Those were the days!

(From Belfast Telegraph)

Byline: Oliver McGuckin

Beware the Ides of March ... Old Willie Shakespeare knew what he was talking about, I reckon.

Only he had different things on his mind - certainly not the Cheltenham festival of National Hunt racing and St Patrick's Day, both of which will shortly be upon us.

Let's deal with Cheltenham first. For almost as long as I can remember, the week in which this three-day race meeting falls has been my favourite time of the year. Mind you, I sometimes wonder why, as I usually come out of it considerably poorer!

But there is something about this festival that really appeals to me. It is probably the big Irish connection, which prompts thousands of intrepid punters to make the annual journey 'across the water' for a major tilt at those bookies brave enough to take them on in the betting ring.

And the Irish hordes were also renowned for their poker school games in the hotels at night, when fortunes were won and lost, literally on the turn of a card. It was not uncommon, either, for car keys to be lobbed onto the table when all other collateral had gone.