SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Cheltenham Festival Thursday

Day three dawned with the news that Westcountry bookie’s right hand man Q Cumber had it spark off Barney Curley style with a plucky Cheltenham treble yesterday bagging a cool five figures for a three figure outlay, writes SIMON NOTT.

Nice work Q, chuffed to bits for you. There wasn’t any rain in the forecast today, but we did get a bit but nothing to dampen enthusiasm for day three of the festival. Before racing Steve Claydon came to say hello and how much he enjoys the blogs, thanks Steve, the cheque, post dated of course, is in the post, thanks for reading, please spread the word.

The teams today were unchanged today apart from the addition of John in the Sovereign Lounge betting shop. The crowd was said to be up today but the races are the hardest of the three days, so betting was expected to be lighter in bet size but hopefully not numbers.

The first horse to attract any interest was Captain Kate in the 1.34 at Limerick at 12/1 and more at 7/1.

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1:20 – Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Dawn Run Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m1f (2m179y)

Betting on the first was as anticipated, a lot less frenetic than it had been when there was a short one to get stuck into. Over on the rail, the biggest bet they had taken was £450 on the jolly Sixandahalf which was losing about £5000 in their book, the Tatts pitch had laid £2500 – £1000 the same horse their book had him red for £4400. Kaan shouted ‘It’s shit up’ as the jolly took aim at the last, pinged it and drew a length further away.

The crowd agreed with him, those that were on did a bit of premature celebrating then tasted the wrath of the merciless Cheltenham Hill that has broken a million hearts over the years. 16/1 shot Air Of Entitlement ran down the 85/40 ( leave it out chiselling industry SP guys ) favourite close home. The Tatts book won £3036 while the rail bagged £2500 ‘their worst winner’ according to Lofty. A winning start nonetheless, which is always a good way to begin, the turnaround was around £15,000.

The crowd was bigger today for sure, getting from the Tatts pitch to the rail was a lot harder than the first two days. When you’re a short arse like me everyone treats you as a door.

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2:00 – Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2) (Registered As The Golden Miller) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m4½f (2m4f127y)

Flynn messaged after the first to tell me that a punter who’d backed the winner of the first had backed it after asking something called ChatGPT what would win. It came up trumps for him, luckily he only had a fiver on. Who needs Cheltenham previews, eh!

Next up, the ring bet 9/2 the field Firefox in a race that looked a tough one to solve. The punters were queuing to get on, however, though many were clutching coins to invest rather than bundles. Meanwhile over at Limerick the gamble had gone astray which was handy for the book.

Betting was steady, but small the rails laid £9000 – £1000 each-way Nurburgring, the Tatts pitch’s biggest bet was just £200. Both books had plenty of losers as the field set off after yet another false start.

The race went to Caldwell Potter which won with some ease and must have put a smile on Tom Malone’s face as well as Paul Nicholls’. The 7/1 winner, 8/1 hawking in the ring was a £2223 winner in Tatts but a £1900 loser on the rails thanks to Nurburgring prevailing for fourth in photo for the minor places.

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2:40 – Pertemps Network Final Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m (2m7f213y)

Next up and another hard race to solve, at least on paper. I was particularly interested in David Pipe’s American Sniper which is owned by a syndicate headed by Peter Garnsworthy, a really enthusiastic bunch of sportsmen from my home town of Tiverton. You couldn’t wish to meet a nice bunch of chaps, the Sniper was a 50/1 chance but you can be sure a runner at the Festival was a dream come true for them.

The dream for American Sniper was still alive having made all and jumping the second last still in front. Sadly he couldn’t hold back the tide of horses snapping at his heels and had to give best approaching the last. That tide of challengers were ultimately led by 25/1 chance Doddiethegreat at the line. The Tatts book held just £3700 but kept £2094 of it on the back of that result.

Over on the rail they’d laid £8000 – £500 each-way unplaced Karl Des Tourelles which was their biggest bet on the race, they fielded £6300 and copped £5300, the 11/2 favourite runner up Jeriko Du Reponet would have lost £5000 so a fair old turnaround and another modest winning race for the occasion.

