Scotia It`s getting cold in the Scotland.

Ladbrokes refuse to budge after Solwhit win

LADBROKES stood alone on Sunday as the only bookmakers not to cut Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle victor Solwhit's odds for the Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle on Sunday.

The firm kept Solwhit at 6-1 following his four-and-a-half length victory at Leopardstown, with Zaynar at the head of their market on 5-1.

Victor Chandler is the only other bookmaker to have Zaynar favourite in the wake of the weekend's action. They go 7-2 the favourite, though saw fit to cut Solwhit a point to 5-1.

Explaining their stance, Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: “Solwhit went off at 5-6 and won like an odds-on shot should, in conditions he’ll probably not face at Cheltenham.

“By our reckoning it remains a wide-open Champion Hurdle, and nothing we saw on Saturday or today has convinced us otherwise. We’re happy to lay the field at 5-1."

An Cathaoir Mor's victory in the Frank Ward Solicitors Arkle Novice Chase inevitably resulted in his own Irish Indpendent Arkle Trophy odds being slashed, seeing that among the horses he beat were leading chance Sports Line, Take The Breeze and Zaarito (who fell).

His success, however, also led bookmakers to trim Captain Cee Bee and Sizing Europe for the Festival race.

Asa stablemate of An Cathaoir Mor, Sizing Europe was cut by Paddy Power to 5-1 (from 6), while Captain Cee Bee, who was upsides Sizing Europe and going well when he fell at the last when those two clashed at Leopardstown on December 26, was cut to 4-1 favourite (from 5) by Paddy Power, and 9-2 market leader (from 5) by William Hill.

An Cathaoir Mor's Arkle odds range from 12-1 (Totesport and Blue Square) to 16-1 (Paddy Power).

Rite Of Passage was cut for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle and Neptune Investment Management Novices' Hurdle following his maiden hurdle victory on Sunday.

He is 7-1 (from 12) with Blue Square for the Supreme, and 12-1 (from 16) with Totesport and Paddy Power, while Victor Chandler were most impressed as regards the Neptune, slashing him to 8-1 (from 14).

Coole River's victory in the Syngery Security Solutions Novice Hurdle resulted in opening quotesfor the Neptune, with Hills going 12-1 and Paddy Power 16-1.

First car scraping yesterday Scotia,won`t be long before Kauto and Denman strut thier stuff!!

Cant wait but maybe a good idea to watch on the TV from the Big T

But its going to be a white hot atmosphere on Sunday when Celtic take on Rangers.