SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Cheltenham Friday

As I probably always say at the beginning of this meeting every year, it’s great to be back at Cheltenham, writes SIMON NOTT.

There was a big difference today. Punters were allowed to bring their beer into the main betting ring, though still not permitted to enter members with their drinks. The bookmakers were hoping this would make a difference to turn over the absence of cash machines on course would have tempered that enthusiasm.

Before racing the Press room was renamed in honour of Alistair Down, which ensured a whole host of journalistic celebrities were present and gave a real buzz to the place.

Down in the Betting ring Nick and Lofty were manning the sole Star Sports pitch on the rail today the crowd did look very healthy so the anticipation was business would be brisk for a Friday.

Before racing, I had a surprise visit from hopefully potential future Betting People interviewee Gary Payne. Not only is Gary a racing man, but also a national-level veteran long-distance runner. He took me up to the panoramic restaurant where he was being hosted by his numerous friends. It was a pleasure to meet them in such lovely surroundings. Meanwhile, the Betting ring was filling up nicely and business got underway in earnest.

1:15 – Foundation Developments Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3YO plus) 2m 4f

The business was brisk and at times lumpy, there were two bets of note £14,000 – £4000 In The Air and £15,000 – £3000 Letterston Lily amongst the steady business off the floor. The book was an up-the-front two affair in no uncertain terms, one for £12,000 and the other £10,000.

A good start to Cheltenham’s new season was required. The firm got one, Henry Daly’s Wyenot won the race at 7/1 and the book copped £7300. Lofty and Nick were happy with that.

Before too much celebrating could start there was the small case of putting the umbrellas up as a very ominous black cloud rolled in over the racecourse. Rain at this time of the day wasn’t forecast, at least not on my weather app, only an hour previous we were bathed in glorious sunshine and I thought I’d worn the wrong clobber. Mushes were up in record time which was handy as we were dodging huge raindrops.

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1:50 – William Hill Top Price Guarantee Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m

The unexpected precipitation didn’t deter a punter wandering over to Lofty and Nick and having £16,000 at 4/6 Path D’Oroux though, that bet meant that jolly was well and truly in the ledger. The chances of making a book on the race thereafter were slim though, not that anyone on the firm really expects to bet overs, just take on the punters.

The big punter betting odds on aside, all the public money was for San Salvador. Lofty quipped ‘If this one wins there will be a queue longer than the Amazon’ before adding ‘other rivers are available’. At the off, the jolly was losing just shy of £10,000, it was OK though, the rest were good winners in the book.

The writing looked on the wall when the jolly made a rick out in the country, he still looked in trouble as the field jumped the last, even up the run in as Jazzy Matty got his head in front, but at the post it was the bogie Path D’Orough with his head in front breaking his maiden over fences tag costing the firm £9880. At least the punter got some excitement as an added bonus for his courageous £16,000 plunge.

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2:25 – squareintheair.com Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m

The rain was short-lived, but the punters were still a bit slow in coming forward for the third. With just 10 minutes to go the biggest bet that the Star Sports team had taken was £1000 – £300 over Calico in what was admittedly a tricky-looking heat but Lofty and Nick had an ever-wary eye out for those known bigger punters that were surely lurking.

It didn’t take long to spot a couple of them, firstly the lads were buttered up with a bet of £5500 – £2000 and then walloped with a £20,000 – £8000 both on Matata.

At the off, unsurprisingly Matata was still the bogey and losing £24,327 in the win book and set off to make all in the race. He very nearly pulled it off too, looked beaten when headed then battled back after the last in a desperate tussle with Calico.

I’ve already spoilt the tension so won’t labour the description of how the bogey was beaten a neck which was a turnaround of £31,000 for the book, which copped just over £7000 on the race. The deadly duo of Lofty and Nick were back in the game.

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3:00 – Sky Bet Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Sharp Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 2m ½f

Next up, Gale Mahler was installed the odds on favourite at 5/6 but it was Valgrand that attracted the first sort of bet that I like writing about in these blogs, £8000 – £2000 struck. Sadly, for the purposes of dramatic effect in this paragraph at least, that was it. The team took a further grand in smaller bets which left the bogey sticking out for around £7000.

Valgrand was another that went off in front, this time the rest of the field didn’t see which way he went, bolting off to win unchallenged is the answer to that question. Not being able to lay the short one was annoying for the team especially doing so much money in cold blood over what should and could have been a cracking result.

The bigger punters either missed Star Sports out or were sitting on their hands for the race, either way, doing their money on the heat was gutting for Nick and Lofty. In one hand and out of the other.

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3:35 – Glenfarclas Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Class 3) (4YO plus) 3m 1f

Next up and they bet 6/1 the field, not the sort of race that the bigger punters get involved with, but if they do then you can expect eye-watering liabilities.

They didn’t, nor did many other punters, at the off the book held just over £600, there was some other business done, but more about that later.

10/1 chance The Newest One won the race and the book enjoyed a complete skinner, for £600 odd.

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4:10 – Alastair Down Press Room Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 4f

The other business done revolved around the penultimate, the favourite Potters Charm the first leg of a £15,000 SP double, the second leg a runner at Wolverhampton.

That bet was just as well, as Armaloft Alex betting just down the rail said, ‘It’s died a death’ and so it appeared until a punter had a monkey each-way at 5/1 Kingston James to liven things up. Try getting that on-line in an eight-runner heat with an odds-on favourite. Come racing.

The public money was for Minella Sixo the second-in while the jolly was a weak drifter, 5/4 in places at the off but not with Star, who were levels you devils, they’d laid it of course. The market knew nothing, the big punters were on the button and got the value, Potters Charm won and returned 6/5, and there was now £33,000 going on to Spirit Lead Me at SP in the 4.30 at Wolverhampton. It’s never dull. Oh and they at least got the iffy monkey each-way out of the frame.

Meanwhile, in the betting shop preparing to watch the Wolverhampton race, a group of lads asked their I assume self-appointed expert who was going to win the next at Wolverhampton. He confidently predicted that the favourite Spirit Lead Me would and added that it was 4/5 on. As his mates rushed off to get involved, that statement gave me hope, if you know, you know. Not even the lads high-fiving and giving it the Aye Aye at the two-furlong pole could get it beaten, the double was landed going away. That’s £33,000 at 5/6 nasty.

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4:45 – Abu Dhabi Digital Markets Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3YO plus) 2m ½f

The firm were told that the big punter had left the building, hopefully they’d spin it up and leave it behind tomorrow. That left a lucky last in which it was going to almost certainly prove irrelevant in affecting the firm’s Friday fortunes, on the plus side, the Sun had come out. It is the long game though of course so the monkey each-way laid Norman Fletcher at 5/1 was important. As was the £5000 bet laid over Centigrade at 11/10 which just won at Newbury. You know the sort of day where you just can’t wait to shut up shop and go home? Yes? Well, this was one of them.

The day wasn’t quite over dishing it out though, the second-in Fiercely Proud was withdrawn at the start just to twist the agony a little more for Lofty and Nick who had to add a rule 4 explanation to their job description, mind you that’s a lot easier with a Friday crowd than a Saturday one.

At last they were off, the bogie standing out for £2228 in the win book was Norman Fletcher, no good in the places either of course. Norman did his best to totally ruin the day finishing with a rattle but ultimately couldn’t get to the 6/1 winner Impero though by finishing in the frame copped the place side of the monkey each-way bet but the race was a winning one, just.

As I left Lofty and Nick they were busy deducting 25p the pound and explaining why….

It’s a tough game, we’re back tomorrow.

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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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