SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Saturday

It was a different feel at Newbury today, full service had resumed with Tatts fully open writes SIMON NOTT.

The crowd was a very healthy-sized one, the bookies had turned out in force and punters were keen to get stuck in. The Star Sports team today were Kaan, Kieran and Sophie betting in the same place as yesterday.

Before racing I was talking to shrewdies Alan Potts and Peter Collier who both said the card looked very trappy, good for bookmakers hopefully.

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2:05 – Get Best Odds Guaranteed At BetVictor Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130) 2m3f (2m2f183y)

The bigger punters were evidently out and lumping on, but as with yesterday for whatever reason they didn’t open their bags at the Star joint. Star still got some of the money though, some of the bookies that did their readies yesterday were having to hedge. All the trade money was for Norn Iron, bets of £10,000 – £4000 and £1000 – £400 was followed by a £4000 – £2000 off the floor late.

At the off the firm had the the jolly for £15,400, so in it. They were out of it when 8/1 Kalium got the better of the jolly close home. The winner was no surprise to followers of Andrew Mount who tipped the winner on Thursday. The book copped £6800, which was a great start.

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2:40 – BetVictor Home Of The Saturday Superboost Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+ 0-145) 2m4f (2m3f187y)

Betting started a bit slow on the next but livened up with a trade bet of £5500 – £2000 Saint Segal late on. When I say slow, if I tell you after that bet the field money was £2100 you’ll get the drift. Meanwhile, behind the joint and to the left Big Jim and his apprentice Adam were resplendent in blazers that made me want to buy an ice cream.

With £2134 in the hod the field set off, Star Sports v the jolly. Bhaloo winning at 8/1 copped all bar £122 which was very handy indeed.

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3:15 – BetVictor British EBF “National Hunt” Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle (Limited H’cap) (Grade 2) (GBB) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m4½f (2m4f118y)

Next up and a competitive heat where the firm struggled to take a monkey including a bet of £3000 – £240 Pismo Beach to a shrewdie which given this was a busy Saturday was pretty poor by anyone’s standards. Kaan consoled himself by munching on one of his favourite panda biscuits.

That little nibble did the trick, Siog Geal the 5/2 jolly won the race but the firm copped £338, ideal.

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3:30 – John Haine Memorial Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+) 2m½f (2m69y)

Next up and the 10 runner race has been reduced to five thanks to a slew of non-runners. The firm took £2200 which sounds OK until I tell you that £2000 of it was on John Barbour at 8/11.

A lovely couple Howard and Tracey came over to say hello. They read the blogs and had a question, they know what Rule 4 is, but wanted to know what rules 1, 2 and 3 were. Does anyone know?

Meanwhile, John Barbour won the firm blew £1348.

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4:25 – Goffs Hundred Grand Bumper (An Open National Hunt Flat Race) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4-5yo)2m½f (2m69y)

It was a little ironic that the richest day of Newbury’s concluding jumps card of the 2024/25 season was the bumper. It looked a tough heat for the punters who had very little to go on when trying to pick the winner. I would normally use that as a reason why they didn’t get stuck in, but they had been standing back all day.

Luckily, a punter decided that Kadastral at 4/1 was worth a grand of his hard-earned which made the race interesting and another £100 at the same price. Yes, very interesting, Kadastral won the race at 9/2, the firm blew £4697 but could sleep content in the knowledge that they’d had the value.

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5:00 – Business Colleagues & Friends Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-130)2m7½f (2m7f86y)

The penultimate saw a bit more business £500 – £400 and £2200 – £1600 Javert Allen and £4000 – £1000 Beau Balko laid but there really wasn’t a buzz about the place at all. On the plus side, Alan Potts came to the races bearing a gift for me, a copy of Gary Wiltshire’s new book ‘Fifty Years In The Betting Jungle’.

Alan read it in one sitting so kindly let me have it, sorry Garry Alan’s cost you a sale – Aye Aye.

Back to the betting and the book held £3175, you do the maths. Here’s some more maths, Ballybreeze won at 17/2, nobody backed it with Star, skinner. I suggested Kieran shout ‘Pay Pay’ he wasn’t keen so I did instead, well you’ve got to have a laugh, ha ha ha ha.

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5:35 – BetVictor A Run For Your Money Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5yo+ 0-135)
2m7½f (2m7f86y)

If it wasn’t for the Welsh chaps singing in Members, the racecourse would have been eerily quiet while the betting on the last got underway. I should say potential betting because there wasn’t much of it going on.

The firm did lay King’s Threshold £600 – £200 and that was about it, £365 held in total with the bottle bet making that one the bogie with Neon Moon a loser for £127 too. The good news was that being £6339 in front going into the race a good winning two days was assured.

King’s Threshold won losing £525 which took the shine off but didn’t ruin an excellent winning day.

I’m back with Star at Aintree, thanks for reading.

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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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