IT'S DAY two of the Cheltenham Festival at Prestbury Park and hopefully you won't be totally broke at this early stage. But rumour has it that if the four hotpots of the meeting, 'Master Minded', 'Kauto Star', 'Dunguib' and 'Big Bucks', all win, the bookmakers will nearly end up in the poorhouse, so if they all lose I suppose that the bookies all will be in a position to bail out NAMA!

On a positive note, a few horses with vaguely local connections might be worth investing in over the next few days. 'Tranquil Sea', now in the care of Edward O'Grady, was formerly trained by William Codd to win his point-topoint and the eight-year-old looks capable of taking the Ryanair Chase on Thursday.

I'm not at all sure if 'War of Attrition' will travel for the Ladbrokes World Hurdle on the same day but, if given his chance, and enjoying the quick ground on the day, it might just be worth an each way investment for the former Conor O'Dwyer-ridden Gold Cup winner.

On the Friday, don't be at all surprised to see the Denis Murphy-trained 'Dusty Doolan' possibly take his chance in the Foxhunters, with an each way investment the only option. I do imagine, however, that the key this week will be the ground, with the pendulum swinging in favour of horses who might prefer a bit of good ground.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Monksgrange will play host to the Bree Foxhounds point-to-point, on Sunday week, March 28. This course has become one of the top venues in the county since being offered for use by the Hill family.

With a winners' contest being the day's highlight, the five other contests are a mixture of maiden races, with one confined to novice riders. With the ground currently on the quick side of good, organisers will be hoping for a slight bit of natural moisture to gently soften the ground and provide safe racing ground.

On the competition front, Denis Murphy sent 'Not So Sure Dick' to the East Down fixture at Tyrella on Saturday week where the Chris Cully-partnered 'Flemensfirth' gelding won well in the colours of Dick Frisby.

With action down in the south of the county on the same day, Jamie Codd kept his title hopes alive with a win on the Jimmy Mangan-trained 'Health is Wealth' in the confined maiden. This five-year-old by 'Anshan' seemed to do this well under Codd, who continues to lead the Eastern Region's jockeys' championship from Barry O'Neill.

At the same meeting, John Paul Brennan saddled 'Global Power' in the name of his wife, Marie, to win the opening four-year-old maiden in the hands of Cormac Sweeney. This 'Subtle Power' gelding just held on in a tight finish.

Codd scored again on Sunday week when he partnered 'Minella Stars', a son of 'Accordion', to take the winners' contest for Trevor Horgan and Clonmel-based John Nallen.

Up in Westmeath, at The Pidgeons meeting, Benny Walsh partnered 'Russinrudi' to take the winners' contest for Eoin Doyle in a commanding manner on the seven-year-old son of 'Rudimentary'.

Colm Murphy's ' Zaarito' got his season back in gear at Naas on Sunday week when justifying odds-on favouritism under Davy Condon in the novice chase. This son of 'Tiraaz' seems to have ironed out any jumping issues he might have and won here very comfortably over two and a half miles.

On the same card, John Cullen joined forces with the bard of Monaghan, Oliver Brady, to take the maiden hurdle on 'Seeability'. This 'Bob Back' seven-year-old is from a really good family and won this well.

With the flat season officially opened, the jumpers continue to grab the headlines, with many of our young jockeys continuing to make a name for themselves.

One such man is Michael Fogarty and the young 7 lb. claimer was given the leg up on 'Headford Flyer' by Eoghan O'Grady to take the bumper at Clonmel on Thursday. This six-year-old son of 'Shernazar' battled on really well to take the day's finale at the Co. Tipperary track under a strong drive from Fogarty.

BETWEEN THE FLAGS