SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: The 2025 Derby, Epsom

Rain and storm Armageddon had been forecast for much of the country today, but it was potluck who was going to get it. As the off time for the opener loomed, so far we’d missed it, but I was dressed for the worst, writes SIMON NOTT.

I’d already survived and really enjoyed a night out with The Bullet, Michael Fletcher, last night, a true Gentleman of the turf and in general and was raring to go today. The Star Sports teams were as yesterday in Tatts on Barry’s pitch, Dan, Kieran and Kaan, the betting ring boy band. On the rails, it was Steve and Flynn joined by Liz Batchelor, making her pitch debut, Lofty was engaged up at Towcester.

Before racing, I heard a horror story from Ian Rixon, Ricky to most of us. In short form he placed a successful £5 football accumulator with a big high street firm in a shop but not one local to him so it was five weeks before he went to draw. When he did he was told it had already been paid. It can’t have been paid because the winning slip had been on Ricky’s kitchen table all that time. If it had been paid you don’t have to be Mrs Marple to work out who’d have to been likely to have had what looked like a sleeper. The firm, rather than smell a rat, didn’t pay the man with the winning slip, Ricky his winnings. He’s now going to IBAS to fight it. It beggars belief, what’s happened to our game. Justice for Ricky, pay the man.

1:00 – Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored By Oddschecker) (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) 7f (7f3y)

Anyway, There was no sign of the King this year, which was a shame so proceedings were like a normal race meeting, the books were up early on the opener but with ten minutes to go before the race it was Kaan’s team that took the first noticeable bets £8000 – £2000 Royal Dress and £8000 – £2000 Bermuda Longtail. At the off, the Tatts team had taken £6607 and the rails £1500 exactly, not a Lofty round-up. Neither team had taken many bets on the runaway winner Spiritual. Tatts copped £5566 and the rails had a skinner. There was an eyebrow or two raised in the ring when the winner returned 9/1, she had been 12/1 at the off with Star Sports in Tatts. Come racing. Regardless of the skinny SP, it was a great result to kick the day off.

Before the betting on the next really got going a punter requested a couple of bets away, he had £5000 – £2000 Belle The Tiger over at Punchestown and £5000 – £2000 Kings Crown at Musselburgh and got them both beaten.

---

1:35 – Betfred Diomed Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m½f (1m113y)

A punter bet £9000 – £4000 Persica in Tatts with ten minutes to go, which was a handy bet to lay. Then over on the rail a punter bet £5000 at 9/4 Docklands so it was up the front two across the firm. At the off Persica had been smashed up and was a solid 13/8 chance. The money was inspired this time, Ryan Moore worked his magic and won nicely from the result Ice Max. It was a bad reversal for the Tatts pitch, they’d taken £7958 and blew £8678 though that loss was tempered by the £5700 cop from a £6600 book on the rail.

---

2:10 – Betfred 3yo “Dash” Handicap (Class 3) (3yo 0-95) 5f

Next up, and a punter bet £4500 – £2000 Greenrock Abbey over at Worcester, sadly for him that one didn’t win so the good guys on Barry’s pitch in Tatts got some back. Then another punter had £3000 on Ruby’s Profit the 11/4 jolly here. Over on the rail there was so little doing that Inlike sent me on a coffee and water run. The Dash is always a cracking race to watch, the fastest five furlongs in the world according to the probably correct hyperbole before the race. ‘That’s not the fastest five furlongs in the world’ chipped in a grinning Kaan, enlightening us with ‘that’s Tony when the firm are shouting a meal’. To be honest with you, I thought that was a bit mean and Tony’s not here, mind you, he is very swift in the circumstances described…..

Meanwhile, they were still betting, Flynn’s team laid £10,000 – £2000 each-way Against The Wind in the hole, and they were running, blink and you’ll miss it. We were treated to an excellent race where 15/2 chance Stormy Impact came with a late rattle to win with the long time leading bogie run out of it into third in the shadow of the post. The winner was an excellent result for both firms, the Tatts pitch held £6017 and copped £4671 while the rail, with a Lofty style round up that held £6200 copped £5400. Straight after the race, two jolly nice chaps who work in the game came up to back Sole Mio for tonight’s Greyhound Derby semi-final, reasoning should it win, they’d have to attend the finals next week. Go anyway, chaps, see you there!