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3:20 – Ryanair Chase (Registered As The Festival Trophy) (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m4½f (2m4f127y)

Next up and one of the bankers of the meeting for many, Fact To File which opened 13/8 and was laid to the trade £3250 – £2000 a couple of times. It was trying to rain on us again but didn’t come to much though it was coats on, not expected to come off again weather. Over on the rails they were laying plenty of bets, mostly small but had reeled in a £1300 – £800 the jolly.

The Tatts pitch laid £1500 each-way Protektorat at 13/2, that would have been £10,000 – £1500 had he mentioned fractions, but didn’t, trade too tut tut. £9750 – £1500 it was then, see how much value there can be in fractions?

Then a punter came in with €600 at 6/4 then another with £20,000 at the same price, see how I just slipped that one in there, it took Kaan and co by surprise too. Over on the rails right in the hole Lofty laid £3000 at 13/8 the jolly, and they were off. Meanwhile, Ben legged it.

I have to mention Tom Malone again. On the Cheltenham preview night I went to, he made Fact To File his totally confident banker of the meeting. Tom knew, favourite backers saw one win in a way they always hope they will, bolted up. The winner returned 6/4, last bet in the Star book was £3000 at 13/8, come racing, off course punters you’re getting your pants pulled down. The Tatts book lost £36,000 and the rails £9000 which was somewhat of a reversal of fortunes.

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4:00 – Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 3m (2m7f213y)

Next up and Teahupoo opened at 15/8 and was immediately popular with the trade, including bets of £2000, £1600 £800 and £400 all bet at the price in Tatts. There were plenty of bets coming in, especially in Euros most small bets but ones that were adding up.

As the horses went to post the rails team were calling 15/8 to try and get jolly and got it to the tune of £15,000 – £8000 so were in it, but not as in it as the Tatts pitch which laid a further £21,000 – £12,000 in the hole.

The colours were similar, but the takeouts weren’t. Bob Olinger and Teahupoo jumped the last locked together after it had looked like the jolly was running all over them. Bob Olinger pulled out more, the bogie was beaten and the firm were back in the game. Tatts won £21,168 and the rails copped £11,000.

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4:40 – TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)

Next up and interest in the next race was limited with minimum stakes on the Tatts pitch with only £3000 in the hod as the horses went to post, it was a similar story over on the rails where Lofty was 3/1 Jagwar but had laid a similar figure. Over in Tatts a punter waded in with £5000 the favourite at 11/4, back over on the rail Lofty was still a carpet and they were off. Oh no they weren’t another false start.

Once they set off those that had laid the Jagwar could have been excused for being hopeful they might get it beaten. I’m told it went 17/1 on the machine, the machine players didn’t know, even with drones to help them. Jagwar won, the Tatts pitch lost £15,300 the rails blew £3000.

Professional punter Lester, named after the jockey, not the town, cheered the winner home, he’d had the nod and got the wages on what he made the bet of the week. At least someone was happy.

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5:20 – Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Spon By Thames Materials) (GBB) (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-145)3m6f (3m5f201y)

The first bet of any note in the book in Tatts for the lucky last was £5000 – £600 Sa Majeste that’s 8/1 with the fractions, trade. Over on the rail they’d laid £500 each-way Wiseguy at 25/1. Then more trade, £10,000 – £700 Yeah Man. Popular on the rails laying €750 each-way at 7/1 had been Johnnywho taking out over £5000 at the off.

It became popular in Tatts too when a punter bet £4800 – £1200 quite late on followed by £8000 – £800 Midnight Our Fred And they were off, oh no, false start. Then they were off. Going into the race Tatts were losing £23,000 and the rails were winning £5000.

Johnnywho looked poised to win, Kaan had already started swearing then Daily Present served it up to the bogie who was trading at 1/10 on-line and mugged the bogie having been 130/1 in-running itself. The places went the way of Tatts reducing their loss figure on the day to £16,000 the places were no good to the rails but they still won £3000 on the race winning £8000 on the day leaving the across the two pitches total a loss of £8000 for Thursday.

We’re back tomorrow for the big one.

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Thursday’s Racing Post results from Cheltenham:

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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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