SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Cheltenham Saturday

We got away with the weather yesterday but today looked odds-on to be damp, worse still it was also windy, the worst combination for on-course bookmaking, writes SIMON NOTT.

Back in the day bookies’ mushes used to be sturdy items made of bamboo, these days they aren’t, Star’s rails brolly was toast an hour before the first, Martyn Of Leicester evidently got his from the same place, not Temu as one wag suggested, at least I’m guessing not. Today’s teams braving the elements were Claire and Lofty on the rail, Dan and Russ on the second row and Armaloft further down Tatts on the front row, a hardy bunch.

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1:10 – William Hill Epic Boosts Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus)

The conditions were unpleasant but not unworkable, the guys and gal took what they could on the opening heat. Most of the bets were fairly modest but punctuated in no uncertain terms by a bet of £18,000 – £2000 As Legends Have It, by far the biggest bet taken on the race. At the off the book held £4186 with just the one big loser, while never actually looking like winning the bogie ran well to be fourth behind 25/1 chance O’Moore Park. The well-backed and touted Spectacularsunrise was still going well when coming down at the last. The book copped £3455 on the race which was a good albeit possibly fortuitous start.

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1:45 – William Hill Extra Places Every Day Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

There were no bets of any note in the next race, the field money totalled £2709 over the three pitches, and punters appeared reluctant to leave whatever dry vantage point they found themselves in. Woodstock Octo was supported from 6/1 into 9/2 and justified the support winning gamely, for Kayley Woollacott under Ben Jones, the book lost £93.

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2:20 – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Next up and a cracking looking race but another that was hard to field money on, poor old Dan spent much of the time ensuring the firm’s remaining mush didn’t get airborne. He gripped extra tight after Sid Hooper’s disintegrated in front of us which must have brought the tally for the day to half a dozen obliterated in action. Today was a good test of Trackgear’s lightboard kit, passing with flying colours as far as I could see, maybe they should branch out into umbrellas of a similar quality. Meanwhile, the three pitches combined managed to field just £3187 and knocked out £358 when the 11/4 jolly Seaniecon obliged for the punters, who were still mostly under cover, the cowards.

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2:55 – William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Next up and Claire and Lofty laid £4200 to £600 Katate Dori which gave me something to write about. It’s not that there was no business, just nothing lumpy, Armaloft Alex betting on his tod near the far end of Tatts was being kept busy which probably kept his mind off being soaked and blown over, lanky as he is he’d had to hop of the stool and take bets from the floor the wind was that strong at times. Ultimately, the field money totalled £4240 of which they kept £330 of it when the 3/1 jolly Here Comes Georgie did the business for the Skeltons. Apparently the winner was bought for just £7000, a great story that keeps the dream alive for owners with smaller purchasing power. As I was collecting the figures for the race my old pal Gary Payne the runner came up to say hello, he’s a lovely chap, thanks for venturing down to see me Gary. When I quizzed Lofty on having a lean up he swore blind he hadn’t but Claire did roar the winner home…..

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3:30 – Masterson Holdings Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO)

The race before the penultimate was a poor betting heat; there was more action on Martyn’s Tatts pitch, which looked more like Jodrell Bank than a bookies position. Alex appeared drowned, Dan and Russ were both holding on to the kit while Claire and Lofty grinned on through despite the card machine not liking the rain. There were no big bets, at the off the book held £2840 across all three pitches but managed to win £470 when 11/4 jolly North Shore obliged, Lofty evidently had his head in the form book this morning.

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4:05 – William Hill Price Boosts “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5YO plus)

Lofty was keen to get stuck into Derryhassen Paddy in the penultimate; give the big fella his due, he did his best and took plenty of bets on it, just lots of small ones. The big punters of yesterday weren’t in evidence today. The two Tatts pitches cracked on like heroes they’d been today, some credit to them that they’d managed to take £4006 between them by the off. Lofty had two losers in the book, the aforementioned losing £1668 and the 2/1 jolly Butch Cassidy bad for £671 in the win book. Sadly, despite successfully tiptoeing through the tulips for most of the afternoon, Lofty’s successful Tiny Tim impersonation came to an end when Butch Cassidy obliged, yet another jolly, this time the book lost £600 having saved a little on the places which went their way. Going into them lucky last Star Sports were still £2700 in front, as long as there wasn’t a nasty surprise awaiting them in the concluding bumper they’d have enjoyed a decent winning two days.

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4:40 – Lucy’s 40th Birthday Celebration Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4-5YO)

It looked very thin down in the ring for the finale, but they’d gone past the £3000 mark as the field was going to post where Ballycrystal Boy was 7/4 jolly. Just what the soaked teams didn’t need was second-in Micky Haller getting lose and subsequently withdrawn, he proved tricky to catch and got the biggest roar of the day has he passed the post sans jockey, he was a 6/1 chance at the time he was withdrawn so incurred a 10p in the pound rule 4.

At the off, the field money had been reduced to £2833. The jolly won again, the book knocked out £827, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the day or weekend. It was great to be back but getting back in the car and sticking the heater on was a very welcome thought.

I’m at Hereford on Monday, where I’m told it can get quite lively. Thanks for reading. Thank you and goodnight.

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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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