Tales From The Betting Ring – Hunter Chase Evening, Cheltenham 29/04/15

I turned 50 on the 10th of April and threw a little party to ‘celebrate’. My great mate, pro-punter, tipster and form book guru Andrew Mount, ( see his regular column on https://gg.com/news/author/andrew-mount ) surprised me with a gift. No, not the bottle of champagne, the man is a trend horse, the champagne was 1.01, but the other gift. It’s a thing that looks like a watch called a ‘Fitbit’ and it monitors what you are up to, while you are awake and asleep. It’s a great little contraption for someone like me who is trying to fend off middle-age with fitness. Your target is 10,000 steps a day, that’s a lot unless you make the effort. With my first taste of fatherhood looming at the grand old age of a bullseye I’m making the effort.

My new thing is getting to the races a bit early and walking the course. That really builds your stepping distance up, burns calories, and gives you the opportunity to ‘taunt’ your friends. Yes this excellent little Fitbit actually has a ‘taunt’ button to torment your Fitbit mates, in my case just Andrew at present but feel free to add me. If you notice that they have been sitting about on sofas and not putting the effort in like you have you can send them a rude message. So today I walked the course, I was the one in the coat that would make Toad Of Toad Hall self-conscious, here’s proof, that I walked it, not of my bad wardrobe taste, that’s widely accepted by those who know me.

Consider yourself taunted Mounty!

Thanks to ‘Fitbit’ you get to see racecourses from a whole different angle!

The Hunter Chase Cheltenham evening meeting finale has always been a favourite of mine. That can’t be said for the bookies I used to work for though, despite the excellent sport it was always very hard to win at. I haven’t worked in the ring for a firm since 2008 but judging by the people on the missing list and the new faces on the rails I’d guess little has changed in the opinion of many bookmakers.

The opening John Ellis Memorial Hunters’ Chase was going to give the betting ring a chance to test the water with a short one to get stuck into. Penmore Mill was generally a 6/5 chance before going off at 11/10. The punters were there to back him too with a trio of monkey bets at the price just a few reported. Now I have often had a gentle dig at my old mate ‘Armaloft’ Alex for ‘after-timing’ but today is not one of those days. He made a good case for Delta Borget who was 20/1 when he advised it and still 16/1 at the off. He very nearly won the race having overhauled the long-time leading favourite after the last only to be collared itself by 7/1 shot Sam Cavallaro who went on to win by just under a length. Gutted. Not as gutted as the punters who waded in on the jolly though I’m sure. Not all bookies were celebrating getting the short one turned over, one firm up at the ‘wrong’ end of Tatts joked that the biggest bet they took was £2.50 each-way. At least I’m assuming they were joking.

The rails they bet…

The second event of the day was the, deep breath, Connolly’s Red Mills Precision Nutrition Intermediate Point-To-Point Championship Final Hunters’ Chase. It was a competitive race with Mr Mercurial and Empire Builder being sent off at 4/1 joint favourites. The former had attracted a bet of £1600 – £400 each-way in the ring. As it cruised ominously after two out a veteran bookmaker’s workman we’ll just call ‘Bob’ declared with some confidence, ‘This won’t win, it’s a dog’. Sorry now to connections, his words not mine, but of course he was made to eat them as Mr Mercurial went on to ‘dog it’ four and a half lengths clear at the line.

Anyone in this picture called ‘Bob’ is in it purely coincidentally and bears no relevance to the paragraph above. Probably.

The third event on the card, the Hunt Staff Benefit Society Hunters’ Chase (For The United Hunts Challenge Cup) saw only seven runners but it was a lively betting heat. Following Dreams was a well-backed 5/4 favourite while Harbour Court was supported from 11/4 into 15/8 including a bet of £1100-£400. Tugboat was also subject of a decent wager, with £2700 – £600 laid in the ring. The money for Harbour Court proved the sharpest when it landed the gamble by four lengths. Not the jolly but not great for the bookies either.

Tally Ho!

The feature race of the day, the Bonhams Men’s Open Point-To-Point Championship Final Hunters’ Chase was another where the betting was very lively. While there was modest support for plenty in the race the two that featured for bigger money was Moroman backed to the tune of £1800 – £600 near the rails and a £900-£300 up at the other end of Tatts before being sent off 11/4 favourite. ‘Watch that one storm up the hill’ bemoaned the bookie that laid the bet. He had the look of a condemned man, not a happy sight at all. There was good news for him though he didn’t know it. There had also been good support for Quinz including a £1800-£400 each-way and that was bang on the money winning the race just under four lengths clear of the jolly. The winner actually went off at 5/1 so maybe the book that laid the lump earned out of it, at least the win side.

