SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Worcester Friday

Russ and Lofty manned a pitch each at Worcester, given the staffing one can assume not a lot was expected of today’s seven-race Worcester card, writes SIMON NOTT.

The dynamic duo were pleasantly surprised, the crowd was a very healthy size here to enjoy an afternoon on the turf. Business was brisk on the two pitches, well to be fair Lofty’s was lively, Russ’ not so much but there’s no I in team.

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12:55 – CopyBet Support Safer Gambling Handicap Chase (Class 5) (4YO plus 0-100)

The biggest bet taken was £400-£500 Onehundredneighty, but the most bullish punter was the young tweed-clad gentleman who handed over £15 to bet at 4/6 and declared ‘This will not be beaten’. He was right too, the Ben Pauling charge survived a bad mistake three out to win going away under Ben Jones. Easy game this isn’t it. The books held £1306, the firm lost £77 over the certainty, some bookmaking Lofty.

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13:30 – Read Johnny Burke’s Blog At CopyBet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus)

Next up, a four horse heat with Little Ledgend backed from 11/10 in 4/5 but not with Star Sports with whom business had slowed a bit. There were celebrities in the house though; Marmo, who many will follow on X came to the joint to say hello, it was very nice to finally but a face to the name after years of reading his pearls of punting wisdom. Meanwhile, the biggest bet taken on this heat was fifty quid in a book that held less than £600 as the horses arrived at the start, at the off it was £639. The jolly won, the book lost £3. Lofty Lynn. £80 down after two jollies, now time to kick on.

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14:05 – CopyBet Arc Summer Chase Series Final Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Lofty was in fine voice calling the punters in ‘for the competitive racing’ to bet on the next where Palamon headed the market at 3/1. They did too a punter bet £4200-£300 each-way Regal Renaissance early on to kick things off nicely. The losing total was doubled when a punter had £70-£20 a winner over at Newmarket. Things were poodling along nicely than wallop £15,000 – £5000 a bet Palamon which meant the firm were in it, the field against the bogie and they were off. After being a bit slowly away and thereafter never really in it chances of Palamon winning always looked remote and so it proved, 11/2 chance Pep Talking won quite nicely copping £5470 in the book which was very handy.

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14:40 – CopyBet Fixed Brush Hurdle Series Final Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3YO plus)

Next up and another hot looking heat for the punters to get stuck into, there was money again, £1375 – £500 Road To Wembley and £2500 – £100 each-way Who’s Glen two bets struck fairly early on. The rest of the betting was very steady but small, at the off the book held £1420 and Road To Wembley was a 9/4 shot. On course punters got the value over the jolly. Lock Stock was a drifter at the death but won by over four lengths copping £1180 in the book which was another good win on a day where little was expected.

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15:15 – FBC Manby Bowdler Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus)

Between race, I spotted a glamorous lady stood on her own, looking a bit bored. On closer inspection, she was scourge of the ring Harvey Instance’s better half Diane. I asked where her beau was, she made a face and told me he was out at the back of the stands smoking. How revolting and weak of character Harvey, you’ll never make it as a pro-punter exhibiting such a lack of discipline. Sort it out young man. Meanwhile, back in the pitch Lofty had laid a bet of £2000 – £1000 each-way Dan Skelton’s Premier Tenor which was the only bet of any note taken in the race, hence me using a paragraph to give Harvey grief. The clever each-way money was misplaced; the jolly was pulled up behind 9/4 chance Black Eddy, copping the book £2360.

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15:50 – PJ Nicholls KGM Korea Genuinely Made Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus 0-120)

The decent bets kept popping up, Lofty laid £1500 – £500 The Egyptian Ginge and £2700 – £300 Gwash which were the highlight bets on the penultimate. During betting two guys holding pints of Guinness came over to say hello and say that they they enjoy these blogs, we had a quick chat then they left without me asking their names, they’ll know who they are, thanks for coming over and chatting to Lofty and I. The race wasn’t quite so enjoyable, the monkey punter was spot in with The Egyptian Ginge which bolted up, the book had a reversal, knocking out £750.

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16:25 – FBC Manby Bowdler Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (3YO plus 0-105)

Onto the lucky last, Mojo Ego opened at 9/4 with Network RGB snapping at his heels priced at 5/2 in a competitive getting out stakes. Sir Alex Ferguson was on course today; he created a bit of a buzz as punters spotted him leaving just before this heat, he looked a bit lame with his leg in a cast of some sort, let’s hope he’s soon back to race fitness. Meanwhile, at the Tatts pitch Lofty laid a bet of £5000 – £2000 Network RGB to a punter who evidently wanted to knock the stuffing out of Star’s hitherto good day in the Midlands. A punter waded in with a £200 forecast the two short ones, luckily with Network RGB to be runner-up. The rest of the business was modest so just the one bogie was assure, at the off the book held £3311 with the bogie losing £4384 with the potential of a nasty forecast the other way around, a result was required for a cracking day but a winning afternoon on the turf was already assured.

The bogie must have gone a big price in running; it was 1.01 on the run-in though, winning the heat. It was a shame, but they at least got the forecast beat and the day was still a winning one for £4000 but the froth had been blown off the top, they’d take it though.

Thanks for reading, I’m AWOL for a couple of weeks from today for a small op on my hand but will be back reporting for Star Sports on my return.

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I was very sorry to learn that one of my previous #BettingPeople interviewees Mo Charge has passed away after a short illness. Although I only met him once in person and interviewed him twice he made a real lasting impression on me. He was a lovely man, full of humour and wisdom. I’m so pleased I was able to record his story at his home, when he was on top form, Mo, it was a privilege to meet you. RIP Mo Charge.

#BettingPeople: MO CHARGE

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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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