Cheltenham Festival

Today the fantatic Cheltenham Festival starts. Four days of superb racing, featuring the finest jockeys and horses to be found in Europe. The crowds are enormous (probably 100,000 plus) and the atmosphere must be electric. I'll only be sampling the atmosphere in Ladbrokes or Corals in Exeter, of course, but so what. I'll have my little wager (preparing to lose about £20), but the entertainment is superb.

Today's big race:

SMURFIT KAPPA CHAMPION HURDLE CHALLENGE TROPHY (Grade 1) (Class 1) £360,000 added 2m 110yds.

This 2m 1/2 furlong race should be won by either Tony McCoy on Straw Bear, or Ruby Walsh on Brave Inca. I prefer Brave Inca.

Brave Inca it is.