Buck's won't make you rich so put your money on Bothy

You won't get rich by backing the brilliant Big Buck's at Ascot tomorrow but another hurdler can make it a profitable day at the Berkshire course.

While the odds-on Big Buck's will be bidding for his 10th straight success over the smaller obstacles in the Grade One Long Walk Hurdle, Bothy looks a great value bet in the Listed Ladbroke Handicap Hurdle.

The four-year-old was a fine second to Menorah in the Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham last month and that rival boosted his Champion Hurdle claims last weekend with a brilliant success in the International Hurdle at the same course.

Had Bothy been trained by a bigger name than Brian Ellison, the gelding would be a lot shorter in the market than his current 12-1 odds with Sky Bet for the highly-competitive two-mile event (2.35pm).

He looks tremendous each-way value in the 21-runner affair and smart conditional Danny Cook has a good chance of making an even bigger name for himself in front of the Channel 4 cameras tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Paul Nicholls is cool on the idea of running Royal Charm in the Arkle next March - even though he preserved his unbeaten record over fences after a hard-fought victory at Exeter yesterday.

"He did well to get back up and win but he's unlikely to run in the Arkle.

"We might look at the Pendil [Kempton, 26 February] or the Scilly Isles [Sandown, 6 February] next."