SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Cheltenham Saturday

Walking around the ring this morning it appears that it wasn’t just Star Sports that did their dough in the ring yesterday, there were plenty of burned finger stories asking about, writes SIMON NOTT.

Today, was going to be a better day, why so confident? A bird shit down Pam’s back, yes we’re actually grasping at those sort of straws, so here’s how it actually went.

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12:35 – Citipost Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap Chase (Class 3) (4YO plus)

The teams today were unchanged on the rail, Pam, Ricky and Lofty while the Tatts team of Kaan, Dan and Tony were joined by Keiran. They were kept busy by some decent bets, including £2200 – £400 Karnaval Point, £1200 – £400 Little Ledgend and £7000 – £500 and £3000 – £1000 Brucejack into a book that held £7162 at the off. What wasn’t in the hod was the lively money from the lively bagmen who were running around betting Dinoland, spotted and ducked accordingly.

How do they know? The sharp money was spot on again, Dinoland bolted up returning 4/1. I’ve thought of a business idea, selling white flags to bookies to wave when they see a particular crew having it on, talk about a good card. Oh yes, you are probably wondering, Star Sports won £4325, you have to pick your battles in this game, a good start.

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1:10 – JCB Triumph Trial Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) (Class 1) (3YO)

They were on the jolly Atomic City in the second, not with Star Sports though of course they laid the horse as it was the 5/4 favourite, to the tune of £1250 – £1000 and £500 – £400 which were the only decent bets in the book.

That’s not to say there weren’t plenty of bets though, there was £7648 worth of them in the hod at the off. ’They’ knew again, the book lost £600 but that was a get out. Thanks to Derek who came up to say hello, we met at SmartBash back in the summer and he was kind enough to bring me some surplus books to give away, watch my X account for them, thanks Derek that was very nice of you.

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1:45 – Paddy Power Arkle Challenge Trophy Trial Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (Class 1) (4YO plus)

The third race was all about the jolly Workahead, it wasn’t ‘them’ but bets of £5500 – £5000 and an even £10,000 hurt if landed regardless of the source, of course they can’t all win, can they.

No they can’t, despite going clear approaching the last, the money finally stayed in the hods when Passing Diamond spoiled the punters’ party by running past the jolly up the hill winning at 13/2, the book copped £18,150, Derek brought me a latte, to celebrate on behalf of the firm as it turned out. Aye Aye.

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2:20 – Paddy Power Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (4YO plus)

The feature was plagued with early non-runners, but the 10 that went to post pretty much all had their supporters. The feature of the early money was £5500 – £2000 and £2500 – £1000 for Meetmebythesea, though the shrewd firm appeared to be sitting on their hands. That was hardly a surprise as of the 10 runners I’d had positive messages for seven of them from good judges, it was going to be a race to savour.

As the horses lined up there was £11,902 in the hod with a potential green up figure of just under £600, Kaan didn’t green up so had three losers, the jolly for £4374, Blueking D’Oroux losing £4603 and Québécois for £1623 the rest good winners.

In hindsight the green-up button would have been the best option, Meetmebythesea justified support by bolting up returning the 2/1 market leader. The book lost £4157, a few quid saved by favourable places, small mercies.

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2:55 – From The Horses Mouth Podcast Handicap Hurdle (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Next up, the race before the penultimate, where there were five non runners, Lee from Newcastle came over to say hello at the back of the rails joint, always a pleasure Lee, while at the front Lofty, Ricky and Pam laid £7000 – £500 each-way Black Bamboo and £1800 – £400 Aimeric. Over in Tatts it was steady as you go with no big bets to report but plenty of smaller recreational business.

I had a quick chat with Rio during betting, his videos with bookies have been going down really well on YouTube, let’s hope mine doesn’t stop the good run. Talking of which, with £8174 in the hod at the off a result would be handy.

A young looking punter came to the joint during betting asking Pam for a bet, as he looked under 25 she asked him for ID, he proudly told her today was his first day legally betting and showed her his driving license, today was his birthday.

After she told me the story, I asked if she gave him the bet free, she replied ‘certainly not, I took his money’. That jollity preceded yet another kick in the cobblers for the firm when 12/1 result for the ring Black Bamboo won the race, I’ll draw your attention to the bet above, the book lost £4104, to make things worse, the punter had £250 each-way on initially, when the price remained on the board, he had it again, come racing.

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3:30 – Paddy Power Intermediate Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (3YO plus)

There were more non-runners than runners in the penultimate, of which Daylatedollarshort was the market leader which attracted a bet of £1500-£1000 on the rail. The rest of the money fielded in the race was small but still added up to £6749 at the off.

After the easy to back 4/1 chance Sunny South West won the race £4603 of that remained nestled in the hod, adding to what was shaping up to be a winning day, though nowhere near recovering what was done yesterday.

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4:00 – Karndean Designflooring Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed) (Class 1)

Betting on the concluding bumper, Lofty on the rail said nothing much had been happening lump-wise but had just laid lots of horses to small money. The teams took 320 bets on the race, there were no big ones to note but added up to £8533 with Elegantemente a loser for £4143.

Even those small punters knew, the bogie beat them all home losing £3555 the places having gone the way of the firm, not the ideal end to the day’s betting but £15,133 had been retrieved from yesterday’s duffing up by the punters.

We’re back tomorrow, it’s all still to play for.

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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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