‘Yes you got that and you can have it again if you like.’

Chosen Milan was a well-backed 4/6 shot to win the next, the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Mares’ Hunters’ Chase and did so but only just. Roseyroo had been bet from 12/1 into 17/2 and only failed by a neck to land the gamble. She had been hampered a couple of times so maybe considered unlucky not to beat the favourite, scant consolation for the bookies who were once again digging deep to pay out the winning punters including a £400 – £600 and £600-£900.

Maybe the fox was once again runner up to the hunting crowd?

The betting for the penultimate  Cheltenham Club Open Hunters’ Chase was conducted in a pretty cold wind. The punting itself was warmer though business appeared some have slowed with some firms on the perimeters having already legged it. ‘We laid a polar and a penguin’ was the report from a fellow we have already mentioned who we called ‘Bob’. I’m not sure that comment was any more accurate than his one previously but it was that cold so he’s forgiven. There were a few decent bets about including a £3000 – £300 each way Special Portrait and £4000 – £200 each-way Connies Cross. Back at the head of the market the original favourite Major Malarkey (2/1 out to 11/4) had been usurped at market leader by Alskamatic after a surge of bets from 9/2 into 5/2. It was the opposite story in the race itself with the Major getting up under the nose of the judge to deny the gamble. Connies Cross bagged third for the each-way money the bottle punter.

Tickets please.

The race that concluded the meeting and another glorious season at Cheltenham was the Sporting Icons Evening With McCoy Ladies’ Open Hunters’ Chase. There was a market move for Fort George which saw its price tumble from 12/1 into 7/1 helped along by a £4500 – £500 each-way and also a decent bet for Rockiteer £2250 – £405 with the fractions. Those punters left it behind but so did the bookies when 2/1 jolly Current Event won with some ease. So that was it, another season over and another losing Hunter Chase evening a losing one for most of the bookies. They’ll no doubt be back next season, as will I, but in the meantime the diary now says places like Goodwood and Salisbury.

Thanks Cheltenham, it’s been a blast, now where’s my panama…..

I am now writing an exclusive ‘Tales From The Betting Ring’ for the monthly Racing Ahead Magazine. It’s available from all good newsagents or via their website http://racingahead.net/

(c) Simon Nott

If you found this blog via a link on Twitter and enjoyed it,  it would be great if you could re-tweet, thank you.

My  (Award Nominated but sadly unplaced) book ‘Skint Mob – Tales From The Betting Ring’ is a book about the bookies, punters and other wonderful characters I have met in my time on racecourses. There have been some nice reviews. 

If you’d like one you can buy a signed copy  direct  from me via paypal here 

http://www.simonnott.co.uk/?page_id=315

It’s also available on Amazon and on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skint-Mob-Tales-Betting-Ring/dp/0992755409/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A21IPGCYKI6061

Available on Nook

http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/skint-mob-tales-from-the-betting-ring-by-simon-nott/2940149802029

Available on Kobo

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/Skint-Mob/577sO7waFEmz9tXv9posiQ

Tales From The Betting Ring – @BetBright Festival Trials Day 24/01/15 #Bettingtales

It was a glorious crisp winter’s day, a perfect one to be at the races and where better the National Hunt fans than Cheltenham? They turned up in their droves too and seemingly ready to take the bookies on eye to eye.

It didn’t take long for hostilities to start, six went to post for the opening JCB Triumph Hurdle Trial (Registered As The Finesse Juvenile Hurdle) (Grade 2). Nicky Henderson’s Peace And Co was forecast the hot favourite to win the race and so it proved once battle commenced in the ring. Early birds snapped up the 8/15 before the bigger hitters stomped in. The rail at Cheltenham is a strong one so a couple of £10,000 bets plus plenty more four-figure lumps at 1/2 isn’t going to have it running for cover but does get them to grit their teeth. One bookmaker who had taken plenty for the jolly  alluded that winning or losing on the day could very well revolve around the first. There were still people willing to take the crumbs at 4/9 at the off. The books may have had a glimmer of hope when the jolly was said to be racing keenly out in the country. By the time they could see with their own eyes there was only going to be one winner and the layers the en-mass losers.

 

There was no time for licking wounds especially as some of them were reported to be virtually mortal. The Timeform Novices’ Handicap Chase was a great race on paper and one to get stuck into. Unsurprisingly there weren’t the volume of lumpy bets  as in the first with the betting wide open at 4/1 the field but there were still plenty of them. 6/1 shot Generous Ransom had flown for home under Daryl Jacob after three out but had only a neck to spare when winning from the fast-finishing 8/1 poke Astigos. The runner-up had been 10/1 early. One layer down at the ‘wrong’ end of the rails had admitted to falling into a £4000-£400.  When asked after the race if he’d been slightly worried up the run-in he replied in the negative saying he’d had the foresight to back it back each-way. Some people are just too shrewd.

