SIMON NOTT Betting Blog: Star Brighton Festival Friday

Day three and in racing lingo, I’ve come on for the run.

I walked up to the course and didn’t need either oxygen or free water when I arrived, that’s an ‘Aye Aye’ from me. I even had enough breath to talk to Hannah for a short interview, too.

1:20 – 🏆 starsportsbet.co.uk Handicap (Class 6) (3YO plus) 6f

The team on the rails was still an A-Team, but not the same A-Team as yesterday. Lofty was still at the helm, with Flynn enjoying a busman’s holiday, Ed Dark was on the front of the joint in his place sporting a splendid horseracing shirt. The punters didn’t miss him out in the betting for the opener. The one they all wanted to be on was Sapphire’s Moon which won here yesterday. Lofty and Ed laid a bet of £3750 – £2000, I heard of similar bets in the ring too. Tony Carroll’s filly was backed down to 6/4 favourite due to the strength of public support. Those punters did their money, the jolly couldn’t replicate yesterday’s win ultimately only beating one home.

The race went to easy-to-back 6/1 chance Porfin trained in Newmarket by Paul McEntee, Lofty fancied the gelding so went for it despite the drift. As a result, the winner was a virtual skinner. It’s probably lucky he didn’t speak to the trainer beforehand. In a post-race interview with Matt Chapman, the winning handler said that he’d initially thought his charge was a good thing but after three of his ran inexplicably badly yesterday, he’d advised people not to bet him.

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1:50 – 🏆 Download The Star Sports App EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (Class 5) (2YO only) 6f

Next up and a four-horse race where betting was tight and bets on the rail were small. Lofty and Ed didn’t report taking any bigger bets but saw sustained money for Whistle And Flute backed from 4/1 into 10/3 and the bogie duly obliged for Eve Johnson Houghton under Charles Bishop. The colt had originally been an outsider of the four but shared that title with Outland Mission which had been friendless from 11/4 out to 10/3 and finished last.

While money on the rail was modest, previous #BettingPeople interviewee Steve Rucker Noyce told me that there had been some bigger money sploshing around out in Tatts including a couple of bets of £1500 – £800 third-placed favourite Gottaifan.

The winner may have been latched onto by the punters because of the name, but you wouldn’t have wanted to be wearing a suit here today – it was sweltering.

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2:20 – Harry Bloom Memorial ‘Brighton Bullet’ Handicap (Class 4) (3YO plus) 6f

The most valuable race on the card attracted a dozen runners. Pink Crystal opened the 13/8 favourite but eased slightly in the face of plenty of money, none of it big, for other horses in the race. Lofty and Ed Dark had three losers in the book, just as the money came in, no big scheme, they were Michaels Choice, Endowed and Bobby On The Beat.

None of those were involved in the shake-up, where William Haggas’ Pink Crystal justified being sent off 7/4 jolly to scramble home under Tom Marquand from 16/1 chance Impeach. Despite the market leader obliging, the booked copped a carpet, swings and roundabouts in this game. The action was all witnessed, a little quicker than most at home we guess by at least one eye in the sky hovering overhead.

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2:50 – 🏆 Follow starsports_bet On Twitter Handicap (Class 6) (3YO only) 7f

There was a pleasant surprise when I returned to the rails pitch for the next. A punter had donated three iced lollies to the firm, one of which Eddy and Lofty had saved for me. Lofty had already had his so swapped with Ed on the front so that he could enjoy the tasty treat while tapping away on the computer. Well, dear reader, it was uncanny, as soon as Lofty took the stand, a punter came in and bet five monkeys Doolily, then another backer marched up to him with a £1500 – £500 Shalfa. This wasn’t lost on Lofty who started to tell everyone in earshot that it must be his charisma on the stool.

When I say earshot, he has quite a range, our hero was still in full flow when Lynn next door working on the Sam Harris pitch turned around and, with a raised voice to elevate over Lofty’s, asked: ‘Ed, does Lofty have a volume button?’ Yes, he does Lynn, sadly it’s stuck on 11. Shalfa, the 11/4 favourite won the race, the firm did a grand, which Lofty was keen to point out was the better of the two losers, 3/1 runner-up Whistledown would have copped plenty, as I said, swings, roundabouts and a touch of stage presence.

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3:20 – 🏆 Star Sports Owners Club Guarantee Classified Stakes (Class 6) (3YO plus) 1m 4f

Tracksuit Dave came up between races, readers of yesterday’s blog will remember he had the hump about a bet limited to SP in a betting shop in Brighton town. He was chuffed to tell me that, despite the less than sporting behaviour of the shop, he still copped on the bet. Well done, Dave! Also out in Tatts, a dispute was settled by hugely respected betting ring manager Vicki Moore, a punter went away with a losing ticket but said he meant to back the winner.

Usually, that’s a cut and dry case of mistakes can’t be rectified after the race but, due to some very mitigating circumstances, bookie Peter Joliffe generously gave the punter a free bet to the same stake on the next race. Experienced betting ring managers are arguably the most important people in the betting ring and it would be a massive mistake to lose them.

Next up, the race before the penultimate, Lofty and Ed only laid one bet of note, £900 – £400 Hidden Pearl. They did well to get it in the book, Ed was on the joint by the way, because John Berry’s mare took a walk in the market thereafter. She didn’t run badly but had to settle for second place behind Tony Carroll’s top-of-the-head chance Temur Kahn which won under Mollie Phillips. The 2/1 favourite Global Style was back in fourth, the book copped a grand over a second-in and equilibrium was restored.

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3:50 – 🏆 Star Sports Two Good Football Offer Handicap (Class 6) (3YO only) 1m

Just three went to post for the ‘Two Good’ race, there were no big bets but it was a great betting race. At the off, there was only one loser for £200 in a four-figure book. That loser was 11/4 joint second favourite Loquace which beat the 5/6 favourite Unsung Hero, I’m a bit gutted the winner wasn’t outsider of three, but on the plus side, you’ve all been spared my hoary old clichés on that topic.

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4:25 – 🏳️‍🌈 Star Sports Celebrating Brighton Pride! Handicap (Class 6) (3YO plus) 5½f

The lucky last appeared an open heat, the punters didn’t really want to get stuck in, no doubt for that very reason. Ed and Lofty were determined that there’d be a nap hand of winning days at the Star Sports-sponsored festival. At the off, they had two losers in a tidy but small book.

They finished first and third Lethal Angel a popular 9/2 winner for Brett Johnson under Thomas Greatrex, the 7/2 jolly Mr Pc was back in third and King Crimson the 5/1 meat in the sandwich. The book lost small on the race but copped nicely on the day. Great work by Ed and Lofty concluding a thoroughly enjoyable three days racing up on the hill overlooking Brighton.

I’m driving back down tonight and heading for Ascot tomorrow morning, stay tuned for the Shergar Cup tomorrow.

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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