Getting close now. Main bets, as already posted, struck but looking at a few slightly smaller wagers now. Only trouble is they still seem to be doubly-engaged:

Boston Bob (National Hunt Chase, RSA Chase, both Wednesday)
Cotton Mill (Coral Cup, Wednesday and County Hurdle, Friday)
Sizing Europe (Queen Mother Chase, Wednesday and Ryanair, Thursday)

Could anyone shed any light on it, please?

I hope that fkin rain forcast doesn't happen don't need that for Rock On Ruby

i want it dry PF, but thats because i'll be all over oscar whiskey for the world hurdle if it is!

...... oooooowwwwwhhhhhh PF soz mate have you seen the forecast ?

The only horse i've backed that rain and soft ground will be a hinderance too is Rock On Ruby, all the rest have won on soft or worse and sure anyway the rain would play into the hands of Hurricane Fly and i have him covered in the previous winner bet. I'd rather decent ground for Sir Des Champs too as i think he doesn't jump as well out of deep ground but i don't think it will be as much a hinderance to him as it would Rock On Ruby.

That's the danger with ante post betting anyway, obviously i was betting think we would get the usual Good to Soft ground on day 1.

Yes I think there is everychance of g to s on tuesday, but they are due a wet weekend. Different course at end of week, so wont be too churned up for Willies one in the G C , had a shout for Sunnyhill Boy from a bookie saturday, said he's taken loads on it last few weeks. Good Ground horse of course ... but a couple of years ago we had a great day backing Irish runners, 5 winners, and it was a quagmire as i recall.

watch the countryfile forecast on iplayer, the forecast is for rain wednesday-friday but its quite patchy and cheltenham tend to miss the worst of it when its like that

Racing was braced for more bad news today.

The Cheltenham Festival could be dealt a final knockout blow in the next 24 hours because of a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease close to the course.

"We can see the farm involved across the valley from the racecourse," said Cheltenham's managing director Edward Gillespie, who has led a campaign to ensure the 13-15 March Festival goes ahead but may now be thwarted.

"The result of tests at the farm are not yet known," Gillespie said

12.42 really like T5 here

That was the last
Time I went to preview night ! it was point less talking about Cheltenham never going to be on
Foot and mouth no jokeing matter Irish put a lot if people out of work at the time !

I'm only small fry but my worst Cheltenham ever last year, with Hurricane Fly, Long Run and Grand Crus, all in particular, biting the dust. Not gone so mad this time

woodmanchester  04 Mar 13 14:59 "I'm only small fry"

he's learning !

COTTON MILL will attempt to make up for last year's Cheltenham Festival mishap in the Vincent O'Brien County Hurdle and not the Stan James Champion Hurdle according to trainer John Ferguson.

Cotton Mill was leading the Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle last year when veering to his left at the second last, unseating Denis O'Regan, and on his first start of this campaign finished five lengths behind My Tent Or Yours at Newbury.

Cotton Mill is one of the favourites for the County - he is a top-priced 10-1 with William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and **** - and Ferguson said: "I'll probably go for the County Hurdle. It's possibly his last chance to run in a handicap if he continues improving the way I hope he will.

"He's gone up 5lb but went so well in a slowly-run Betfair Hurdle over two miles. We know he stays further so a good strong two miles will probably suit him."

Tammys Hill was ruled out of the CGA Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham, for which he was an 8-1 chance, with a muscle injury.

However, Backstage has been confirmed for the contest, a race he missed last year due to qualification issues, after winning his first run in over a year at Tinahely point-to-point on Sunday.

Trainer Gordon Elliott said: "He blew up and badly needed the run so we're glad we got it into him. He'll go to Cheltenham and Jamie Codd will ride. Then hopefully we'll be going back to the Grand National."

He is around 16-1 for the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase and 50-1 for the John Smith's Grand National.

Simonsig ?
Every year there is at least one talking horse gets turned over. Simonsig enters the 2 mile Arkle CHase on Day One at 8/11 with two previous chases to his name over 2m and 2m3f at kempton & ascot both on heavy. He won the Neptune hurdle  last year so has no problem with the course. His only defeat (apart from a fall at Castletown PTP) was by Fingal Bay in a Sandown hurdle, so what happened on that race ? Fingal Bay hit the front with Simonsig and basically outstayed him up the Sandown Hill. Cotton Mills attempt to run the finish out of Simonsig last year is likely to be repeated by tacticians amongst the other trainers, step forward Donald Mccain and Overturn, not likely to allow simonsig to have its own way.... and up pops the 5/1-10/1 shot that normally wins this race (14/23). Odds on shots have a poor cheltenham record and only 4 favourites have won this race in the last 23 years . For those reasons Its a LAY for me!

Cotton Mill ?
Sorry fattie, P F, can't have this one whatsoever.
Wrong Ground, wrong Price, wrong form, ratings too low.... good luck to you lads

Still waiting for Boston Bob and Sizing Europe, although think RSA and Queen Mother likely. Dont know about Cotton Mill.

In the meantime, added 12/1 Close House (Pertemps Final) and 7/1 Hunt Ball (Byrne Group Plate). Sure both will be shorter on the day

Another one i like in the handicaps [yes i do like the hnadicaps] is Edmund Kean @ 14/1 NR-NB in the Martin Pipe Conditionals Handicap Hurdle. I've been really impressed with him especially his win at Fakenham whne he was on and off the bit but came back hard on the bridle as they turned in and absolutely hacked up, he then went on to win at Taunton over 3f shorter but it was the same story and he was well on top at the finish. I don't think those tracks suited that well and he should be much more at home around Cheltenham and over 2m 4f i can see him powering up the hill. He is entered at Sandown on Saturday as he will need to get a penalty to get in [i think] but he has already proved he can handle the quick runs, both his win where 4 days apart and the Pipe's know how to do it.

they laid it for 2 hours, max £25 per customer

Give my brother some Cheltenham horses every year.
This year its:
5/2 Pont Alexandre
11/4 Overturn
3/1 Hurricane Fly
5/1 Far West

His £1 Lucky 15 would pay £747. I should be okay for a pint or two then!