SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Saturday

Today’s racing at Newbury looked, at least on paper like a difficult card, so difficult that my often-mentioned yesterday pro-punting pal Alan Potts had given the meeting a swerve, writes SIMON NOTT.

Three people who hadn’t were Kaan, Steve and Keiran who were here to take the bets on behalf of Star Sports from the same position as yesterday. The hope was they’d get Friday’s last-gasp losses back plus some; the crowd certainly looked a healthy size.

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13:02 – Dubai International Airport World Trophy Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

Business on the opener was healthy whilst devoid of any notable bets, though bagmen were in evidence lurking with intent. Field money of £2092 was reduced to a cop of £642 when 12/1 shot Miss Yerchance got the money for the Burke yard under Jack Nicholls, a nice start.

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13:37 – Dubai Duty Free Autumn Cup Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3YO plus 0-105)

Regular readers might remember a likely duo running around Ascot a few weeks back, totally giving the game away by asking for large bets on a horse who races in advance. They were back, dashing about, not exactly inconspicuously trying to back Furthur here. The first rule of being a floorman always was take what you are offered when backing something, that rule evidently missed by the dynamic duo. They were asking for grands at 13/2 then turning down the monkeys they were offered then asking for grands at shorter prices. Like I said before, consultancy how to get on available. Meanwhile, a known live bagman was quietly backing Pearl River at 7/1, quietly being the operative word. As the horses got to post Further was a 10/1 chance and Pearl River a 9/2 chance. Well, what can you say, the new bagman who apparently doesn’t understand fractions, appears to be on live stuff, Pearl River made all to win, landing a nice touch. One bookmaker in the ring apparently laid him a £17,000 – £2000. Not Star Sports though, Kaan spotted who was backing the winning a dodged the big prices, at the off the book held £4117, the winner copped £3224 where elsewhere the air was thick with the scent of burned bookies’ fingers. The other stick on which bounced was unsighted at the business end. Interesting stuff.

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14:12 – Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2) (In Honour Of Ian Balding) (Class 1) (2YO)

After the heroic betting of the previous race, the next was much more subdued, but was good business, lots of £80, £100 and £200 bets which brought the field money up nicely. At the off the book held £3275 due all to public money, no bag men no lumps. Before I go on, yesterday Alan Potts made a rock solid case for Nabati which at the time was a 4/1 chance, this morning Neil Channing made a rock solid case for Nabati to me, which at that point was a 3/1 chance. Kaan was aware of both shrewdies’ thoughts aligning, I’m not saying there was a lean-up but it’s not often a well-backed 7/4 chance winning cops £2471 from a £3275 book, pro-punters that share their opinions, legends.

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14:47 – Dubai Duty Free Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (3YO plus 0-105)

The next race started with a bookmaker looking for readies replenishment, tames lions this game, to coin a hoary old phrase, bookies don’t bring much cash racing anymore, so a few well-backed winners can smash a hole in the hod. Betting on the heat proper began with a £2500 – £250 each-way Paddy The Squire then £3200 – £800 Boyfriend but those were the only bets of any note in a £3493 book which the public made once again with decent bets. The race was a cracking one culminating in a desperate finish which went the way of the firm, 11/2 Balzac beat Paddy The Squire by a nose copping £872, which was a roughly £4000 swing should the runner-up have won, it’s a game of fine margins.

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15:20 – Pump Technology Metro Rod Partnership EBF Novice Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 3) (2YO)

Just as the firm started to pay out, the ring had to endure the dreaded ‘Bing-Bong’ hold up to payment before the result was confirmed as being unaltered, mind you, given the swing it was a relief for Kaan and the team none the less. Betting was hindered of course, as the front of the joint was clogged with people wanting to draw their winnings while others wanted to bet. There were more non-runners than there were runners in the next heat, which might have accounted for the lack of punter interest than the Stewards’ intervention, the book only limped over the grand mark as the field arrived at the post. At the off that had grown to £1722 but still a little disappointing in comparison to previous heats. Saint Mungo the 5/2 jolly won and the book actually copped £267, nice.

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15:55 – Conundrum Consulting Handicap (Class 3) (3YO plus 0-95)

Next up and it started to rain, but it didn’t deter a punter having £250 each-way at 17/2 and the same bet at 15/2 to a different punter the same horse, Jonny Concrete. At the off, the book held £2473 with a smattering of losers so it was hot and hope. At first glance the 10/3 winner Garfield Shadow was a good result, copping a monkey, but the places included a certain Jonny Concrete, so it a losing race for £171. Still, going into the last the book was still £8400 in front with the three-runner finale.

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16:30 – Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Handicap (Class 4) (3YO 0-85)

The lucky last was supposed to boast ten runners in what should have been a cracking getting-out stakes. Sadly, the slew of non-runners made it a rather less than appetising dish, where Abundant opened the bottle-on jolly. Worse still, a bird did a massive shit on Lofty’s new lightboard bag. It was a bit quiet so Kaan had time to interact with a chap on X who was telling some of the UK and Ireland’s top on-course bookies how to do it, some people really do have their heart in the right place. Meanwhile, the bookies doing it all wrong were still grafting in the race, laying a £1400 – £400 Starlight Time, making that one a loser for over £2500, not by design, it was just the way it came in. The same horse was a 9/2 out in Tatts not long after. At the off, there was £1079 in the hod with the jolly a winner for £1003. The favourite won, the book bagged a grand, and all was well in the world, though I imagine dog with a bone guy over on X was still arguing well past the blue in the face stage. The winner returned 2/5, it was 8/15, on course, just saying.

I’m at Plumpton with Star Sports tomorrow.

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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