Captain Gamble Surprises Harty

Edward Harty is mystified as to the gamble taking place on his Anglo Irish Bank Supreme Novices' Hurdle contender Captain Cee Bee.

The JP McManus-owned gelding was backed off the boards for the Festival opener on Tuesday and he is now as low as 12-1 from a general price of 25s.

Harty, who plans to give the seven-year-old one more outing before Cheltenham, is at a loss to explain the support.

'We had talked about the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown but we are now favouring a Grade Two at Punchestown a week earlier,' said Harty.

'That's ideally where we will go and that should leave him spot on for Cheltenham.

'I know nothing about the gamble and if he's done a sparkling piece of work it is news to me as I'm on holiday!

'It looks quite an open race this year and we know that our fellow likes good ground so that might be it.'

Blue Square are just one of the firms reporting strong support for the gelding.

'We were taken by surprise with the money for Captain Cee Bee this morning and it had all the hallmarks of a tipping line,' said spokesman George Primarolo.

'The horse was a ready winner at Punchestown when last seen in November and is an interesting contender for the opening race of the Festival.'

Supreme Novices' Hurdle, Blue Square bet: 7-1 Khyber Kim, 8-1 Cork All Star, Muirhead, 14-1 Captain Cee Bee, Kalahari King, 16-1 Whatuthink, 20-1 bar.

(C) PA Sport