SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Sandown Saturday

Sandown Park was a bit of a pain in the ‘arris to get to today, M25 closures are not to be underestimated, even at the weekend, writes SIMON NOTT.

But, as always, once here it’s a pleasure. The first time I came here was in December 1985 when That’s Your Lot Won at 25/1 and provided John Francome with his first winner as a trainer. There have been a lot of Sandown’s for me between then and now but that sticks in my mind. The course hasn’t changed much, but the bookies and betting ring certainly have. Star Sports are relative newcomers to the rail betting number five. Today they were represented by Kaan, Sophie and Lofty.

1:15 Betfair Racing Podcasts Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo 0-125) 2m (1m7f216y)

It didn’t take long for the crowd, many of them resplendent in the sponsor’s yellow scarves, to get involved. Mind you, the punter that had £5000 on Melon at 11/4 to get the ball rolling probably wouldn’t be seen dead in one. Neither I suspect would the punter who bet £750 on Lucky Bere. They were the two backed substantially so the firm allowed themselves a minor cheer when 85/40 favourite Narragansett won the race, though the collared close home 14/1 chance Galactic Charm would have been better for everyone. Star copped £4200 over the jolly.

---

1:50 European Breeders’ Fund Betfair ‘National Hunt’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle Final (Premier H’cap) (GBB) (Class 1) (4-7yo)2m4f (2m3f173y)

Wallop, almost the first bet in the book for the next was £11,000 – £1000 The Kemble Brewery, he could have had £11,000 – £990 with the fractions saved enough for a pint, but didn’t ask for them. There were plenty of other bets forthcoming there after but they were small, it was only when Lofty said there’d be just the one loser in the book that a punter bet, £15,000 – £5000 Belliano, right in the hole. So, at the off the firm had just the two losers the latter for about £14,400 and the original bogie bad for £5500. There was little for the firm to worry about at the business end of the race, neither of the bad ones were in contention when they jumped the last. At that point 33/1 Chance Lauren’s Bay didn’t look the likely winner but flew home to chin 28/1 Off The Jury close home. This time all the ring could cheer, Star copped £5600 and were entitled to given the price of the winner.

---

2:25 Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) 2m (1m7f216y)

Next up and the feature race, it got lively, a punter bet £5000 – £750 Afadil, another bet £32,500 – £5000 Bo Zenith, then £6500 – £1000 twice the same horse, the £6000 – £1000 and £3000 – £500 each-way Afadil. The rest of the bets were Saturday punter-sized stakes, so at the off Bo Zenith was losing over £43,000 and Afadil the thick end of £7000, the rest all winners. What a race we were treated to, Alan Potts had tipped me up Tintintin which ran a blinder to be fourth, Andrew Mount put up the 6/1 winner Go Dante in his column, luckily it seems the big punters didn’t have Alan’s ear or heed Mounty’s GG column which is handy. The book copped £8500 with some given back when Afadil was placed.

---

3:00 British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed Race) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4-6yo) 2m (1m7f216y)

Next up and it was all about Charisma Cat at 11/8, two different punters waded in at the price, one with £3500 and the other £2500. That was about it for the race, at the off the jolly was losing £8138 in the win book. Charisma Cat won nicely and a dent was made in what had been a good day’s copping so far. Bugger.

---

3:35 Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (Challenger Staying Chase Series Qual’) (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-135) 3m (3m37y)

The race before the penultimate saw a couple of decent bets, a punter span up £2312.50 on Goshen at 7/2 and another had £6000 – £1000 Dreaming Blue. The team took another grand off the floor to bring the field money up some more. Meanwhile, Spinning Mick, betting further down the rail was already worried about the traffic, my TomTom wasn’t showing too much of a hold up, his was predicting car Armageddon, I was hoping mine was more accurate but there wasn’t a lot either of us could do about it so not really worth the worry. Meanwhile, there was a race going on, with Star up the two they’d laid for plenty. They got them both beaten when Hoe Joly Smoke won what had been anyone’s race over the last, the winner returned top of the head 9/4 jolly, Star copped £3300 but kept the cheers to a minimum so’s not to annoy their neighbours who’d likely lost, £13,000 up going into the penultimate.

---

4:10 Betfair Exchange Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-130) 2m4f (2m4f10y)

There wasn’t a lot going on in the penultimate until a punter came in with £2500 for 7/4 Walks Like A Man. In the meantime I forgot to mention that before racing I’d met professional poker player Jesse May who was a lovely fella to talk to and to my surprise told me he reads these blogs. At the time I didn’t expect today to pan out as lively as it had been, it seems the punters knew the day to come out Jesse. Sadly, the one bet already mentioned was the only one of any note so at the off there was just one loser in the book. ‘Best result of the lot’ hollered Lofty as 7/1 New Order sprang a minor surprise winning the race showing some mettle to run on again after a rick at the last. The book copped £3073 bringing the winning total going into the last to about £16,500.

---

4:45 betting.betfair.com Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-130) 2m4f (2m4f10y)

The punters, well at least one, weren’t going to let the firm rest on their laurels and handed Lofty £2500 from behind the joint and had it on Triple Trade at 7/2. That set the race up but the suspicion was that his bet would be the only one of any note any note, one that proved correct. A further grand total in small bets was tendered to top the hod up but it was the book against just the one horse which was losing £8312 at the off, the rest of course all good winners. Needless to say, the team wanted the bogie beaten but had the cushion of knowing they’d be going into Cheltenham on the back of a winning day what ever happened. The bogie made a bad mistake early on which gave Kaan and co some hope of copping and were right too, Classic Anthem the well-backed 2/1 jolly won the race, and not for the first time today Star Sports copped over a jolly. Next stop Cheltenham, let’s hope that good fortune continues.

---

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

---

STAR PROMOTIONS