It was quality rather than quantity in the six-runner BetBright Cup Chase (Grade 2). Despite the low turn out it was a great betting race with money for all the runners ensuring the bookies could make decent books or just give the jolly the stripe, whatever their style. David Pipe’s Dynaste was eventually sent off 5/2 favourite seeing solid support at the price. Sadly for his backers they did their money when it could only manage third behind Oliver Sherwood’s Many Clouds. At 4/1 in a six horse race that may not have been silver lining for the layers but still not a bad result.

The freebets.com Trophy Chase (Grade 3 Handicap) was a fine Saturday betting race, 10 runners all with chances so bet accordingly. It another of those races where bookmakers could really get stuck in fielding plenty of money for lots of horses, just as they like it. Easter Day was sent off the 3/1 punters’ favourite but once again jolly backers left it behind but still in with a chance of rewarding their support when it fell three out. Meanwhile back up in the vanguard the bookmakers were stretching to see how well the leader Big Fella Thanks was going. It was going very well and gone for home and a right result at 25/1. Jumping the last it was still 2 lengths up, clerks could be seen peering into their computers with their bosses glancing from their screen to the big screen in anticipation of a real cop. It all seemed to be going well. Those unable to see for themselves would have been counting their money listening to commentator Mike Cattermole’s account of the closing stages. Then Annacotty, previously backed from 6/1 into 5/1 found another gear in the shadow of the post to break the heart of the ring.

It wasn’t just the bookies gutted. Our old mate Lofty who can usually be seen tapping down bets for Star Sports was on a busmans and had backed the runner-up at 25/1 and was understandably mortified. He’d had just had the cup snatched from his lips. My ‘At least you backed it each-way’ didn’t seem to soothe him much so I left him to wallow in peace. At least he probably won’t have to watch it every Cheltenham festival unlike us poor Maljimar sufferers.

The  Neptune Investment Management Novices’ Hurdle (Registered As The Classic Novices’ Hurdle) (Grade 2) saw just one-way traffic in the ring for Value At Risk from 11/8 into 11/10f. Rumour on the rails was that one high-staking punter came up to draw £15,000 from a previous race and just let it all ride on the jolly. That must have taken some courage. What it must have felt like to see the hotpot unable to get past 16/1 shot Ordo Ab Chao on the run-in is anyone’s guess. You wouldn’t have to be all that perceptive to guess it was probably quite nasty. Especially with the ‘Aye Aye’s and Eiiii Eiiii’s’ ringing in his ears from the triumphant bookies who no doubt thought they were due that one.

I had special interest in the galliardhomes.com Cleeve Hurdle (Grade 2) because my good mate Andrew Mount aka Trend Horses has a leg in Reve De Sivola for which hopes were high backed from 6/1 into 4/1. David Pipe’s Un Temps Pour Tout was the well-backed 7/4 jolly but over the last the dream was still alive for Reve’s backers. We all know he’s a battler so another Cleeve Hurdle victory looked a reality as he stuck his courageous head out in a tussle to the post with Paul Nicholls’ 3/1 shot  Saphir Du Rheu. Sadly this time tenacity was not quite enough going down by a neck but not without a real scrap. There had been a few decent bets for the winner including a £3000- £1000 but the ring got another short one beaten.

There was some excitement down on my old boss Ivor Perry’s joint when his Ivors Rebel scooted up over at Lingfield. Ivor was at the course previously known as ‘leafy’ with his grandson, his daughter Wendy was watching the race in the course betting shop here while son-in-law Jo was watching the race unfold on the in-running exchange market manning the joint. ‘It stuck at 1.03 for ages’ he smiled. If it did somebody had some value because it won the 5f race by over four lengths and is now off to the sales. One can assume by the demeanour on the joint some of the morning 7/2 which evaporated into an SP of 5/2 had something to do with the connections. Well done Ivor.

The concluding Steel Plate And Sections Handicap Hurdle saw another David Pipe horse made jolly only for the money to stay with the bookies. Dell’ Arca was sent off at 2/1f but had been well-backed at 9/4 but could only manage runner-up spot behind Lightentertainment. The winner had also seen support from 5/1 into the starting price of 7/2. One firm on the rails laid five monkeys each way but it was another well-backed favorite beaten for the ring so although not a great result there was probably not a lot of harm done.

‘I copped the lot’ shouted a triumphant Peter O’Toole from the second row of Tatts, maybe slightly exaggerating but who knows, but that’s what I like to hear, a happy bookie.

