Marco Fu - a rare snooker success for Cheeky.

By Cheeky Punt

Click here for previous Cheeky Punt columns

Many have tried, but nobody has succeeded in taking his crown. The inimitable Cheeky Punt takes you through his weekly betting lows and highs with the original punting blog:

Had £50 on the Republic of Ireland to turn France over at 6/1 on Wednesday night and while I was understandably delighted to nick a few quid I couldn't help but feel sorry for the men of Green.

It was some display wasn't it? What can you say about the French other than (does a mock excitable Norwegian accent) 'Napoleon, Coco Chanel, Gerard Depardieu... You're boys took a hell of a beating!'

It was an absolute travesty that William Gallas' goal was allowed to stand but then had it not we wouldn't have been treated to the sight of those Irish lads outside the French Embassy in Dublin going mad with that megaphone live on Sky Sports News a day or so later.

Genuinely boys, what were you thinking?

I've been losing money on snooker for years. Indeed the last time I ended a major tournament in profit Willie Thorne had hair. But I got things right in the grand manner on Thursday night in the Premier League.

Not only did I nap Marco Fu at 2/1 to beat Stephen Hendry but Fu's win also sent Hendry, not exactly my favourite sportsman, crashing out of the event.

He looked on the verge of tears several times as he bitterly sipped his water after falling to a shocking 5-1 reverse in Wales, in stark contrast to the mood at Chez Punt.

Thierry 'Le Hand' Henry may have tarnished his reputation last week but one Frenchman who went up yet further in my estimation was the inimitable Kauto Star.

The Gallic gelding has saved many a punters' Christmas with his exploits in the King George VI Chase over the past few years and the double Cheltenham Gold Cup winner produced another memorable performance to land the spoils at Haydock at the weekend.

I was in Huddersfield watching my beloved Hartlepool when I got the word via text he had won a thriller and having had £200 at 10/11 on earlier in the day I was well within my rights to get excited.

Whether I was within my rights to throw my meat and potato pie over my head and drunkenly dive headlong into the arms of a perplexed Yorkshire steward is another matter entirely though.

Cheeky's Punt of the Week: Inter Milan to beat Barcelona at 9/2 (Betfred)