Juliette's Weekly Frolic
The customary howls of derision and despair echoed loud and long round Gower Street this time. Following a weekend of ' puffs ' on The Spectator cover and Sunday Times sports' pages . . . with a last, second last and distant third, I was felt to have truly excelled myself at the self-publicity game. Now an acknowledged ' professional ', responsibility rests heavily on the shoulders, so sidestepping this week's heart-searching decisions for a couple of sentences, I fancy I'm about due for a dabble in the Cheltenham ante-post market. With the fashion in Champion Hurdlers yo-yoing erratically, as Boxer, Barnard and Canasta Lad are all loved then rejected, Coral Diver, who prior to his Boxing Day comeback I was knowingly pronouncing a has-been, now seems the most reliable solution and still a tempting 5 to 1. At Ascot the weights for Saturday's Mar Lodge 'Chase appear somewhat cockeyed and I am not surprised that Black Magic, at 12st 71b, and Jabeg, 241b worse off with Dungarven Jewel, have declined the chall enge. Happy Medium is currently proving invincible in these hot two mile chases and Lucky Streak the Mackeson ' leader until falling at the last gets off very lightly. However if Dungarven Jewel cannot produce the goods now he never will. At lOst 1lb he is respectively 201b and 191b to the good with Celtic Gold and Inch Arran and 'gift' not to •be sniffed at. The later Jock Scott 'Chase could lie between two prominent performers at Sandown last weekend. Thundridge won his race there from Tudor Dance but must give 91b to consistent Osceola. A winner over fences at Taunton and long distance hurdles here, he was not disgraced when short-headed out of third place by Specify last Saturday. On Friday Prize Fighter, Aidbury Heath, Tuscan Prince and Prairie Dog will give the Green Highlander 'Chase a more lively market than the Dikler's contest and the last-named who finds his level here, after an abortive crack at the bigtime in the ' Mandarin ', can resume the victory trial. Assets: £88.95. Outlay: £3 to win Dungarven Jewel and Prairie Dog, £2 ew Osceola, £5 to win Coral Diver (ante-post — 5 to 1).
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