Just Another Manic Monday

This betting blog once again reviews the past week with all the big bets, winners and losers.

Monday

Monday, with its low-quality racing, isn’t usually a day that gives us too much to worry about, but this particular Monday was a nightmare at Star HQ. The jumps action was from Ffos Las, Kempton and Ludlow and the Welsh track opened the carnage in the 1250 with Top of the Range; big bets of £40k and £25k were recorded and they never had a moment’s worry as the horse sauntered to a 8 length victory.

Our woes then moved just across the border to the pretty Shropshire track of Ludlow. Owen Glendower proved the more popular choice in the novice chase against the only serious-looking rival in Muldoons Picnic. Here, unlike in the previous race, we seemed to have a chance as Muldoons jumped well in front until trying to take the 4^th last home with him and sprawling on landing. Eventually Muldoons Picnic fell at the 2^nd last and the money left the satchel again!

It got no better for us as Foxbridge won the next novice hurdle landing, among others, a  big bet of £60k at 5/6. We felt now like waving the white flag and, if the day were a boxing match, Terry Lawless would have been running along the ring apron throwing in the towel to save further punishment!

Alas we had to continue and took on Rate of Knots in the 225 at Ffos Las. We looked in trouble as it loomed up and another knockout blow looked be coming our way, but she clouted the 2^nd last and we just managed to reach to bell.

Alas Spurs’ victory that night against Aston Villa left us blooded, beaten and on the end of a big points defeat!

Tuesday

Any hopes of a Tuesday recovery were given an early boost when Heather Royal put Andrew Tinkler on the Lingfield turf and almost six figures worth of big bets with it.

Then up on the desert that is Southwell all-weather, Le King Beau’s defeat in the claimer got us back on track for the week.

However, the sporting arena put us back to square one on the day, with the draw in the Man Utd v Benfica champions league game and Novak Djokovic beating Tomas Berdych 2-1 in the men’s tour finals at the O2 in London.

Wednesday

On the boxing theme from Monday it was rather ironic that Fists Of Fury landed a knockout blow (groan) when winning the 1255 at Wetherby. Charles Byrnes runners away from the major meetings must be treated with respect; this one was, but that still didn’t stop it taking the best part of £80k out of our coffers.

Defeats for Kempes over at Cork and Luggers Hall back at Wetherby got us back in the game. The turning point of the day for us came over in the frozen wastes of St Petersburg when Zenit were playing this year’s surprise package in the Champions League Apoel Nicosia. Heavy odds-on players came out with some big bets for the Russians but the last twenty minutes were like the Alamo as the Cypriots clung on for dear life. The bus was parked, along with the kebab van and just about anything else Cypriot as they held on and we had a good day!

Thursday

Thursday saw the beginning of the 3 day Hennesey meeting at Newbury and the 2^nd race at 100 saw plenty of big bets for the ex-French Celtus. French 4 year olds in handicaps usually get all the allowances and a favourable mark over here it seems and usually are all the rage. This one proved no exception andm when 2^nd favourite The Cockney Mackem unseated early, we feared the worst. However, we had an unlikely ally in the Alan King-trained Lidar, who we were told was the best horse ever by its owner at an open day a couple of years ago. Even the train gave it a glowing report, but it has been an endless let down since, until now…Thanks Lidar!

Defeat for True Blue at Taunton got us clear although Rose Of the Moon winning at Uttoxeter set us back and the Kempton all-weather in the evening set us back a little further. Gabbiano had been backed at 16/1 in the early morning, although we only found the money when it reached 13/2 and 6/1 each way. The rare sight of Tony Culhane in full flight delivered it with what we thought was a well-timed run. However, it failed to catch the favourite (although we still lost the each way cash).

Half an hour later we did the full amount when the well-backed Valdan outbattled Sail Home (whom Dave in the office has a leg in). A few shrewd wagers for New Leyf in the 710 were kept though, so we did end the day in profit.

Friday

Friday proved very quiet on the horse front and really only some of our old favourite ‘naughty each way’ support for It’s A Gimme in the concluding contest was noted. Of course this duly obliged and, other than our old favourite big odds punter laying into the 1/6 winner Kie at Musselburgh, that was about it! Very boring.

Saturday

As usual Saturday was the busiest day in the office. For the first time this season, the Premier League saw some big hitters coming out to play. The live lunchtime game saw 6 figures worth of big bets for Stoke vs the hapless Blackburn; this was never in any danger as Stoke cruised into a three goal lead- bad start.

The afternoon’s racing featured the Hennessey Gold Cup, which was a fairly quiet betting heat but proved a popular winner in the office in Carruthers.

We had all the novice hurdle players out for a couple of races with Peckhamecho at Bangor and Queens Bay at Towcester , these both were heavily backed and won very easily, but some good wagers at Newbury went aside with the heavily backed Osric and Coup Royal in the last race and Titan di Sarti in the 205.

That was about it for racing business but the football kept us buzzing as the bogeys were Spurs, Sunderland and the Draw/Qpr double chance; as usual Jeff Stelling was being a tease on Soccer Saturday as goals went in around the country, but with the game at Carrow Road poised at 1-1 a ‘lets go to Carrow Road, where there’s been a 3^rd goal’ stopped everything in the office. For us it came good for Grant Holt had bundled one in and we clawed back some of the Spurs losses. With Wigan coming from a goal down to beat Sunderland we made a recovery.

This was offset by Australia just about covering the -7 handicap against the Barbarians! Then Arsenal’s defensive woes again got the better of them as they failed to beat Fulham at the Emirates. A couple of football Accas obliged and we just about ended the day in front, but the week behind.

Sunday

Very, very quiet on the racing, with only really a gamble on Chesters Lad at Carlisle (matched at 1.02 on the exchanges in-running) getting us excited.

Again, though, the football was the day’s stumbling block with draws in the Swansea v Villa game and a very entertaining Liverpool v Manchester City game getting us on the back foot on the day and the week. I’m off next week so hopefully someone will fill my size 12s for next week’s betting blog!