SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: York Ebor Festival Thursday

Fresh and refreshed after a professional and civilised evening, the unchanged Star Sports’ team were up and at ‘em early with Nick at the helm for Ladies Day, writes SIMON NOTT.

As with yesterday, it was going to be a bit like fishing, you never know how big the business is going to be until you get a bite.

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💈 1:50 – Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (IRE Incentive Race) (Class 1) (2yo) 6f

The first tug on the line came early, £3500 at 3/1 American Queen, then tug tug £5500 – £2000 Royal Fixation, the float went under again when American Queen attracted another snap, £5500 – £2000, it appeared they were biting, the biggest nibble of them all £10,000 – £4000 Royal Fixation, then another grand and a grand each way the same horse near the off, what a betting heat to kick the day off. In hindsight, it would have been better if the punters had stayed in the bar. Royal Fixation the 5/2 favourite and absolute bogie beat American Queen home, the book blew £15,175, which was a proper steadier after the heady heights of yesterday. Nasty.

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💈 2:25 – Harry’s Half Million By Goffs (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2yo) 6f

Next up and a hugely competitive heat which attracted some decent bets early. However, I was chastened to notice that my message about asking for fractions is still to get through to the majority of punters, bets of £250 each-way at 33/1 Astrazar and £500 each-way Golden Brown at 14/1 were struck when 100/3 and 100/7 would have been available. There was no fraction option for the five monkeys each-way bet Rakeeb. At the off the book held £4400 and copped £3248 when 9/1 chance Song Of The Clyde won the race, well it was that price with Star Sports on course, 15/2 if you had to take SP, tired of having your trousers pulled down yet? Come racing.

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💈 3:00 – Clipper Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) 1m (7f192y)

Between races I literally bumped into apex predator Patrick Veitch and had a quick chat with him. The bookies could breathe a sigh of relief he was off to grab some food not strike a bet. Back at the pitch a bet had been struck, £9000 – £4000 Bullet Point followed by £1400 – £700 and £1600 – £400 each-way Remmooz. Once again, the ones they bet were generally the horses that ran fastest. Bullet Point won the race, the book lost £10,923 on top of field money of £7468.

#BettingPeople: PATRICK VEITCH

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🏆 3:35 – Pertemps Network Yorkshire Oaks (Group 1) (Fillies & Mares) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m4f (1m3f188y)

Next up, just the four runners with Minnie Hauk the neves to rouf-on jolly in the opening skirmishes. There were takers too, £1200 – £2100 twice and a monkey at the price. Another punter bet £3000 – £1000 Estrange, illustrating not all the bigger backers thought the jolly was the one to be on. As it turned out, Minnie Hauk made short work of her rivals and sluiced in, the book lost but relatively lightly, blowing £1711.

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💈 4:10 – British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Listed Race) (Fillies & Mares) (GBBPlus Race) (Class 1) (3yo+) 1m4f (1m3f188y)

Next up, and the punters were beginning to think it was easy, at least that’s how it looked. A backer humped up £2000 to have on Rainbows Edge at 11/4, that bet was followed by several £100 and £200 bets but nothing that matched up to that, but still amounted to £5912. Charlotte’s Web had been backed into 11/4, but the punters didn’t fancy Star for some reason on top of Nick aggressively doing his best to get Rainbows Edge in the book. The Northern Betting Ring head honcho did well, Charlotte’s Web the 11/4 jolly won nicely but still copped £4057 from a book that held £5912. It’s not just Lofty that can have a lean up without actually admitting to having a lean up – Aye Aye for lean ups!

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💈 4:45 – Mews Hotel Ossett EBF Stallions Nursery Handicap (Class 2) (2yo) 7f

Going into the penultimate, Nick said that the firm needed to just win £10,000 on each of the last two races to hit the front on the day, as they were just £19,000 down on the day, which given the results, he didn’t consider too bad. So with that, the target had been set to which Dave and Luke on the joint got to work trying to surpass, well you have to aim that little bit higher don’t you?

Given that the penultimate was a 4/1 the field nursery, it was some task, but the lads are triers. It was soon evident that they were going to struggle to take £10,000 in two races let alone one. There was a highlight though, I collared Neil Channing as he passed, always nice to see Neil, he couldn’t stop though, he had a race to bet on. There was one bet, a fraction too £5000 – £300 each-way Command The Stars, that’s 16/1 with the bits, come racing. At the off that selection was the bogie with just £3100 in the hod, what was that noise? Yes, the rotund, amply proportioned lady was singing.

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💈 5:20 – British EBF Fillies’ Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) 6f

The last race on the card promised a consolation prize at best should things go the way of the firm, the business was good though, including a monkey each-way at 9/1 Bonus Time (no fractions, could have had 100/11) £2000 Dance in the Storm at 9/4 and another grand later at 2/1 but plenty of £2.50 each-way bets inbetween. At the off the book held £6938 with three four-figure losers in the book. 16/1 winner Royal Velvet had been a 20/1 chance with Star Sports but still copped £5288 in the book, leaving the final total on the day a loss of £17,580.

Given the number of short ones obliging Nick thought that wasn’t bad, the firm were still winning well over the two days, with the two busiest yet to come. As I left, Neil Channing was scampering away having done his money with Geoff Banks, spotted in his peripheral vision coming to gloat, he’s got some turn of foot when it matters that Channing fellow. We’re back tomorrow. Oh, the last winner returned 12/1, that’s outrageous, come racing to bet I beseech you.

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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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