(C) Simon Nott

My  (Award Nominated but sadly unplaced) book ‘Skint Mob – Tales From The Betting Ring’ is a book about the bookies, punters and other wonderful characters I have met in my time on racecourses. There have been some nice reviews. Here’s one from the Independent On Sunday 21/12/14

If you’d like one you can buy a signed copy  direct  from me via paypal here 

http://www.simonnott.co.uk/?page_id=315

It’s also available on Amazon and on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skint-Mob-Tales-Betting-Ring/dp/0992755409/ref=aag_m_pw_dp?ie=UTF8&m=A21IPGCYKI6061

Available on Nook

http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/skint-mob-tales-from-the-betting-ring-by-simon-nott/2940149802029

Available on Kobo

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/Skint-Mob/577sO7waFEmz9tXv9posiQ

And one from the Racing Post just before Christmas.

Tales From The Betting Ring – Glorious Goodwood 2014 Wednesday

I’d dug out my Goodwood blazer for my favourite flat meeting of the year, with the addition of a brand new Panama, well M&S budget version anyway. I’d given it a spin at Salisbury on Saturday night just to make sure it fit properly and not too many people laughed. That didn’t help much, ‘Simon has been digging around in the dressing-up cupboard again’ scoffed Ian (of Leicester). Cruel jibes apart I think it’s all part of the fun of going racing.

The sudden realisation that the new hat was unlucky!

It’s hard to separate racing from superstition, I thought I had heard most of them but then Tanya Stevenson hit me with another one when she warned me that it was unlucky to wear a new Panama to Goodwood. Bugger, I had no idea, I wonder if all the people buying the ones they flog at Goodwood regaled in their colours do either? Maybe an angle there for a pioneering bookie to hand out free betting vouchers to hapless hat buyers unwittingly dooming their day’s punting with their proud purchase. Hang on a minute, I wore it to Salisbury on Saturday so strictly speaking it wasn’t ‘new’ just fairly new, so I was all right. My only bet of the day was in the last put up by my mate Andrew Mount in his www.gg.com column ‘Track Bias Diary’ so had plenty of time to steel myself for the possible curse of the new hat.

It appeared Martyn had employed a secret card-marking weapon for the week.

 

I’m led to believe that the bookies had it spark off on Tuesday. They were certainly in high spirits as they limbered up for the opening Goodwood Stakes. They had a short one to get stuck into in Maid In Rio. Some stuck their heads above the parapet and went 6/4 when 11/8 was general and were accommodated with some chunks. It did seem that the sun had brought the punters out. Those punters may well have wished they’d stayed in the shade let alone stuck their chests out  when 33/1 shot Teak won the race the jolly unplaced.

Steve Ross managed to get his hat off before I could snap him. It can’t have been new, no wonder bookies wear old hats.

 

There was a lively market in the Gordon Stakes with much of the seven-runner card attracting support with Observational and Somewhat fighting it out for favouritism. It’s hard to stand out these days but Big Jim on the rails was having a go, not only dressed in a blazer that put mine to shame but also betting each-way the first three (at reduced win odds of course) and giving away sweets. He can’t have been eating them because he’s not so big any more having looked to have lost a huge amount of weight. The books got the front two beaten and out of the frame behind 9/2 Snow Sky. It probably wasn’t so good for Biggish Jim judging by the queue of punters he had after the race, assuming it wasn’t just for free sweets.

Was it the blazer, the sweets or three places each-way a seven horse race?

 

The Sussex Stakes was a feature of the day with Tornado going up against Kingman. There was support for the former but in the end Kingman proved to be far too good rewarding those punters that waded in with £15,000, £10,000 and all figures down bets at 2/5. Bolstered up by the winning favourite the punters waded in  to Highland Reel at around the even money mark. Early birds got 11/10. Favourite backers were soon counting their money again, the day suddenly looking as if it was turning the punters’ way with noted £1000+ bets in two figures.

Adrian no doubt looking forward to a post-race pint takes a breather on the rails.

The ring saw plenty of financial interest in Shahah in the Maiden Fillies’ Stakes forcing the bookies to retreat from their initial 2/1 into 7/4. There was also clever money each-way for Hundi at an early 5/1, no doubt the reason it went off at 4/1. The real clever money proved to be on Johnny Portman’s Royal Razalma nibbled from 12/1 into 10/1 before winning nicely. Another for the bookies though Hundi finished second so stakes returned to the each-way bandits.

Early skirmishes on the rails.

The Fillies’ Handicap was a 5/1 the field betting race so not so many bets of volume but business looked brisk. Probably not brisk enough for the bookies when they did their sums after the race. 25/1 winner Magique was no doubt a great result for them.