---

2:45 – Aston Martin “Dash” Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) 5f

When in got back to Tatts, they’d laid £7500 – £3000 Somespring Special over at Worcester, that one didn’t win either. The same punter bet £9000 – £2000 Bold Optimist at Navan, it was relentless. Meanwhile, this was another ‘Dash’ to get stuck into and the promised rain made its first appearance though only very lightly. Meanwhile, people were still taking rides on contraptions that looked like lightening conductors over on the Hill, they should be certified!

The Navan horse was beaten, which was also handy as the first decent bet in this race was £15,000 – £3000 Jer Batt on the Tatts pitch, which had already fielded £3000 in modest wagers. Over on the rail business wasn’t as brisk fielding only £1700. JM Jungle opened 5/1 but was weak in the market but that was no reflection on his performance as he won nicely. It was a great result for the firm, Flynn’s team copped a bottle £200 and Kaan’s £2418. Happy days, minus the Fonz, though he was cool.

---

3:30 – Betfred Derby (In Honour Of His Highness Aga Khan Iv) (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo) 1m4f

It was the rail that struck the first big bets on the Derby, the greatest flat horse race in the world £10,000 – £5000 Delacroix and £9000 – £2000 Pride Of Arras. Meanwhile, not to be out done Barry’s pitch laid £8000 – £2000 Arctic Flame at Punchestown, which was beaten. Another punter had a £10,000 – £2000 Lough Oil at Worcester with Kaan’s mob. Meanwhile in the Derby they laid £960 and £1000 at 11/1 Midak and £15,000 – £2000 The Lion In Winter plus £2500 – £1000 and £1500 – £600 the drifting jolly Dellacroix then £4000 – £1000 each-way Pride Of Arras on that lively ole pitch.

Over on the rail, they were ‘Up the front two’ with just under £10,000 in the hod as the horses started to load into the stalls. A monkey on Pride Of Arras at 4/1 right in the hole. Lambourn won the race, going further and further away to oblige at 13/2, copping £12,773 in the Tatts book and £8227 on the rails.

---

4:15 – Encore Lifestyle Northern Dancer Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) 1m4f (1m4f6y)

The first bet of any note in the race before the penultimate was £2500 each-way at 25/1 laid to the trade on the Tatts pitch. As the field were going down, they fielded another £3000 in Tatts in small bets. Meanwhil,e over on the Tatts pitch they’d laid £17,500 – £5000 Valvano and another £3000 in smaller bets on top of that. As the horses were loaded the promised rain finally arrived, we can think ourselves lucky it didn’t arrive earlier.

The rain didn’t deter the punters, one of the last bets in the book on the rail was £5000 Small Fry at 5/2. They were happy to lay it at the time, but not so happy when Small Fry won the race. The book lost £5654 but Tatts copped £1300 when the places went their way.

---

5:00 – Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Lester Piggott Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) 1m2f (1m2f17y)

The rails struck a bet of £10,500 – £3000 Hornsea Bay early in the betting for the next, that was quite a feat, there wasn’t a punter in front of them. Hedge business is always welcome! Up in Tatts they laid the same horse £8000 – £2000, also hedge business. The rain had eased to virtually nothing but some punters and bookmakers alike were already heading for the exits, anticipating the party was fizzling out. By the time the horse got to the start it was tipping down again but at least the rain was warm.

War Hawk winning put the firm back in the green, the rails copped £3500 and Tatts £900 ‘the worst winner’. By now it was very wet and looked set for the rest of the day, with a 40 minute gap before the last.

---

5:40 – JRA Tokyo Trophy Handicap (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) 6f (6f3y)

Despite the rain, the Tatts pitch did manage to take over £2000 worth of business, the plus side was they weren’t about to lose the £33,000 that they were in front. The rails were in similar but a five grand less position. Steve had already packed his pitch of the two up, Flynn gave him permission, Kaan wasn’t happy, it wouldn’t have happened on his watch, but he was out of sight out of mind, getting soaked with the boy band trio!!

Sondad did the business winning at 12/1. The Tatts pitch copped £1800, the rails lost £3000, which wasn’t ideal, but in the end the teams were just happy to get out of there. Spare a thought for Liz, she’s driving to Towcester, I’m just off to the Shire.

---

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