SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Greyhound Derby Final

I arrived at 4pm after sailing up from Devon and Towcester was already buzzing – and I mean buzzing.

I thought the ABBA tribute act were just sound-checking, but no, the party was in full swing. Lofty had been here since two and had already taken £3000 in bets. Ben arrived in good spirits with his retired Greyhound Goldie and the old racecourse was rockin’.

The night started well for the book, a bet of £4400 – £4000 the first favourite Trap 6 Faughan Rebel was thwarted when runner-up to Trap 3 Ivy Hill Skyhigh.

 

Trap 1 the odds-on Jolly won the second but didn’t see the same support. There would have been a more in-depth report but Ben & Gary on the joint were giving out cigars like they were going out of fashion and those buggers took some unwrapping on demand!

The main pitch fielded nearly £6000 in the third heat, the 7/4 favourite Hanna Lover won but the book copped thanks to strong support for Ivanexile from Trap 6 including a bet of £2000 – £1000.

They took nearly the entire field of the previous race with a bet of £4000 – £5500 Trap 1 Havana Class in the fourth. The race went to a desperate photo, so desperate it resulted in a dead heat between Traps 1 and 2.

Between races, the wind picked up the umbrella which took off but was luckily caught before braining too many people. Then a whole load of notes went up in a mini whirlwind – there was a scramble but I think it was all returned. In my day floormen would have had the notes in their pockets as a Brucey, in the blink of an eye! The betting on race five was wild, the bogie at the off was Trap 6 Old Fort Chicago which attracted a bet of £15,000 – £3000 but was beaten in a close finish with Trap 5. Another good result for the book and a great result for local trainer Frank Gray and connections who know how the celebrate!

Another pair who know how to celebrate are racing press room aficionados Graham Clark of the Jockey Club Editorial and Paul Binfield; two of Mark Wallis’ syndicate members their dog is named Lens and Pens but not running tonight. It was a jolly up.

Next up and the money was for Skywalker Tiktok running from Trap 2, bets laid included £1250 – £1000 and £2500 – £2000. They got that beaten too behind virtual skinner Trap 3. Ben looked at the book and said ‘if only we got these results at Royal Ascot’…

Next up and the best betting heat of the night so far. Well, when I say best, it depends on how you look at it. Moments Of Magic from Trap 1 was backed from 2/1 in 11/8 with plenty of lumps including a couple of grands while Trap 4 Glatton Gianni saw a single bet of £3000 at 11/4. They were the only two in it finishing first and second in racecard order, costing the main pitch just under £10,000.

It was so busy on the pitch that poor old Gary, Ben’s right-hand man, cut his finger in the readies and had to stand down for a bit because he was bleeding on the punters, and worst still, the cash.

Race 8 and Trap 1 Callmesteve was popular at 4/5 and the bogie right until they were going into the traps when a punter bet £7000 – £4000 Trap 6 Bellmore Sally. The latter ran a blinder but had to give best to the jolly on the home straight, the book copped a monkey.

Race 9, there was a £3000 – £1000 bet on Trap 1 Signet Ace and £4500 – £2000 Trap 5 Signet Goofy. Trap 2 Cape Cloud winning was, as Lofty put, ‘the worst winner in the book’, which was still a pretty good winner.

Race 10 and the action kept coming, I was personally hoping that Trap 1, the Fergal O’Brien runner Goldies Perryman would win but I kept it quiet after Ben laid a £6000 – £1000, it was OK again when a punter came for £5500 – £4000 Trap 3 Chelms Fred, topped up by Square In The Air boss Bill Esdaile, yes a guest in the box, backing the bogie.

Star Sports had laid £14,000 – £1000 ante-post Innfield Trojan. Not many people backed 12/1 winner Trap 6 which was a cracking result but spare a thought for Dr Simon and the Fergal team, Trap 1 was a fast-finishing whisker behind the winner in the photo.

Race 11, the marathon saw plenty of money for 5/4 favourite Trap 4 Lemming Extra and a £10,000 – £1000 and Trap 3 Savana Honey but it was Trap 1 Tommy’s Dove that Lofty roared home to win. ‘I love a marathon’ grinned our hero, at least you know when Lofty has had it spark off, the book will have had too.

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Star Sports & TRC English Derby Final

The Derby was as you would expect a frenetic betting heat, unexpected big bets, £14,000 – £1000 and £21,000 – £1500 each-way Trap 1 Savana Beau as well as the more likely lumps £7500 – £3000 Trap 4 the impressive winner Romeo Magico, Graham Holland’s Irish raider.

Despite getting Trap 1 out of the frame it wasn’t a great result for the on-course book or the ante-post, 33/1 laid. Oh and guess who was on at 40/1. Here’s a clue, he’s a tall lad and often grumpy, not tonight he’s not though!

What a tremendous night, the atmosphere was electric, the racing top class, and the business in the ring, well, betting as it should be. Don’t miss it next year.

SIMON NOTT

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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