Save £2, Win £108 More...

If you book your tickets for Cartmel Races now, you can save £2 per ticket. There is a postage fee, so it’s best to book for two or more people together. Once you’re done you’ll have secured a great day out for yourself and a few friends. The next trick is to decide what to do with the money you’ve saved. 

If I had £2 to spare this week, I'd take advantage of another special offer - the non-runner-no-bet prices being offered by bookmakers on the Cheltenham Festival. I’d place a £1 each-way “double” on Menorah to win the Ryanair Chase followed by At Fishers Cross to win the World Hurdle, at Cheltenham, in a fortnight from now. 

Menorah won the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the 2010 Cheltenham Festival and was placed third in the Arkle Novices’ Chase behind Sprinter Sacre in 2011. Last season he was only just out-stayed, over three miles, by First Lieutenant in a Grade 1 Steeplechase at Aintree. He’s obviously very highly regarded by his trainer Phillip Hobbs and he has the look of a horse that has been specifically campaigned with Cheltenham in mind.

While First Lieutenant trades as the 4/1 joint favourite for the Ryanair with several bookmakers, Menorah is currently available at 14/1 and looks likely to run as long as the ground isn't too soft.

If there is one horse that I really fancy for the Festival it is At Fishers Cross – who should run in the very next race on 13^th March. There is a nagging doubt though: this morning he drifted alarmingly on the betting exchanges, suggesting that all might not be well with the horse. This is where the non-runner-no-bet offers come in to play, because if the two horses turn out to be non-runners, you'll get your money back.

Assuming that At Fishers Cross lines up for the World Hurdle, he'll be the only runner who has previously beaten the favourite Big Bucks. He won the three mile novice hurdle at the Festival last year and is likely to be ridden by Tony McCoy. At Fishers Cross jumped indifferently on his first two outings this season, when he reportedly suffered from a physical problem. He was back to his old self in January, when McCoy nursed him over the last hurdle before sprinting for the finishing post – just failing to catch Knockara Beau. I doubt there’ll be any holding back in two weeks time and he can be backed at 11/2.  

When both horses win, within the space of less than 45 minutes, you’ll have just over £108 in your pocket – which will be enough to upgrade your entry ticket for Cartmel races to a luxurious seat in the Louis Roederer Restaurant overlooking the finishing straight. If they fail to win but finish in the first three, the place portion of the bet will pay more than £10 – which is the price of an adult ticket for the Course Enclosure at Cartmel on 28^th May. 

Save £2 today and bring some extra friends to Cartmel – is life really that simple? We'll find out in two weeks time.