Worth a punt at these odds?

Okay, anyone out there of a gambling persuasion? The GOS review stakes has begun, but it's a long race so we can still take bets: 2/1 on Big Brother; Evens on Save Face; 50/1 Golden Opportunity; 100/1 Joe Average Patient.

Big Brother is a huge, government-owned individual that usually sets the pace and likes to dictate matters. Always runs in blinkers in order to ignore any challenge from other runners. However, does create volumes of paper work, allowing the stable to employ excessive numbers of staff. Has been known to create ill will among the owners of Golden Opportunity in the past. Put every last penny on this banker. (I think the spelling is correct!)

Save Face is owned by the optical bodies. Never won to date, but always achieves some small concession that allows its connections to claim victory for common sense. Unfortunately it's probably sentiment rather than common sense that keeps it in training long after it should have been dispatched to the Happy Pastures retirement home for bewildered racehorses.

The consortium of opticians that own Golden Opportunity must live in hope. Likes to trail along behind the other runners picking up crumbs as it goes. Certainly not one to put the mortgage on, if you can afford one, but worth a punt at these odds because one day it might get the right idea and kick the other runners on the way down the start. Is always dope tested after running as the stewards firmly belive it has to be on something for it to remain such a good-natured animal, given the excessive use of the whip that it endures.

Joe Average Patient is another mainly government-owned horse, although this is a fact that its connections deny strongly. Occasionally used as a pace maker for Big Brother. Has never won, is never backed and, let's face it, do the owners really care anyway, provided its stable companion gets the biggest bite of the hay net?

Martin Edwards
Brixham, Devon