You know you are getting old when the bookies start looking young!

The Turf Club Stakes finale was another competitive affair. My early morning bet on the advice of may mate Mounty at 7/1 was George Rooke, all was looking rosy for him, Ryan Moore booked and supported into 9/2 favourite. All good that is except for the curse of my new(ish) Panama hat. Surely superstitious nonsense couldn’t affect the outcome of a horse race with a master jockey and a great draw.

Once the race got under way it looked like it actually could be right after all, what was Ryan doing.  He’d got a plum draw then dropped the horse into a position that would require intervention by Moses  for a gap to open for him to win the race. Thank goodness I wore the hat at Salisbury, the curse must have been slightly lifted as George Rooke managed to slalom his way into third to save the place money. Related was drawn one and won the race having been backed from 7/1 into 6/1, obviously by people with really old hats.

I’m not taking any chances today, the Panama stays in the car!

(C) Simon Nott

My  (Award Nominated but sadly unplaced) book ‘Skint Mob – Tales From The Betting Ring’ is a book about the bookies, punters and other wonderful characters I have met in my time on racecourses. There have been some nice reviews. 

If you’d like one you can buy a signed copy  direct  from me via paypal here 

http://www.simonnott.co.uk/?page_id=315

It’s also available on Amazon and on Kindle.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skint-Mob-Tales-Betting-Ring-ebook/dp/B00HUWR8RE/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1403039085&sr=8-1-fkmr0

Available on Nook

http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/skint-mob-tales-from-the-betting-ring-by-simon-nott/2940149802029

Available on Kobo

http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/Skint-Mob/577sO7waFEmz9tXv9posiQ

Tales From The Betting Ring – Kempton 29/05/14

Well as you can see, today’s Tales From The Betting Ring relates to Kempton Park and not Garrison Savannah but it was a close call. The Trend Horses Syndicate went right up to the wire with two lines on two horses running in the last leg. Sadly it was not to be and dreams of a famous Scoop 6 win were dashed. Mercifully we knew our combined fate around a furlong from home so at least were spared the agony of the previous week’s 1.01 in running torture. A huge well done to all those that did find the winners of all six races, here’s hoping you bag the bonus too. Also a huge well done to our man Andrew ‘Trend Horses’ Mount who left no stone unturned burning the midnight oil under a whole lot of pressure to find the winners. Incidentally, Andy, as we like to call him, has recently started writing a free column for GG.com which can be found here https://gg.com/news/betting/track-bias-diary—thursday-29-may

Back reality and for me on Wednesday night that was Kempton Park for 8 races. I don’t think I stand a chance of much contradiction to say it was a bit thin, at least with punters. By punters I mean the type that make the bookies jump a bit with lumpy bets, the sort of punters that are rarer than hens’ teeth these days. I thought I’d spotted one in the first, I saw him approach the rails with a wad of what looked like a couple of grand. He strode purposefully over to the bookies, the one he made for had a look on his face a cross between a rabbit in the headlights and a prize fighter waiting for the bell for round one. That look turned to one of real anti-climax as the guy got to the joint and peeled off a score.

It’s a shame there wasn’t a lot of money sploshing about because the ring got a dream 50/1 result in the opener. At Kempton on one of their quiet nights you get the feeling you can hear every individual punter calling for their horse. There was a distinctly delighted cheer go up when it was announced Areion had won by a nose. No matter how little they had on it would have ruined one book if the field money had been minimal. For the layers’ sakes I hope the winning punters backed it on the Tote, but if they had their delight would have been tempered by a £25.30 win return and £5.10 place.

There was a bit of money for the jolly Oh Star in the next, one book laid a £550-£400 before it was sent off at 6/5. That firm got it right because the ring enjoyed another result with 16/1 shot Role Player. ‘I do like a bit of role play from time to time’ shouted one bookie, a little bit too enthusiastically. It didn’t conjure up a nice image I can assure you, though the comment did seem to tickle the fancy of a couple of his neighbours.

Knavery won the next at a well-backed 6/1 having been 10/1 early on. Not ideal for the bookies though there still didn’t seem to be a lot of money in the ring. What there had been was for Sejel which attracted a couple of £900-£300 bets. Order of the day appeared to be for the bookies to just talk amongst themselves before a flurry of minor activity when people come out of the bars around five minutes before the off. Give the books their due mind, they do try and are up pretty much as soon as the horses have passed the post for the previous race.

Just talk amongst yourselves lads and lasses, they’ll be out in a bit.

