SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Ascot Friday

It was going to be interesting to see if after yesterday’s 300/1 win for Nigel Hawke’s Blower at Exeter the punters would pile into the long-shots today, well you never know do you? writes SIMON NOTT.

Star Sports’ teams today were Dan flying solo on the rail and Tony and Lofty in Tatts working in a bright but chilly betting ring.

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12:40 – Howden Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle Cl3 (4yo+ 0-130) 2m5½f

There were no 300/1 chances in the opener, where The Grey Ghost was a 4/1 shot at the head of the market to win the race in a field boasting plenty with realistic chances.

Reports from the press contingent were that trains were standing room only so hopes were high that business would boom for the full rail and packed ring of bookies. There certainly were a lot of people here for a Friday, not all of them appeared to be regular racing folk either.

That was illustrated by the chap that wandered over to the Bob Stock joint, gesticulated a bit and said to Emma and Josh ‘Who are you people and what do you do?’ He seemed no less bemused when told they take bets, still everyone has to start somewhere but our work promoting the sport is far from done.

Meanwhile, back to the first, the only bet of any note Star Sports took was £4000 – £400 trade bet over Punta Del Este in Tatts, field money only totalled £1031 while the rail had taken 52 bets but less than a grand.

Evidently, whatever happened wasn’t going to be a massive start to the day, as it turned out the 14/1 winner Whatsupwithyou was Lofty and Tony’s worst winner copping £388 and a loser on the rail for £277.

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1:15 – Howden Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) Cl3 (4yo+) 2m5½f

There were plenty of plastic champagne flutes balanced on hods while bags were rummaged through while purses and debit cards were searched for betting on the second.

There were also some decent bets, including £2750 – £1000 and £2500 – £1000 Crystal Island. ‘Hold my plastic champagne flute’ yelled Dan on the rail having laid £5000 – £2000 and £2500 – £1000 the same horse, then £5000 at 10/3, Off The Jury laid in Tatts topped them all.

There were plenty of modest wagers from a predominantly smart young crowd to fill the hod around those bigger bets. Sadly, at least for Dan on the rail, Lofty’s cry of ‘Have a look’ told the story, the two bogies had gone clear with Crystal Island getting the better of the tussle to land the bets struck on him.

Surprisingly, the winner returned 3/1 favourite, evidently more popular on course than off. Lofty’s team managed to win £300 on the race, but Dan on the rail blew £7583 topped up by a loitering forecast.

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1:50 – Howden Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) Cl3 (4yo+) 2m1f

Just four runners took part in the third heat, it was a tale of two pitches. Dan on the rail was latched onto for the jolly Excelero laying £1000 at 13/8 and £300 at 6/4 and all sorts of bits and bobs on the way down to 5/4.

Meanwhile, in Tatts they took 34 bets but two of them were £4000 and £3000 wagers at 15/8 on Stencil.

Up the front two in a four horse heat might really be tempting another ‘Have a look’ comment from Lofty, but not this time, 5/1 chance and outsider of four Vanderpoel made very short work of his rivals and put some colour back into the Star Sports blues, Dan copped £1495 while Lofty and Tony held onto £6884, back in the game, as they say.

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2:25 – Ascot Shop Handicap Hurdle Cl4 (3yo+ 0-120) 1m7½f

Next up, a handicap where the public could get stuck in, they were keen to get involved waving their plastic, tenners and scores.

As Lofty and Tony tapped away I had a wander down to the other end of the ring which looked a bit quiet, although plenty of firms had rocked up to work their picks. But up on the rail, Joe Beevers was happy with his new pitch and first time working at Ascot for national hunt racing.

Back to Star Sports, Dan, try as he might had struggled to take a grand but had been busy just small. Lofty and Tony had laid Tashan to the trade, £2000 – £160 and £2000 – £160 each-way then fell into a single bet of £9000 – £3000 the up until then weak in the market Let It Rain. I must admit, Lofty was standing as if his ring was twitching when Let It Rain looked like she’d come to win the race, then was strutting like the Kellogg’s rooster when the other 5/2 joint-favourite Dance And Glance won it instead.

‘A Lofty lean-up’ he exhorted before announcing a winning figure of £4800, he’s some judge that Lofty. Dan on the rails wasn’t going to be left out either he’d £363 leant up in his hod too so happy days for the ballsy duo.

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3:00 – Howden Noel Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m3f

The penultimate boasted five runners and some big bets. £15,000 – £5000 Steel Ally and £6000 at 11/8 No Questions Asked laid on the Tatts pitch and £2000, £1000 and £400 No Questions Asked on the rail.

Sadly, unbeknownst to a still puffed-out Lofty, the Ascot Grinch had paid his team a visit. £16,589 metaphorical pound notes were paid from the Tatts pitch to winning punters after the absolute bogie Steel Ally’s resounding 11/4 victory.

As misery descended around the big fella’s joint there was a warmer glow around Dan, so I visited him instead, he’d copped £3600, so a blow lessened but a blow nonetheless. There to witness it all was raconteur, racecourse bookie and pro-punter Jerry White, he knew when to leave without comment.

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3:35 – King Edward VII Ascot Membership Open National Hunt Flat Race (Listed Race) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4-5yo) 1m7½f

Maybe smelling bookies Yuletide bloody lofty was surrounded by heavy hitters as betting on the last got underway. Before anyone starts sending in their pudding chance into Lofty, the firm were still pretty much straight across with no damage done with a race to go.

Once the gaggle of lumpy backers parted, it became apparent that they’d wanted to be on the same horse, with just one bet struck £6500 – £4000 Bass Hunter plus a trade bet of £4000 – £320 Just For Dad, was that going to be for starters or it for the race? Time would tell. Time told, it had been it for the race, there wasn’t a lot of interest from the public though there were a steady trickle of them keeping the pitches busy.

At the off, the Tatts pitch held £6487 and the rail £1500, ‘it’s been good business from a lovely crowd’ was Paul Gold’s comment up for a visit. He might not have been so cheery had been popped over to see us after 7/5 jolly Bass Hunter won the race. Tatts blew £6487 but Dan, a hero all afternoon on the rail copped £739 so about £5500 lost on the day though given the results and the way Star Sports play, not the end of the world.

We’re back tomorrow with an enhanced team, tinselled up and ready to do battle for the Christmas money.

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Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

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