 3s. Jungleland's price is the more attractive so I will slant the book that way, but do want to keep Scarvagh onside. I'm always worried about small field northern races turning into a carve up, but here goes.

£500 Challenge
Jungleland £10 at 6/1+
Scarvagh Diamond £5 at 3/1

Tuesday 4th December

It looks like David Johnson is backing Over The Creek today, which is worrying, but he hasn't exactly impressed me so far, so I'll be looking at ways to oppose him.

However, it's football for today's challenge bet. We have done well opposing market madness over the last few weeks. We may have our come uppance here, but I'll risk it. AC Milan are 6/4 to beat Celtic, with the draw at only Evens on the basis of that result suiting both sides. Italian teams are well used to coming to neat arrangements, and that is a worry. But the price compels me to swim against the flow here, and hope for a proper game. However, I will keep 0-0 onside, (and maybe trade green should Milan score – though I'll likely be watching Spooks instead anyway!).

Afterwards I'll no doubt look like a mug. If so, I'll remind myself that only a couple of weeks ago people were going similarly mad over Israel/Russia!

£500 Challenge
£12 win Milan at 6/4
£3 no goalscorer at 7/2 (!)

Monday 3rd December

Fulham had 34% of the possession in their recent match against Liverpool. The old couple who used to sit next to me in the Stevenage Road stand would have had something to say about that. They used to have a blanket over their laps and at half-time they'd get out all manner of yummy food, presumably having decided in forty years of watching rubbish that they may as well be comfortable and replete! But they liked the occasional forays Fulham made into attractive football.

They were the first to point out that Jean Tigana had plainly commanded that Maik Taylor (then our keeper) was absolutely forbidden to kick the ball out of his hands. He had to pass it to a defender, and build-up from there. This was done solely to teach the team (Championship) to pass the ball under pressure. The pressure actually built up through the season as all the teams realised this and started to move up on our defence. Watch Steve Finnan now and you'll see how much that one season helped him.

I priced Man Utd at 1/8 tonight, anyway.

Here's a bet. Strictly Come Dancing. Will there be a perfect score this series? Personally I think the answer is, of course there will. Not only are there two blokes who have already come close, but in Aleysha there's almost certainly the best dancer there's been on the show. That, and the fact it's almost obligatory makes 2/5 with skybet look huge. Good luck getting more than tuppence on though, otherwise I'd have put it in the challenge.

For that we need to go to Fakenham of all places. Kassuta only has to repeat her performance here in a lower grade race to place again. The fact her trainer runs all his horses here, and that the jockey hasn't won should hold the price up.

£500 Challenge
12:50 Fakenham
Kassuta £15 place at Evens+ (aiming for 5/4+)

Sunday 2nd December

I'm not much one for the supposed great moments in racing. For me the sport is so wrapped up in my betting, that the great moments are things like Atavus winning at 33/1 or What's Up Boys storming up the Cheltenham hill to win the Coral cup at 40/1. Inglis Drever and All in the Stars the final legs of unbelievable trebles. That sort of thing.

However, my first ever racing memory (as seemingly for my entire generation) was Crisp in the National and a few other sights have locked themselves into my storage tanks regardless of betting. And they are nearly always chasers. Times when a big brave horse does something you thought nigh on impossible, and makes you feel humble and privileged to have seen it. Of most relevance was that I was at Chepstow the day Carvill's Hill slaughtered the field in the Welsh National. I can still see him now bombing along the far side, impossibly clear. Imperious. And there's no doubt in my mind that Denman was even more impressive yesterday.

Newbury is probably close to being called off if they've enjoyed the same overnight weather as Shropshire, so I'd be mad to bet there. No doubt I will anyway, but let's have a day off the challenge.

Saturday 1st December

My Hennessey books is looking OK, but I can't get excited about any of them this morning. I was happy with Snowy Morning at 10s, but 5s looks ridiculous. I also have L'Antartique money rolling onto stablemate New Alco, and Character Building and Patsy Hall on-side. I can't see anything at value this morning though, so I'll stick, and hopefully enjoy.

So, let's look elsewhere and put up a couple of tissues – hurdles unusually

Newcastle 3:30
Katchit 7/4
Blythe Knight 4/1
Al Eile 11/2
Clopf 7/1
Harchibald 7/1

Katchit has it to prove here, much as I love him. That said, there's doubts about all the others! I have a somewhat optimistic Champion Hurdle voucher on Blythe Knight, and he'd have to step up today if that's going to get anywhere. I'm a bit worried about the form of Quinn's stable on what looks a big day for him, but the price demands a play. Al Eile's recent flat form could hardly be any better. 2m over hurdles has looked too short for a while though, so it would need to be a slog.

Newbury 2:05
Inglis Drever 9/4
Special Envoy 4/1
Black Jack Ketchum 7/1
Blazing Bailey 7/1
Kasbah Bliss 7/1
Chief Dan George 7/1

Regulars will know that I follow the great Inglis Drever as though he was my own. I fear time may be against him though. It will be interesting to see how he copes here – he was all out to win this last year, and this looks a much tougher race. Special Envoy is all the rage this morning, but I'm not surprised. The other four all have doubts hanging over them, particularly if this comes down to guts.

Overnight I placed an ew double on Character Building and Blythe Knight, and the only other horse of interest this morning is Maljimar, who is short enough at 2/1 to win his chase, but does look a rock solid favourite.

£500 Challenge
Blythe Knight £10 win at 11/2
Al Eile £5 win at 6/1

Special Envoy £10 at 11/2
Inglis Drever £5 at 5/2