Between races and in one of the many quiet interludes a couple of likely looking lads wandered down the empty space in front of the rail looking very happy with themselves. Unable to resist, Malcolm on the end asked them if they’d backed a winner. This appeared to make them even more pleased with themselves, they grinned at each other, shared a little mutual back slap then shouted back, ‘No, we are supposed to be playing snooker!’  I’ve always said, coming racing is not all about the winning!

Barnmore topped the evening off for the books with a 25/1 victory, that added to the 50/1 that kicked them off, two 16/1 shots and only two winning favourites that’s a winning card by anyone’s standards. Well, it ought to be. ‘It’s always the same’, bemoaned one regular layer, ‘You only get good results when you can’t take any money’. I expect we’ll still see him next time though……

(C) Simon Nott

My book ‘Skint Mob – Tales From The Betting Ring’ is a book about the wonderful characters I have met in my time on racecourses. There have been some nice reviews. 

 

If you’d like one you can buy a signed copy  direct  from me via paypal here 

http://www.simonnott.co.uk/?page_id=315

It’s also available on Amazon and on Kindle.

Tales From The Betting Ring – Kempton 19/02/14

There were noticeably more people at Kempton than usual for a mid-week Wednesday. ‘Half Term’ one bookmaker enlightened me. That would explain the kids charging around as well then. It was a nice night for it too, very mild and above all, dry. Yes dry, which was a bit of a novelty given the recent deluge that had almost started to seem normal. The nice evening also ensured that the Kelross firm won my best turned out award with their smart new headboard back on display. It had been on the missing list since the bad weather but proudly back atop their light-board. Rocky and Paul at the front of the joint explained they had dusted it off and used it on Sunday for the put-in Bumpers for Jumpers card, where I had been on the missing list instead.

Belt and braces with that brollie up?

The crowd may have been up but according to one layer the business was a case of issuing more tickets but taking less money. The books did get the first couple of favourites beaten though so not a bad start. I had a bit of personal interest in the third, my good mate and form-book guru Andrew Mount has started a new on-line column specialising in bias on the all-weather. He’d advised a punt on Shalambar in the third and an each-way double on Boston Blue in the fourth. Here’s the link to that, and it’s free https://gg.com/news/betting/track-bias-diary—wednesday-19-february-2014 well he was bang on with the first one and as his advice had been followed excitement mounted with the double looming. Sadly Boston Blue couldn’t do the business and ruin my bookies night but we had a thrill none the less. Meanwhile the on-course layers probably got a few quid on 14/1 winner Mighty Mambo.

Asking around for any sort of story to go in this blog was proving fruitless. Bookmakers John Henwood senior and junior were in attendance but not making a book, they would have a tale for me for sure? Nope, nothing to report but they’d let me know should anything occur. I asked one of the bookies betting on the rail if he’d laid anything lumpy. ‘No but Arsenal just missed a penalty’ he replied with a look that exuded boredom. The favourites kept getting beaten though so you’d hope the books were getting a few quid for their efforts. They had a right result in the sixth where only five ran and there was a 10/1 winner with the 10/11 favourite out of the frame. There was talk of someone laying an even monkey but that was it.

Just when run of the mill was about to be the phrase of the night, boom. Kempton and its ability to shock you when you least expect it sprang a susprise. Not a nice one for two bookies it may have come as a shock to one on such a quiet night to be asked for a £5000-£300 The Sliver Kebaya (that’s 16/1 with the fractions, always ask for them, all revealed here http://wp.me/p1dLbd-4x). The next layer no doubt felt quite smug that he’d only laid 14/1 (with the fractions) £5000-£350. That smugness probably didn’t last all that long as the price soon went into free-fall, 8/1 became 6/1 and eventually 5/1. Quite how it feels when you have laid a bet like that and the horse wins as it likes landing the gamble is anyone’s guess, nasty I’d imagine.

‘They left us out’ smiled one relieved bookie. That probably meant that after eight races and not a single jolly obliging they had a good if modest night. That probably can’t be said for the rest of them though.

(c) Simon Nott

I have written a book about bookies, betting rings and punters. It has been getting some great reviews. More info here http://wp.me/p1dLbd-9n

Tales From The Betting Ring – Cheltenham 25/01/14

Well it’s not often you have to try and think of something at Cheltenham to better a blog about a Kempton Wednesday twilight meeting on the all-weather. But that’s the case, the ‘Barney Curley’ gamble and the buzz that followed resulted in more readers of this blog that ever before. So thanks for that. Festival Trials day attracted a record crowd no doubt boosted by the participation of Big Buck’s. While most people waited for the penultimate and the great horse’s return with patient anticipation it did look to some that the genius of George Nympton Nick Williams could have a great day.  He saddled  five runners all seemingly in with a fighting chance. That would be a great story to follow up from Kempton wouldn’t it? For the benefit of the blog, and of course a life-changing sum, a multiple to that effect was placed. Le Rocher played ball in the first and won with some ease and was backed from 5/2 into to 2/1 to do so. It was too early to work out what might be won, but the next great blog was on the horizon.

