SIMON NOTT: Epsom Derby Day BETTING REPORT

Typical of me, I don’t remember attending Derby Day for a scintillating performance out on the turf but in the betting ring. Using uniform joints to replace tripods and headboards became compulsory some time in the late 1990’s.

Someone decided a great day to deliver them all would be at Epsom on Derby Day. As I remembered in my self-published book Skint Mob: ‘Ours and several others were delivered on Derby Day at Epsom of all days. Typical of my boss ours just stayed in their two canvas suitcases but other firms were super keen to get theirs out and up.

‘Instructions were out and staff set about the construction of the new purchase while bosses generally stood and directed affairs with as much positive effect as a blind man directing traffic. Tempers were frayed then lost completely as the deceptively simple way these things were set up, as displayed by the fellow that sold them, proved tricky. Weird and wonderful shapes were thrown care of oddly attached poles while heads were scratched looking at extra ones. The chaos that ensued before racing was nothing compared to that after.

‘Layers used to getting out of racecourses as quickly as possible after racing, especially at meetings like the Derby, were exasperated as their staff, and for the more hands-on, they themselves attempted to get all those panels of plastic, canvas and confounded poles back into their suitcases. Some firms resorted to just bundling it all up in their arms and struggling out of the course like many an inept camper, cursing as they went’.

Back to the present and it was good to see that our on-course brethren basking in sunshine today rather than huddling under their mushes. Hopefully that will ensure that business is brisk for them today after a slow Oaks yesterday.

Anyone that read yesterday’s report will be aware that business was anything but slow in the Star Sports office on day one. They were bombarded with monster bets culminating in a single wager that won the intrepid backer over a million quid read all about it in today’s Daily Mirror! After dusting off the office abacus they worked out that they were still in front after taking that lottery like hit. As the Oaks is just a punting warm-up for the Derby ‘Inlike’ Flynn and team were braced for more hefty business today.

2:00 – World Pool At The tote Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only) 1m 2f

There was no business as big as the headline grabbing wagers yesterday in today’s opener. The only bets of note were £20,000 – £10,000 Patient Dream and £2500 – £1000 King Frankel with the former the only loser. The finish was a desperate one culminating in the result that very few punters predicted. A photo finish, revealing a nose victory for 28/1 outsider of seven Solent Gateway under Hayley Turner for trainer Tom Dascombe. It was a great result for the book but you can’t help feeling that later on today the firm might wish they could swap the race they had the ‘right result’ in.

2:35 – Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored By Cazoo) (Fillies’ And Mares’ Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m ½f

The next race was another steady betting heat, the only wagers of note were on Statement, including a bet of £30,000 – £16,000 and a £4000 – £2000. Lottie Marie was what Flynn described as ‘nibbled at,’ the biggest single bet a monkey at 11/1. Despite only being a 4/1 shot Parent’s Prayer winning for Archie Watson under Oisin Murphy was a good result for the book. Two races in and two good results but the phone was yet to ring with a bet resembling a telephone number. Had those big punters pulled up stumps?

3:10 – Cazoo Diomed Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m ½f

No is quick the answer to that question. A bet of £450,000 – £200,000 was struck the ultimate 2/1 joint-favourite Bell Rock. That wasn’t the only bet for him with plenty of grand and two grand bets to ensure it was a hefty loser. The staff in the office (it’s a big price Star’s owner Ben Keith was even bothering to watch) would have had chance to breathe before the second desperate finish at Epsom on the day. Oh This Is Us got the money by a nose from the other joint favourite Century Dream which was chinned in the last stride, at 18/1 the winner was another cracking result for the books. The bogie was back in third. The big bet of the day so far beaten, time for an ‘Aye Aye’, nope, I made that mistake yesterday, we’ll leave that until about 6pm.

3:45 – World Pool ‘Dash’ Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 5f

Then it all went quiet, really quiet. ‘Trappy affair meant it was a quiet one’ was the ever-astute Flynn’s observation. The 25/1 winner Mokaatil should have been a stonking result, but you have to field it to win it.

Bets did include £25,000 – £1000 each-way Duke Of Firenze and £4500 – £1000 and £3600 – £800 for Stone of Destiny.

4:30 – Cazoo Derby (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 4f

Well, racing is littered with fairytale stories but how about the ‘jocked off’ Adam Kirby bolting up in the Derby on Charlie Appleby’s Adayar as the latest addition to them. Tremendous stuff. There was money for the winner too, still available at 40/1 with one firm three minutes before the advertised time of the off returned an industry SP of 16/1.

They didn’t back him with Star Sports though, Ed Dark in the office told me they laid a punter £75 each-way at 33/1 on Friday night and that was pretty much it. All the big money had been for the favourite, Bolshoi Ballet. Those bets included, a bet of £600,000 – £400,000 and £135,000 – £90,000. I can’t believe it took me this far down the paragraph to mention those lumps, this is a hard nose betting report after all. Who am I kidding, we all love a fairytale result don’t we and that’s nothing about winning or losing bets, well done Adam.

5:15 – Northern Dancer Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 1m 4f

The penultimate was easily as busy as the Derby in the office, the big punters fancied the race and got stuck in accordingly. Ed Dark told me that bets included £375,000 – £250,000 and £6000 – £4000 twice Group One Power. Spare a thought also for the punters that struck bets of £600,000 – £200,000 and £36,000 – £12,000 Soto Sizzler. They did sort of get their money’s worth though. The gelding looked to have blown his chance rearing as the stalls opened, then came with a run which for a few strides looked like he seize an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat. William Buick mercifully put those glimmers of hope to the sword with a coup de grâce in the form of a wide run to win going away at odds of 12/1. I don’t expect I have to point out that the result was very favourable for the book. No Aye Ayes though, yesterday showed us that anything can happen in the lucky last – there’s always the X-Factor ….

5:50 – Cazoo Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 6f

The guys in the office were braced for a last gasp colossal lump on the concluding getting out stakes. There were some decent wagers, £34,000 – £4000 Desert Safari and £30,000 – £10,000 Ejtilaab but nothing humungous to challenge the Euro Millions pay-out like yesterday. It was just as well too because Ejtilaab rewarded the £10,000 punter by winning nicely under David Egan. Phew, the meeting wrapped up and a nice few quid having elastic bands twanged around them in the Star Sports office, metaphorically of course.

A View From On Course At Epsom: Joe O’Gorman on course at Epsom told me, ‘Business has been steady and workable 100 + bets a race. The Derby was a cracking betting heat but the place result killed me with first and second heavily support at big odds. The last two races have gone off slightly, but the punters have been knocked bandy. Results will tell you I’m having a decent winning day, with two desperately close photos going bang my way. The first celebratory pint tonight won’t touch the sides.’

The really big betting meeting of the flat season, Royal Ascot is almost upon us, hopefully that’s five days of similar action to report on. Until then, we can all catch breath, I’m off to a point to point at Bratton Down tomorrow where the betting will be more gentile, thank goodness and thank you for reading.

Simon Nott

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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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