3-DAYS OF CROSSED-FINGERS.

If I were the owner of the horses I tipped yesterday I would be content. Sober Glory would have won bar the mistake at the last, Golden Ace probably ran as well yesterday as she did in winning last year; Downmexicoway ran a solid race behind a runaway winner and if I tipped anything in the last race I have forgotten all about it. Yes, Steel Ally was put in his box by far classier horses and in such company he wants a longer trip. I was right about Kargese, though, and if Romeo Coolio had run in the Arkle, I would have tipped her as my instinct after the D.R.F. was that she would get her revenge on him at Cheltenham, not so much that she would win an Arkle in which he did not appear.

Given the opportunity, Lossiemouth at last proved herself at 2-miles. She won an ordinary Champion Hurdle with the ease of a champion. She beat a mare who is doubtless a 3-mile chaser in-waiting, a horse in need of at least 4-furlongs further (and, as Ruby Walsh suggested, more runs to get the experience needed to win at championship level) and, in Alexie ( who was far more than the no-hoper I suggested) a handicapper. As I did not see a possible challenger for her title in the Supreme yesterday, it is to be expected that Lossiemouth will have little trouble defending her crown next season.

The first three in the Supreme all look to be bound for novice chasing next season, with only Sober Glory a possible to stay hurdling, I would suggest. He should have won, of course, but not because, as old misery-guts McCoy suggested, that Ben Jones should have held-on to Sober Glory a bit longer before setting sail for home but because, after a giving a great display of jumping, he made a mess of the last hurdle. Old Park Star was a worthy winner, though, given a good ride by Nico as he looked the least likely winner of the first three until actually getting his head in front. Mydaddypaddy looks every inch a chaser and could go on to be the best of those that ran in the Supreme yesterday. Makes you wonder how good Idaho Sun is, doesn't it? No consolation for Harry Fry, of course, with his horse on the injured list at the moment and that Aintree race is beginning to look value for money. If only the sun could be persauded not to shine in Liverpool during the month of December!

Kopek Des Bordes looks like one of those horses that will infuriate his connections and punters alike. He is a firework of a racehorse, with the fizz of a sodastream and the occasional sting of soap in the eye. What he will continue to do is prove what a great horseman Paul Townend is, perhaps the equal of his predecessor, perhaps even better. Which of the two Mullins horses would you prefer to own, though, the fizzy sparkler that is Kopek Des Bordes or the ever reliable and battle-hardened Kargese? She proved more than his match yesterday and who is to say that will change at Punchestown or any stage in the run-up to next year's Champion Chase.

It is currently 4-3 to Britain in the Prestbury Cup, though that could easily be 10-4 to Ireland at the close of play today.  In the Turners Ireland have 12 of the 22-runners; 13 out of 16 in the Brown Advisory; 15 out of 24 in the Cup H'Cap; 10 of 14 in the Cross-Country; 6 of the ten in the Champion Chase; 10 of the 20 in the Grand Annual and 14 of the 22 in the Bumper. If Britain is to have a winner today, I suggest it will come in the Turners with either No Drama This End or Act of Innocence, though I have a great liking for King Rasco Grey. Western Fold eachway or Romeo Coolio in the Brown Advisory. The Yellow Clay in the Cup H'Cap. The Cross-Country is confusing but with great hesitation I put-up Famous Bridge to finish in the placings. The Champion Chase is Majborough's to lose and Irish Panther might be the one to pick up the pieces if Majborough does find a way to lose the race. Inthe pocket for the Grand Annual and Quiryn for the Bumper.

Rebel Tribesman was only second at Sedgefield yesterday, though he might just have bumped-in to a good horse in Las Canals trained by Josh G & Peter G.