Cheltenham rails taking the strain.

That is until the next race. Possibly the strongest fancy of the day by the form-book geniuses that are kind  enough to on occasion mark my card. Sadly The Italian Yob ran no sort of race and was pulled up. To be fair there were question marks about the suitability of the track but the figures did make him a small financial interest at least. That was the Super-Yankee down but still a chance of a decent Yankee of course.  Indian Castle won the race at 14/1 and was a great result for the bookies, on-course and off I’d imagine. That would be some of the £2-£15m ‘Barney’ trousered back in the bookmakers’ coffers for sure.

Wishfull Thinking won the next having been weak in the market drifting from 7/1 to 9/1. In hindsight the winner was a topical choice for someone putting on Super-Yankees, but of course hindsight is a wonderful thing, but you only use it ruing your lack of foresight so needless to say I wasn’t on. Nor were many in the ring either, they were all on the favourite, which was second. More back in the bags for the still battered from Wednesday bookies.  Then they got even more back when 6/1 shot The Giant Bolster beat Rocky Creek the 6/4f in the next.

With the blog topic of a Nick Williams Super Yankee already thwarted I had the idea that should Lizzy Kelly win the Neptune sponsored hurdle on Aubusson I could centre around that feat. Great idea, especially as the last time I mentioned her she rode a runner-up at the Tiverton Point To Point last weekend. Lizzy rode a great race but this time in third. The two market-leaders went clear but those bookies came out on top again with 9/4 Red Sherlock beating the jolly Rathvinden. That also meant that the best the Super Yankee could hope to be was a Trixie, hardly blog-worthy but could still merit a mention.

Between races we were treated to an almighty few minutes with thunder and lighting, huge gusts of wind that destroyed umbrellas and tore down signs but luckily it was over by the next, and it was the big one.

Come on you cowards it’s only a shower.

The Cleeve Hurdle was the one we had all been waiting for. Reve De Sivola was the Nick Williams horse and leg in the multiple. My good mate Andrew Mount has a leg in the horse and has done very well with it in the past. Andrew is a great trends man, he was in attendance and excited. Andy had unearthed a gem of a trend, hopefully one that most people would have not spotted. Unless calculations were wrong, each and every one of Reve’s previous victorious races had been called home by the nicest man in the press room, Richard Hoiles. ‘He’s commentating today’ said Andrew enthusiastically. I saw Richard shortly after, I enquired as to if he was aware of this stat. He was, and to top it all he didn’t seem in the least bit daunted by the pressure of expectation this extra knowledge bore on him, proper job. I’m not sure how many other people Andrew told or even if it was a factor, but the facts are Reve was backed from 7/2 into 11/4. There were plenty of backers for Big Buck’s too, (they probably didn’t know that caller info).

Sadly the Trixi was busted and Reve out of the frame, as was Big Buck’s. It’s fair to say that not many would have picked the 66/1 winner Knockara Beau. The bookies were ecstatic. ‘OK OK’ I won on it’ breathlessly panted one positively beaming front-row layer. He was possibly ruing the fact that these days writing a tenner each-way in the book at 100/1 down to ‘pal’ is no longer possible when he added with a little bit of glee, ‘Well I did lose on the places’.

That had to be all the money ‘Barney’ and his mates won on Wednesday safely back with the bookies didn’t it? I asked another bookmaker who also has a shop if he was stung badly on Wednesday. ‘No’ was his reply, before adding  ‘We got the email warning us that there were suspicious patterns around the four so I threw a score at the accer, we never took a shilling on the ‘Barney’ horses in the shop and it paid 50/1 at the prices’.

So not only did they get all the money back, it seems only some got stung in the first place. Nick Williams’ Amore Alato was well-backed but finished third in the last. foiling even the consolation double. Normal service has been resumed, as will normal blog format, next week.

(C) Simon Nott

Skint Mob! is a 200 page king-sized paperback book with full colour photographs. It brings to life the betting rings of UK racecourses from Aintree to Ascot and Newton Abbot to Newbury via point to points and the odd nip into a betting shop. The author uses his own experiences working for bookmakers since the late 1980′s as a vehicle to bring to life the colour and characters of that most vibrant and exciting of habitats.

