Things just keep coming up roses for Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom this winter.
Bloom dashed out of Cheltenham on Wednesday night — to watch his team take on Crystal Palace as they pursue a best-ever finish in the Premier League — more than £1million better off after his Willie Mullins-trained gelding Energumene landed the Queen Mother Champion Chase for the second year running.
Just over £225,000 of that was the first prize Paul Townend’s mount earned for easily beating Captain Guinness 10 lengths.
Initially Bloom, an acclaimed gambler behind sports data specialists Starlizard, admitted he’d ‘had a few quid’ on his horse.