In Your Face Mr.Bookmaker Man!

It makes the world go round folks, so they say. And after yesterday TSA is rolling in the green stuff: EUR 7.50 to be exact, pure profit extracted from the grim death-grip of the bookies. Despite being party to the gazillions flushed away on Detroit City in yesterday's Champion Hurdle, we side-stepped Paddy Power's greedy embrace with a place for Granit Jack and a winner in My Way de Solzen.

However, before going off to the local Bentley dealership, let's see how our tiny acorn of EUR 30 will be turned into the mighty oak of copious lucre this afternoon...

The Ballymore Properties Novices Hurdle gets things underway at 2.00. I'll be avoiding the favourite Aran Concerto in this one, mainly because of regular jockey Paul Carberry's withdrawal through injury.

Of course, the fact that Champion Jockey Tony McCoy takes the mount is some consolation, but I'm going with the attitude that a horse and rider should be like Torvill and Dean: telepathically in tune with each other, but with absolutely no romantic involvement.

So EUR 5 on the nose for Silverburn at around 5/1 here, another from Paul Nicholls stable. I'm also going to drizzle a little EUR 2.50 e/w on My Turn Now at 9/1 who has had a good season so far.

This year's banker, Denman (in the 2.35 Royal & Sun Alliance Chase) owes me one. That's because he was last year's banker too, you see. And TSA went in HEAVY. I believe 'waded in' is the term. The blighter came second. With bankers like that, I'm off to Permanent TSB.

But far be it from me to hold a grudge against a dumb animal (takes one to know one, they say). So my marquee EUR 10 bet is on Denman at the miserly 5/4. But I'm chucking on top of this a EUR 5 double with Newmill (3/1) in the Queen Mother Champion Chase (3.15).

Well Chief is the hot favourite for the Queen Mammy, but has just come off a two year injury lay-off. His price is based on a brilliant comeback at Newbury last time out, but people who know about these things say that it's not unusual for a horse to overperform in his first race back.

Going against yesterday's warning to avoid the final race of the day, we're plumping our last farthings on Den of Iniquity (10/1) EUR 2.50 e/w in the Champion Bumper at 5.20.

He's won very well on his outings so far and doesn't mind softish ground. I know, I've asked him. I said, "do you mind softish ground?" He replied "Naaaaay."