SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: The 2025 Oaks, Epsom

D-Day, the day before Derby Day, otherwise known as Oaks day and time for the first of those iconic British summer race meetings, writes SIMON NOTT.

It didn’t feel much like summer when I arrived though, as it was chucking it down but the rain soon cleared. The sun had even shown its face a couple of times by the time betting got underway for the opener.

The teams today were extended from last year, due to the purchase of late Barry Dennis’ Tatts pitch. That was manned today by Barry’s son Dan, Kieran and Kaan, sound like a boy band don’t they. Over on the rails the duo of pitches there saw heavyweights Lofty, Steve and Inlike Flynn manning the ramparts.

I had a wander around prior to racing and bumped into Jerry White, legend of the UK betting ring and Rob Waterhouse, legend of the Australian betting ring. It’s a small world this gambling game and I’m chuffed I know them both.

1:30 – Nyetimber Surrey Stakes (Listed Race) (Class 1) (3yo) 7f (7f3y)

The first team to take the sort of bet that the blog likes was Barry’s pitch in Tatts, who laid £3333.33 – £1000 each-way Formal. That bet was dwarfed by £22,500 – £10,000 on Diego Ventura on the same pitch. ‘We’ll bet up to it’ was Kaan’s ever-optimistic response.

Meanwhile, over on the rail, the three amigos had hardly set the world alight, fielding a grand across both pitches. At the off Formal was a 9/4 chance, they knew, she bolted up. The rails book did £1015, by the time I got to the Tatts pitch to find out they’d won £5380 they’d laid £15,000 at 11/8 on Herja over at Bangor. Yes, I know what you are thinking, surely the punter could have rummaged down the back of his sofa and pulled up another grand to make it £22,000 – £16,000 nice and easy for the clerk.

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2:05 – Betfred British EBF Woodcote Stakes (Conditions Race) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2yo) 6f (6f3y)

Harja was beaten at Bangor after trading very short in running, which of course was very handy for the firm, so it didn’t matter too much what price he went in-running in the end. I’m guessing the punter was unlucky, lucky the sofa remained unadulterated. The rails pitches were linked but not with Tatts, so the shoe leather on my new brogues, thanks Max, was getting a first wear battering. It had started to liven up though so worth it, Barry’s pitch laid £2400 – £1600 and £6000 – £4000 Maximized while the rails laid £3000 – £2000 and £500 – £400 the same horse which was showing 6/5 on the big screen by the time the horses went to post.

It was still an 11/8 chance when Kaan laid £10,000 at the death, then a bet of £20,000 at 11/10 Baskerville over at Bangor. It was all go, and they were off. Out on the Epsom turf, it was another case of ‘they knew’ Maximized did the business, the Tatts pitch lost £23,597 and the rails £3500.

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2:40 – Betfred Coronation Cup (Group 1) (Class 1) (4yo+)1m 4f

Next up here at Epsom and short one for those who had already been opening shoulders to really get stuck into. Calandagan opened 8/11 and very soon attracted an £11,000 bet at that price. Then, the team spotted a player that can sometimes bet in colossal sums wandering over, they breathed in then exhaled a sigh of relief tinged with disappointment that he just came to say hello and not think of a telephone number, double it then have it on. Meanwhile over at Bangor the big bet got beaten, which copped back most of the previous Epsom losses. Kaan was under the cosh, luckily he had a good team around him, he’d been taking plenty of bets from the floor plus some lumps, £7200 – £9990 trade and £23,750 at 8/11 both on Calandagan.

Meanwhile, the lads kept tapping away, the punters would not be denied the favourite, it’s an easy game when they keep winning, a punter chanced £800 – £1100 with Steve, which was the bet that tipped the odds, 4/6 it was on the rail. Kaan wasn’t done, laying a further £10,000 and £600 at 8/11 before waving the white flag and joining the half-arm-on club. Things slowed down a bit near the off, the rails pitches had fielded £15,000 and had the favourite for £7000 while Tatts, £46,991, with the jolly losing £31,370.

I watched the race next to bookmaker Simon James, turning for home in running we both though the jolly was going to win, especially when he came alongside Jan Brueghel with a furlong or so to run, but he couldn’t go past, the 10/3 (7/2 and 4/1 early on course ) second-in Jan Brueghel and Ryan Moore, the rails books won £9500 between them, Tatts’ won £43,280. The Star Sports boys were back in town.

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3:15 – Betfred Nifty 50 Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) 1m 2f

Next up and the big handicap where unsurprisingly bets were of smaller denomination. ‘A nice rest for a race’ was Kaan’s observation before sending the message ‘Send pound coins’ as the ladies’ penchant for handing over a tenner and having a six pound bet took their toll. The Tatts pitch still managed to take £2136 even if it was in shrapnel while the rails took £3000 between them, I’d be surprised if it was bang on £3000 but Lofty likes a round figure. Anyway, Ecureuil Secret winning at 28/1 was a handy result, though ‘Mystic Meg found it’ with the rails, they only copped £260 while the Tatts pitch fare better keeping £1141 and hopefully replenished the pound coin fund. Back in the day ‘The Full Treatment’ used to be handing over a score and asking for a nicker each-way, there aren’t many full treatments any more.

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4:00 – Betfred Oaks (Group 1) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo) 1m4f

The betting on the Oaks revolved around Minnie Hauk and Desert Flower the rails took bets of £4500 – £1000 and £2250 – £500 and Tatts £40,000 – £10,000 Minnie Hauk while there was plenty of public support for Desert Flower though generally smaller at 11/8 and 5/4 with a grand and a monkey laid at those prices. It was a busy heat befitting of a Classic. The race was a cracker too, but sadly it didn’t end well for the firm, Minnie Hauk won the race, the Three Amigos on the rail held £9500 and lost £800 which was a minor flesh wound compared to the severe trauma over in Tatts, they took £17,232 and lost £38,686. Nasty.

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4:35 – Trustatrader Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) 1m½f

Next up and a very slow race, the post the feature slump that we so often see at premier meetings. The rails pitches fielded just over £2500, and Tatts £2300. Mirsky the 9/4 favourite won the race both teams did their dough Lofty’s mob lost a twenty pound note but Kaan blew £3579 thanks to a right in the hole £1000 – £400 the 9/4 favourite. Going into the last race Kaan was out of pound coins again but winning £19,000 ‘Feels like losing’ and the rails were £4000 in front.

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5:10 – Debenhams Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-100) 7f

So, the team was £23,000 in front with a race to go and a handicap at that, time to draw in the horns, snap the elastic bands around the readies and go into Derby Day nicely cushioned should the big punters wade in again. Of course it doesn’t actually work like that, just depends on what comes in, a bit like fishing. There were very few bites in the race on Barry’s pitch though they took £2500 while the rail saw a monkey on Miss Information at 15/8 early £6000 – £500 each way Alzahir in a book that held £4100. Partisan Hero the 7/2 second in won the race, they copped £2700 while Kaan’s Tatts pitch trousered £1339, topping off a good day of wild swings at the behest of some big players.

Lofty’s off to Towcester tomorrow night to be replaced by Liz Batchelor making her racecourse pitch debut here at Epsom. I’m back too, hopefully writing about another winning day, for the good guys of course.

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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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