My fancy for the Ballymore Properties Novice Hurdle is as low as 4/1 (11/2 still available) having been recommended here at 8/1. Forpadydeplasterer was well backed today following an excellent performance by tablemate River Liane at Leopardstown yesterday.

Tomorrow, VC Bet, Skybet and Tote go non-runner-no bet so you can have a bet safe in the knowledge that if your horse doesn’t run at the Festival you get your stake money back. Also, no rule 4 so no reductions if other horses don’t run so a great concession. The only 2 major bookmakers yet to fall into line at Hills – who will go non-runner-no bet on Thursday – and Ladbrokes who I understand are holding out until Saturday. If you are having a bet don’t bet with these 2 firms until they offer the concession.

Theatre Girl has been steadily backed since betting opened on the new David Nicholson Mares Hurdle and she’s now into a best price 11/2, having been recommended here at 7/1. As stated in my Festival tips post, trainer Alan King would love to win this for his former boss. There will be great scenes in the winners enclosure if he pulls it off.

A top-up to my Festival tips with Sam Thomas to be top jockey at 12/1 which is generally available. Sam has terrific prospects on Denman and Twist Magic plus will have the pick of Paul Nicholls horses after Ruby Walsh has decided his mount. OK, so he gets what could appear to be the second string but such is the strength in depth of the Ditcheat yard that he’ll have some terrific rides, especially in the handicaps. He is certainly not 12 times less likely to be top jockey than Ruby who is trading at around evens so this is definetely a value bet.

Great news this lunchtime regarding my selection for the Gold Cup, Exotic Dancer who went well in a crucial gallop this morning and remains on target for the big race. Exotic Dancer, ridden by Tony McCoy, who hopes to return to race riding next Saturday, worked up the grass gallops at Jackdaws Castle with stablemates Don’t Push It and Mountain. Owner Sir Robert Ogden’s racing manager Barry Simpson, said: ‘The horse has gone up the gallops and seems to be enjoying himself. He will keep to his normal routine and, if we get a good run through and there are no reactions, he will take his place in the Gold Cup line-up.’

For the second weekend in a row the racecourse are watering. It’s a very breezy morning with some cloud in the sky but also some sunshine.

As well as being the first of the big four bookmakers to sign up to Turf TV, this afternoon Coral beat Hills, Ladbrokes and the Tote in becoming the first to go NR-NB. Blue Square joined the party later in the afternoon.

Blazing Bailey, my selction for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle and advised at 7/1 is now into a best priced 6/1 which is available with Paddy Power and others on a NR-NB basis. You can find a full list of my selections here – ante-post portfolio – Festival tips.

Celstial Halo is now into a best price 7/1 – available NR-NB with Paddy Power – having been recommended at 10/1 in my Ante-post portfoli0 – Festival tips.

The latest news on Exotic Dancer from Barry Simpson, Racing Manager for Sir Robert Ogden is ‘On a routine visit on Tuesday, it was found the horse was sore in his lumbar region.’ A pity that Jonjo O’Neill was not quite so forthcoming with his quote last night when he said the horse was ‘perfectly alright’! This obviously races serious doubts about Exotic Dancer’s participation in the big race. Let’s hope he makes it! At the very least it also shows very poor communication skills from the stable and connections.