Jazz Victory Will Cushion The Blows

Mar 9 2008 Joe Punter

Cheltenham Special

WE'VE all done it. Well, down in my neck of the woods anyway. You know, nick a few bob off the messages dosh, hold back the rent, "forget" to pay the gas.

It's all in a good cause of course. Face it, what would life be like without the annual pilgrimage to Cheltenham?

Anyway, things were trotting along quite nicely and the Festival wedge was mounting up most impressively when disaster struck.

Now call me stupid - and a few bookies have - but where's the natural place to stash your ill-gotten gains?

Down the back of the couch, of course, along with sundry betting slips, crusts and the odd remote control.

Sadly, our sofa had seen much better days so Mrs P decided on a new one.

Without a word to Yours Truly who almost fainted when spotting a large gap where the lazyboy had been.

Turns out the admirable Mrs P had given the old back massager to a good cause.

So cue a trawl through every charity shop in the greater Glasgow area more in hope than anticipation.

But they say the sun shines on the righteous and it must be true - a Cancer Research outletwas displaying the meal ticket to Cheltenham.

A quick check, the loot is still there, £25 changes hands and everyone's happy.

Even Her Indoors who is now looking forward to a week of doing womanly things like bingo and shopping.

She still can't figure where the Festival cash appeared from but hey, what's a slight debit in the lecky bill when you can have a week minus the moaning old man?

So it's off to the Cotswolds for me and the boys in the back room and Big Wuggie insists we'll pay for the great extravaganza no problem.

The man who backed Celtic to win in the Nou Camp last week reckons he can't be wrong all the time.

Wuggie says any gee-gee that can claw back Katchit up the hill will deserve to be crowned champion hurdler.

I'm going for the big Irish outsider Jazz Messenger and if he does the bizz Mrs P can have a couple of chairs to go with her new pride and joy.

Naw, a cushion or two.

And if the under-rated Halcon Generaldais beats the big two and lands the Gold Cup there might be a new carpet on the way too.

GOT a racing query? Write to Joe Punter, Sunday Mail, One Central Quay, Glasgow G3 8DA or you can email joepunter@sundaymail.co.uk