Less than seven weeks to go and it's time to take the Cheltenham punting seriously (which sadly means avoiding the pub)
There is now no getting away from it. There are less than seven weeks to go before you know what and even the most die-hard of Flat fans must at least be thinking about who to back in the Pertemps Final or the Ultima Handicap Chase.
Things are only going to ramp up even more in the coming weeks. The hype for some horses will reach hysterical levels and before you know it you'll have been sucked into backing something you had never even heard of only a month ago.
To avoid such a scenario and to help keep your feet firmly on the ground, I offer this alternative checklist, from someone who's seen (and heard) it all before, to keep you focused and help you save time in your form study.
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- The Derby day winner from North Yorkshire who is making the training game look easy
- Ascot's smart approach to selling racing tells us we can be royalty - even if just for one day
- Sectional timings for the Derby suggest City Of Troy isn't the only Ballydoyle star worth following
- It's clear mainstream coverage of the Derby is lost at the weekend - so perhaps it's time to move it back to Wednesday
- Never mind the price of the beer - kids go racing for nothing and that's worth a lot