Add a liberal sprinkling of humour and you have a must-read for all fans of UK racing and its unique atmosphere. Cost £9.99 plus postage. If anyone is interested in getting one and doesn’t expect to be going to the races or doesn’t do eBay if you send me £11.99 (£9.99 + £2 postage) either by paypal to simonnott@yahoo.co.uk marked Skint Mob! or cheque made payable to Simon Nott, 16 Fairby Close, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 6AB I will send you one. Postage outside of the UK is Republic Of Ireland and Europe £4.95, rest of the world £8.00

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Tales From The Betting Ring – Ascot 07/04/2013

I backed my first winner before I even got into the course proper. How I wasn’t wiped out by the guy in the estate that came hurtling toward to me as I was getting directed into the press carpark I’ll never know. Getting the car written off on day one of a two-day stint would have been a right pain. My guess is he (with a car full of people) was charging in to watch the charity race, he was definitely wearing metaphorical blinkers. The near miss gave me the collywobbles for a bit that’s for sure. I was more interested in a strong coffee than watching the  race I assume he thought was dicing with death in  the rush to see. It seemed a bit weird to have it at 12.30, almost two hours before the first race proper so I doubt there was any betting on it or that many people there to enjoy it.

The bookies were probably too busy still counting their winnings from their jaunts up to Liverpool to worry about pricing up a charity race anyhow. One front row layer did try to play down how much they must have copped by telling me how much he had paid out over one of the other ‘results’ of the meeting. He must have clocked the incredulous look on my face. He gave up but just stopped short of  conceding  that they had had it spark off. Believe it or not the same bookie, almost, and I say almost, looked guilty when it transpired that 40/1 shot Forresters Folly had won the opener. Another skinner for their books despite virtually all observers, including the usually spot-on cameraman, thinking Warden Hill had won. They were only a nose out.

Of course, as these are bookmakers that we are talking about, there were moans that business was a bit thin in the first despite the good crowd. Things picked up in the next with the help of one firm getting involved in a small way. Not on the winner though. Victor Leudorum was  another result for the ring, at least on paper at 16/1 but had been a pony so wasn’t a total surprise in some quarters.

Race three was a 16-runner handicap. Now I don’t want to bore people to death banging on and on about the place terms that books in the ring bet to. The vast majority went 1/5 the odds a place which is fast becoming the norm though the hardcore few on the rails are keeping the flag flying betting 1/4. Yes the punters do have the edge in these races, as opposed to the bookies having it the bulk of the time. Many businesses have a loss-leader that they absorb for the better good so fair play to those that take the same approach continue to offer the punters value. One of these bookmakers was incandescent with rage that another rails firm was betting to 1/6th, yes on the rails at Ascot, surely there’s little to justify it.  Aptly named 4/1 shot Calculated Risk won the race, you’d have to hope that at least one firm stood it for their maximum.

Well -fancied horses winning didn’t last for long, 11/1 shot Fairy Rath took the next, though it had been 14/1 so someone somewhere had a tickle. Not with one layer you’d assume who was later reported to have been celebrating with the winning connections, who happened to include Mrs Jeremy Kyle.  There didn’t seem to be many others in the ring that had laid it either mind. A cheerful bookmaker volunteered the information  that they had now got a few quid in front and were now ‘snapping the elastic bands around the winnings’. Maybe a race too soon because the next winner went in a 10/1.

The penultimate had the ring in a bit of a spin. There appeared to be a right old touch going down on Tim Vaughan’s Ballyrock whose price collapsed from 12/1 into 4/1. Appearances can be deceptive these days though, it looks as if it was an increasingly common case of the exchange tail wagging the on-course dog. Those sorts of gambles can be self-perpetuating though and there was a rumour that one firm had laid a £4000- £1000. Those who followed the money knew their fate a long way out when a blunder and a stirrupless jockey put paid to what ever might have been plotted. Not only did the books get that one beaten but were handed another near skinner with 33/1 winner Regal Presence.

Judging by their long faces the firm that had pretty much shut up shop by snapping their elastic  realised that they had done it wrong even though they’d got it right. No surprise then that they decided to call it a day and pack up and head for home before the concluding Hunters’ Chase. The jolly won that one. Not bad judges after all.

One happy footnote, at least for me personally. Anyone who read my blog over Cheltenham will know that I had set my heart on buying a tweed jacket and waistcoat from the profits of an ante-post punt when Reve de Sivola won the World Hurdle. As we all know, Reve didn’t quite make the frame and Geoff Banks kept my money. But Timothy Foxx got a sale anyway.  Well that nice Geoff was offering a free £5 each-way bet on the Grand National to existing clients, I followed my mate Andrew Mount’s advice and had it on Aurora’s Encore. Geoff laid me 80/1. What a gentleman, you paid for it in the end, thanks very much. Aye Aye!

(c) Simon Nott