SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Kempton Friday

Not one that’s normally negative, I was a bit shocked to see how thin the carpark looked on my arrival at Kempton, writes SIMON NOTT.

Having been a Wednesday night all-weather regular for a number of years I had seen more cars at one of those meeting, on occasion. Fearing the worst, those misgivings were eased somewhat when I saw the very healthy sized crowd disembarking from the train. By the time racing had started, the numbers here had grown to respectable.

12:50 Trustatrader Apply Today Conditional Jockeys’ Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Mares’ Qualifier) (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-120) 2m (1m7f216y)

Star Sports had a pitch in Tatts and on the Rails, Steve in Tatts and Kaan on the rails, skeleton staffing appeared prudent given the number of punters in evidence. Steve took the biggest bet in Tatts, £500 – £200 Plantaroma in a book that held £520 while Kaan fielded £330 on the rail and boasted £1200 – £100 Epinephrine the biggest wager in his book. He was chuffed to have laid it, before the race anyway, not so enamoured after Venetia Williams’ charge scooted in the easy 11/1 winner, not a great start.

1:20 Racing TV Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4yo+) 2m

Next up and a big punter appeared in the ring and proceeded to snap up any even money that might be lurking the jolly High Fibre in the ring. He bet an even £2500 with Steve in Tatts, a fairly modest bet by his standards but evidently had more elsewhere. Meanwhile, it was bitter cold so understandably punters were happy to stay under the stand in the warm, though one that did nip out warmed Kaan up with an even £1200 the jolly which had eased after the initial salvos. The rest of the betting was relatively light which ensured that both books, not linked, had just the one loser at the off. Neither Kaan or Steve really had much to worry about, Andashan the 10/3 second-in ran them a merry dance drawing further away to win unchallenged.

1:50 Trustatrader Approved And Reviewed Trades People Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4yo+)
2m5f

The forecast favourite Kingston Pride was a late withdrawal in the next which left JJ Moon to head the market. Kaan laid a £600 – £400 early, Steve got it in cheaper laying £220 – £200 before it bounced to 5/4 again near the off. That was pretty much it for the race which didn’t come alive. The race itself was a cracker with JJ Moon and Slipway locked in battle jumping the last, as the duo raced past the Tatts pitch it looked as if the jolly had bested him but Slipway fought back to win by a head resulting in another welcome cop in the book.

2:20 Trustatrader Fully Vetted Tradespeople Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4) (5yo+ 0-120) 3m

Cold drizzle had set in as betting got underway for the fourth. A bagman did scuttle into the ring at one point, phone to ear, but nothing was done, at least not with Kaan or Steve. As the field went to post Kaan on the rail had taken a fiver. Steve on the other hand had amassed £188 in total. Luckily, a £700-£200 Moulins Clermont late on save Kaan’s blushes but standing in freezing rain isn’t many peoples’ idea of fun, although the lads remained stoic. The race went to the 2/1 jolly, Eyed. Kaan had a skinner, for £210 though Steve blew £77, another winning race with just four to go.

2:50 Trustatrader You Can Trust Our Traders Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-110) 2m5f

I’d like to say things picked up for the next, but this is a truthful blog. The drizzle had developed into the type that drenches you in an all-encompassing freezing embrace, Ben Johnson on the rails had already buggered off, Kaan fielded a tenner and Steve £192, the only remaining bagman had folded his mush and retired to the warm, Armaloft Alex, a stalwart of Larkhill point to points in winter declared ‘sod this, it’s fetid’, apart from that we were all still smiling. Star Of Affinity the 3/1 favourite won the race, tipped up by my mate Andrew Mount but unbacked by me, I meant to but with all the moaning, forgot it was this race, which pretty much summed up the day so far. However, Kaan enjoyed a skinner for his tenner. Steve copped £138 on his pitch, so at least the guys were rewarded for braving the elements.

3:25 trustatrader.com Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-140) 2m4½f (2m4f110y)

Next up and I decided to stop moaning, eight races in the rain is still better than a proper job, Aye Aye. Kaan took a monkey on El Rio at 4/1 and very little else, Steve sent me in for coffees and took £144 while I was fulfilling that contract, most of that on El Rio too. The team didn’t want El Rio. El Rio wasn’t playing ball and bolted up despite a couple of ricks. I’m not going to moan, I’m not going to moan…

3:58 Racing TV Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race (Category 3 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Div I) (Class 4) (4-6yo) 2m

The bumper had been split which was why the card today had been extended to eight races. These heats can sometimes get lively, so all was not yet lost. Steve decided to pack down the Tatts pitch and double up with Kaan on the rail for the last two races. Nipping back under the stands to warm up between races, it was quite jolly down there, the punters certainly had the right idea. Meanwhile back up on in Tatts or more specifically the rail between Tatts and Members Steve and Kaan were tapping away on the penultimate. While I was stood waiting for something to happen a chap sidled up to me and started telling me how boring life would be without betting and beer. He stood there smiling away as the rain splashed into his plastic clad pint, with seemingly not a care in the world, it was hard to argue with him. On the rail, despite the deadly duo now combining their talents for Star Sports, just £220 nestled in the hod at the off. Most of that money was on 11/4 chance Frontier Prince, Frontier Prince won, the book lost £700. Plastic pint man had £40 on the winner, I was pleased for him.

4:33 Racing TV Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race (Category 3 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Div II) (Class 4) (4-6yo) 2m4½f (2m4f110y)

Going into the last, Kaan’s book was £1700 down while Steve retired £2600 up. A winning day was still on the cards, the team deserved a winning day, or you’d like to think so. Meanwhile, more firms had decided to call it a day and pull up stumps. Not Star, they are always in it for the long haul. They were rewarded early with a bet of £1100 – £200 Old Park Star but not much else for some time. There were just four firms left taking bets on the rail, with less than 10 minutes to go with not a soul in front of them a punter appeared like a gunslinger and walked purposefully down the line, he stopped, squinted and drew a brace of tenners then headed to Adam Crowne to have his bet, a score at 5/4 on the jolly Edward Sexton.

The three firms he left out also squinted, at their boards, each other then the punter, he’d taken the only 5/4 from a line of 11/8. Amazing. Even more so because as the field made their way to post Eddie Sexton had taken a walk to 2/1, the price Star took a grand at. So that was it, the day was to rest on whether the drifting jolly in the concluding bumper won or lost. It lost, it was 7/2 chance Bold Action that got the money, for his connections and the lads braving the elements for Star Sports, a winning day, Aye Aye.

We’re at Newbury tomorrow where they tell me it’s going to be positively balmy!

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

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