SIMON NOTT at Epsom on Derby Day

SIMON NOTT AT EPSOM: Simon Nott reports from the betting ring at Epsom on Derby Day. It looked the most competitive Derby for years and in a split second fortunes changed dramatically at the line.

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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t was glorious on Epsom Downs as we arrived for Derby Day. Listening to the other layers we could consider Oaks day a job well done, winning as we did. Ben was AWOL today deciding to bet at Towcester Greyhounds for the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby. Kyle was at the helm and upbeat.

The Investec Private Banking Handicap was a fairly modest betting heat under a scorching sun. The office laid a £48,000 to £4,000 Masham Star. We weren’t offered anything like that but 11/2 winner Drochaid was the best result in the book for us at a price we could have lost at so a lucky start to the day. Kyle spent some of the winnings on suncream!

The Princess Elizabeth Stakes Try as we might without tearing it up we couldn’t get Laugh Aloud despite going evens. We were braced for a lump but one didn’t materialise. That was doubly surprising given the ease at which she won at a wrist-on 4/5. We did lose on the race the result of combined bets no single bet bigger than £200 but only small. The office fared less well losing ‘five figures’.

The Investec Diomed Stakes Those people who enjoyed yesterday’s tales of monster bets and were hoping for more of the same are going to be disappointed that there were none to report. However, those that like to read about bookies losing will be pleased to learn that 4/1 winner Sovereign Debt was by far the worst in a lopsided book. We’d ridden our luck up until now so couldn’t really complain, of course we are bookies so did, just a bit.

Investec Dash The sprint handicap looked too hard for the punters. Bets were very small and predominantly each-way. We just relied on our margin and luck on what we laid. 25/1 winner Caspian Prince was one of the ones we laid, we did win on it but only enough for a round of drinks at racecourse prices.

The Investec Derby We bet four places each-way in the Derby. Dubai Thunder had been the gamble of the race so no surprise we had him losing £5k at the off. There were no big bets but plenty of them. We needed a good result or our payout queue would stretch to Tattenham Corner.

Aye Aye !! Wings Of Eagles swooped late to mug Ryan Moore and Cliffs Of Moher close home. The 40/1 winner was the best result we could hope for unless Diore Lia had run and won. It was a cracking result with the first three in the betting filling the places so little to pay there either. We’ll be toasting Padraig Beggy tonight.

The Investec Out Of The Ordinary Stakes. The penultimate was very poorly named, at least as far as the betting went. Having said that Shraaoh was backed from 5/2 into 11/8 but not backed with us. There was hardly a punter in front of the joint so field money was very poor, which was a shame as 12/1 winner Soldier In Action should have been a cracking result.

Spare a thought for poor Simon James two up from us on the rail who laid a monkey each way the winner.

The Investec Asset Management Handicap Stakes was another light betting heat and another where we didn’t get our whack when 25/1 shot Reputation won the races. In hindsight, we were very lucky as one very shrewd mega-topper donning punter was seen helping himself to 28/1 the winner on the rails. He left us out, so we were possibly lucky not to do our cobblers. We ended Derby Day up which made the two days at Epsom a winning meeting. Thanks for reading and see you at Royal Ascot.

Simon Nott

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Simon Nott is author of Skint Mob!: Tales from the Betting Ring

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