SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Aintree Thursday

I left the Shire bright and early, the birds would have been singing, had they been up, the sky was clear and the roads clearer, writes SIMON NOTT.

With a couple of entertaining podcasts and a healthy slab of 1960s rock n roll recorded on Holloway Road to keep me company, I sailed up to Aintree and enjoyed every mile.

One of the first people I met was fellow El Bufalo syndicate member Richard Walsh who has previously been just a name on a WhatsApp group, it was a pleasure to put a face to that name.

Talking of faces to names, who’s that bloke in my picture? I appeared to have greyed up overnight.

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1:45 – EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m4f (2m3f200y) (Mildmay)

The Star Sports team of Lofty and Nick were already hard at work by the time I rocked up. They bet on the rail as usual.

Business had been steady though not busy, though they had laid £5000 – £200 The Kalooki Kid by then. The hope was that bet would be dwarfed as betting went on, but with five minutes to go, it hadn’t. I had worn too much clobber so had to jettison the half-zip as the horses were going down. The spread on putting back on favoured the fifth, meanwhile a punter approached the joint and asked Nick if Jango Baie was trained by Mullins, he was informed the gelding was a Henderson charge, to which he replied ‘F*ck it, but I’ll stick with it’ and bet £4000 – £2000. That was the book with £3300 in the hod and two losers plus a late £2000 – £2500 match bet Croke Park to beat Gidleigh Park to make things a little more interesting.

Impaire Et Passe won the race the 9/4 second in from Gidleigh Park at 7/1, the bogie Jango Baie ran on late to be third and returned 6/4. Some value the £2000 punter had, some consolation though not edible, come racing. The book copped £4800.

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2:20 – Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo) 2m1f (2m209y)

Ben turned up just before the first but didn’t take a bet, he was showing AK of AK Bets fame around. Talking to those two was Steven who I only ever see at this meeting, then there was another face to name opportunity when Lee from Twitter/X introduced himself, then Ben sent me off to buy a bottle of champagne for his mate Chris and pals.

It was all go and getting buzzy. Buzzy in bets too as in back at the pitch Nick and Lofty had laid £6000 – £4000 Putyourhandstogether then £10,000 at 11/8 the same horse five minutes later. At the off that was the only horse backed to size, a one horse book.

Murcia the 11/4 second in bolted up, the book copped £15,000. Proper job.

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2:55 – Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)3m1f (3m210y) (Mildmay)

Things didn’t go to plan for the punter who waded in early for the next, no sooner had he had a plucky £5000 each-way at 7/2 Spillane’s Tower it was withdrawn. Business was OK with a couple of grand in modest bets staked until a punter bet £9000 – £4000 Grey Dawning which suddenly made the race a more interesting heat betting wise.

As the horses lined up there was £6500 in the hod in win money with the jolly losing £11,000.

I must admit I called Grey Dawning beaten just before he sailed into what looked like a winning move, only to call him beaten again as 11/4 chance Gaelic Warrior appeared on the scene hoisting what looked like a wet sail, and so it proved, sweeping past the bogie to cop £6000 for the book. No apologies for the nautical metaphors as we are in a port city, I am the first to keelhaul Lofty in words when he anchors a result with an in running prediction to fair’s fair.

The book won well again first mates Nicky and Lofty were navigating well when Captain Ben was on diplomatic duties. I’ll stop now. Sorry.

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3:30 – William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m4f

Next up and the feature race where betting was accordingly brisk. The backer that had the £5000 each-way the non-runner had an even £10,000 Constitution Hill, just after a punter bet £5500 – £5000 the same horse. Then another punter had £7500 – £6000 Lossiemouth, told you it had got lively.

Then it got livelier a punter had £30,000 on Lossiemouth at 5/4. Money thereafter was for Constitution Hill, £400 and £300 bets at 11/10 followed by a grand an evens but at the off Lossiemouth was the only one in red, losing £27,000.

Constitution Hill fell, Lossiemouth won. ‘Back to square one’ said Lofty, all is said was ‘bugger’ Ben just shook my hand and left.

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4:05 – Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2) (6yo+) 2m5f (2m5f19y) (Grand National Course)

Next up and the hunter chase which would have been the highlight of the day for aficionados of racing between the flags. As you would expect, betting wasn’t as lumpy as the previous race but the firm did strike bets of £8000 – £2000 each-way and £8000 – £2000 Lifetime Ambition and £8000 – £500 each-way Famous Clermont plus a £2500 match bet Willitgoahead to beat Lifetime Ambition. At the off the hod was holding £8700 plus the match bet money.

22/1 Gracchus De Balme won the race which was an excellent result, but Lifetime Ambition finishing third knocked the stuffing out of the winnings, though the match bet copped which helped a just over £7000 cop on the race.

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4:40 – Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m (1m7f176y) (Mildmay)

Next up and they bet 5/1 the field a punter bet £10,000 – £2000 My Mate Mozzie, then came back for the same bet the same bet horse, the back again to top up with £9000 – £2000 the same horse. Neither Nick nor Lofty mentioned eggs or baskets. The lads took another £2500 out of the race from bets that didn’t make the blog cut, they’re bother grafters.

‘We’ve only got three payouts’ was Lofty’s cheery comment after Sans Bruit bolted up at 5/1. It’s funny how you sometimes get left out. The book won £8000 meaning the firm were going into the lucky last back to £14,000 in front. That wasn’t bad clawing back after the great Lossiemouth reversal.

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5:15 – Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4-6yo) 2m1f (2m209y)

Next up the lucky last, a punter bet £10,000 – £5000 Seo Linn here and another punter £12,000 at 6/5 Macari down at Plumpton. Previously I’d asked Peter Eastwood next door how he was getting on, he called me over and gently reminded me of a famous Kenny Rogers song. There was no better illustration of that than what just happened with those two bets. It was far from over yet today especially as Macari obliged away.

‘We’re now winning a carpet’ was Lofty’s not so cheery summing up after watching the action down in Sussex. Back to the home meeting there was £7000 in the hod until a punter waded in late on with £6400 at 2/1 Seo Linn, Star had another one horse book.

The other horse of interest was St Irene due to a bet of £5000 – £100 each-way to a face. At the off, the jolly was losing £22,000 in the win book, all the team watch and hope.

Hoping didn’t cut the mustard. The jolly and bogie Seo Linn won, the book lost £22,000. Take the £300 the team were in front from that and there’s the figure at the end of a topsy turvy day. Topsy Turvy sounds a bit weak to describe a £20k plus losing day, but roller coaster is so 2024.

We’re back tomorrow.

Lofty is booking the table tonight, is there an Ivy in Knotty Ash? We’re back tomorrow. Thanks to everyone who said hello today, and Steven Lofty demolished those Haribos and says thanks, as does his dentist.

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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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