With the abandonment of the jump card at Ascot tomorrow I’m going to Lingfield for their all weather flat meeting for my Saturday Selection where I like the look of Tranquil Tiger in the 2.30 Bet Live in Play At totesport.com Quebec Stakes. Tranquil Tiger dished it up to Plum Pudding and Suits Me over this course and distance back in late November and whilst Sky Crusader may prove a threat I think the Cecil trained horse will be upfront and move clear of his field.
Another tranquil tiger in my book is the smooth yet racy Montana Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008, New Zealand. Stockist: Sainsbury’s £8.95. This dry Kiwi wine has lovely upfront gooseberry, tropical fruit flavours, which will hit your taste buds as soon as they have broken from the stalls. Not a wine for the vino equivalent of The Ascot Gold Cup but perfect for serving for a get-together after racing as an aperitif with canapés but watch out it is too dry a match for a plum pudding!
Selection:Tranquil Tiger,Lingfield 2.30,win bet at 6-4.

You don’t need patches on your jacket or a subscription to receive quarterly copies from the Val Doonican Cardigan Club to be an entrant to the world of sherry. Quite the opposite. Transfer yourself into the world of urban, cool bars and hotels and acquaint yourself with the fact that ordering a glass of fino sherry has the same level of trendiness as knowing the shortlist for The

Mercury Music Awards. So when your guests arrive, serve a glass of chilled Tio Pepe Palomino Fino, Spain, £8-8.50 and on offer for Christmas.Stockists:Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and most retailers This is a delicious dry aperitif. Tangy and nutty on the nose, light and refreshing on the palate, with a lovely lingering finish of almonds. For your notebook, Sherry is produced from the region around the city of Jerez in Andalucia and once a bottle is opened it should be consumed within a month. Get out the tapas and tune into Bat for Lashes Two Suns, which was shortlisted for ….

My late father introduced me to the world of Bath Ales on a Christmas Eve in Bristol some years ago and I have been a fan ever since whether on draught or in bottle. Bath Ales, produce a lovely beer called Barnstormer 4.5% abv but I have already stocked up for Christmas

with one of their other beers Gem. Bottled Gem,4.8% abv,Bath Ales,£1.85. Stockists:Tesco, Sainsbury’s,Waitrose and Great Western Wines. Gem is brewed using Maris Otter barley and East Kent Goldings hops and is an excellent,full flavoured,medium bodied and balanced ale. There is nothing quirky here and this is a style of bitter that you can return to on a regular basis.

Remember a couple of hours in the fridge for all of these or, if you don’t have the space because of a vol a vent invasion then 45 minutes with half ice and water in a bucket or picnic box. A real crowd pleaser is Zalze Chenin Blanc, 2009,South Africa,£5.99.Stockist:Waitrose. One of the best value wines I have tasted all year,dry and refreshing, with a healthy dose of ripe peachy fruit,backed with freshness and acidity. Also,I like the Taste the Difference Gavi, 2008,Italy,£6.99.Stockist:Sainsbury’s. Made from the Cortese grape, which makes me think of fuel guzzling seventies cars, this is dry, lighter in style than the Chenin,with apples on the nose and an attractive minerally character. A wine for non new world fans. If you want to take the full flavoured route,check out Verus Furmint,2008,Slovenia, £8.99. Stockist:The Real Wine Company. Dry, delicious and refreshing and will really get the party going.So get The Birdie Song on, or alternatively Barry Adamson’s The Jazz Devil.

The Wine Tipster was fortunate enough to meet The Queen at Buckingham Palace this week and rather like a naughty schoolboy I was able to pose the question as to which horse Her Majesty thought would win The Gold Cup: Denman or Kauto Star? Her Majesty gave me a wry smile and told me “given Denman has beaten one of ours (Barbers Shop in The Hennessy) then I suppose it will have to be Kauto Star”. I agree and think Kauto will beat Denman at Cheltenhmam in March!

Remember roasted turkey and cranberry sauce is a pretty full on combo, so all three of these wines are sturdy.
All the wines below will benefit from being poured into a glass jug a couple of hours beforehand, otherwise know as decanting! They will all develop in the jug and taste more complex and impressive on the day.
Casillero del Diablo Reserva Malbec, 2008,Chile, £7.49. Stockist:Spar. Gold Medal winning medium to full bodied red, with damson fruit,oak and a herbaceous character. Very impressive for the price.
Rustenberg John X Merriman, 2007, South Africa, £10.99. Stockists: Edward Sheldon Tel: 01608 – 661408, S.H.Jones Tel: 01295 – 672296, Waitrose. This Bordeaux blend is seriously underrated and delivers a full bodied mouthful of complex, dark fruits, which easily outwits some more expensive reds. One of my friends in our village is called John Merriman but I didn’t chose the wine because of that!
Blason des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 2008, France, £18.99 down to £11.99. Stockist: Waitrose. I couldn’t leave the Rhone area out and the 2008 Blason des Papes is full flavoured with spice, intense fruits and a good structure.A quality red from this region and ideal for December 25th.
Get out the crackers and chuck on Burt Bacharach or The Clash!

Overstrand looks to have a very good chance of winning The Best Odds Guaranteed at Betinternet.Com Handicap Hurdle at 3.00 at Sandown for a third time at the age of ten.
This will be some feat in what is always a competitive race. He came back to winning form at Market Rasen three weeks ago and with the trainer Dr Newland having his horse’s in good order I take Overstrand to beat his main danger, the heavily weighted Tasheba.
My sentimental bet will go on Well Chief in The Keith Prowse Tingle Creek at 2.25 at Sandown.Despite the fact he looked brilliant in the paddock at Cheltenham I didn’t back him last time when he beat Masterminded at the October meeting. My punting confidence had deserted me at that stage but I shall be making a minor investment today on this popular chaser.
Win bets on both Well Chief 2.25 Sandown at 100/30 and Overstrand 3.00 Sandown at 2/1.