SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Glorious Goodwood Wednesday

I’ve always thought that dressing up for the big meetings was all part of the fun, and still do, writes SIMON NOTT.

But, yesterday at Glorious Goodwood, I was told I looked like a deck chair online by a bookmaker who loves to shower my blog with compliments and a beach hut by Stephen Darbyshire, man about the ring. Now, don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t wear that ensemble anywhere but Glorious Goodwood, but looking around me yesterday, I stuck out like a sore thumb there too. There were very few blazers or Panama hats in evidence, maybe that tradition is dying with its older clientele which is sad.

I think the blazers will be going on eBay. I have got a very nice Panama, bought here last year out of medical necessity after my bald patch became radioactive, it’s a wide-brimmed beauty but too windy to don today. Anyway, enough waffle, yesterday was a winning day for Star Sports, mainly due to taking on some big hitters. Wednesday is traditionally often fairly quiet in the ring too, so it would be interesting to see if it was the same again today.

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1:20 pm – Coral Pipped At The Post Winners Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3yo 0-105) 1m4f (1m3f218y)

The business and weather was certainly an improvement on yesterday, though as with the first on Tuesday there was no lumpy business just steady public money. Tatts fielded £1706 and the rail £1442. Omni Man came up the rail to win under Ryan Moore to win at 8/1. A result at first glance but the first bet in the Tatts book was £1200 – £200 which contributed to their £1433 loss on the race, the rail did better copping £675.

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1:55 pm – HKJC World Pool Oak Tree Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) (Class 1) (3yo+) 7f

Next up and they bet 4/1 the field Tabiti in a race where big bets weren’t expected. Lofty, very cheerful today, described the race as quiet so used the time to choose tonight’s eating venue. The highlight of the race in their book so far being €120 at 5/1 Jabaara. Over in Tatts Kaan and team, the teams unchanged from yesterday by the way, had fielded £1543, at the off the rails take had improved to £2400 thanks to a late £4500 – £1000 Bright Thunder.

There may not have been much money in the market but the race was a thriller with 16/1 Saqqara Sands and 9/2 Tabiti flashing past the post together. The general consensus was that the former had won, some bookmakers priced her at 1/3 in the photo. The decision making went on for a while, in yesteryear the judge would have called for a print and my old boss Dave Phillips would have gone down the book with whatever was odds-on, after all, if the judge didn’t know how did the punters. He’d have copped again, the result was a dead-heat, it was a big turnaround for Tatts, from a virtual skinner to a loss of £364, the rails did better copping £870.

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2:30 pm – HKJC World Pool Molecomb Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (2yo) 5f

There wasn’t a lot happening for the next heat either, well that’s not true, both teams were tapping away but there wasn’t a sniff of a big bet despite a bagman lurking. At the off, the rail had £1597 in their hod and Tatts £2444 in theirs. Lady Iman, the 11/8 favourite, which had been 7/4, bolted up; the rails blew £1000 and Tatts £846. That could have been a lot worse had big punters been playing, they appeared to be on the missing list this afternoon.

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3:05 pm –Visit Qatar Sussex Stakes (Group 1) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m

Maybe they weren’t missing, with a bet of £85,000 on Field Of Gold struck at SP in Tatts the proof of that particular pudding. Over on the rail, Lofty, Tony and Emily had laid a couple of grand bets the jolly at 2/5 and a £400 forecast Field Of Gold to beat Henri Matisse.

There was absolute chaos in the ring after the 150/1 chance Qirat won the race. Some had done all their cash but won in the book, most had skinners, some had run into the winner, small punters looking and getting the jackpot backing the 125/1 and 150/1 chance, I’m told some rag layers did their absolute cobblers, but the majority had a dream result, even Mike Christie was smiling. The rails copped £2000 and Tatts untold!

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3:45 pm – British Stallion Studs EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) 1m2f (1m1f197y)

Of course, nothing stops, there was a bet of £10,000 – £3000 on It’s Threatening from the trade was beaten over at Redcar. The next race coincided with the strawberry and cream lull and the sun coming out. Oh, and the big punters, bets struck on the Tatts pitch was £5000 at 9/2 and £5000 at 4/1 Music Piece and £50,000 – £10,000 Wonder Star. Over on the rail Lofty had laid £300 Music Piece at 9/2. He’d also laid £125 each-way Quebella at 8/1, fraction backers, can you spot the rick! At the off the rail held £1997 and Tatts £20,663. It went the way of the firm again, Ashariba winning at 9/1 was a cracking result for Tatts winning £19,158, the rail did their bit, copping £850.

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4:20 pm – British Stallion Studs EBF Alice Keppel Fillies’ Conditions Stakes (GBB/IRE Incentive Race) (Class 2) (2yo) 5f

Relentlessly, next up a punter bet £25,000 – £10,000 Latynina over at Redcar, which was beaten. The rails were the first to take some decent money in the next, they took a £3000 bet at 11/8 from the floor over Zelaina and £700 Luna Mia at 8/1. Kaan was gesturing for me to hold his beer, they’d laid £15,000 at 11/8 Zelaina which was the only bet of note in a race that they held £15,852. Spicy Marg found a hell of a turn of foot and one that the punters didn’t appear to have anticipated before she bolted up at 4/1. Another cracking result for the Star Sports books, both pitches copped, Lofty’s team £4500 and copped £3700 while Kaan’s won £14,701. With just one race to go, things were looking good.

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4:55 pm – World Pool Bet With The tote Handicap (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-95) 7f

It looked as if the bookmakers at Sandown had better brace themselves as the big punting was non-existent in the last, despite betting 1/4 the odds the first four places, come racing. Over on the rail, they tapped in just over a £1600 worth of bets while over in Tatts they didn’t breach the grand barrier. Great Acclaim winning at 18/1 topped off a great day for the ring, the rails won £1300 and Tatts £598 a cracking cop for both pitches on the day. Lofty has mentioned the Ivy tonight and I’m feeling quite peckish! Aye Aye.

We’re back tomorrow.

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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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