SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Ascot Friday

There was plenty of room to rattle around Ascot on ‘Good Food and Wine Friday’ where the number of people in attendance appeared to be on the thin side for such a spacious racecourse, writes SIMON NOTT.

Always hoping to catch a big fish no matter how meagre the shoal Star Sports fielded two teams, Dan working solo on the rail with Tony and Russ working in Tatts.

It didn’t take long before a big hitter found Dan betting £2000 on hot favourite Iamyouare over at Bangor. He left that behind when the 4/7 jolly only managed runner-up slot which was a good start.

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1:55 – Racing To School Celebrates 25 Years Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap (Str) (Class 4) (4YO plus)

The opening heat here at Ascot was a Ladies’ race, two punters fancied their chances, both betting with Dan, the first bet struck was £2750 – £1000 Cancan In The Rain followed late on by £2250 – £1000 Tex, those bets were handy as the rest of the field money between the two pitches totalled £600.

In the race itself, there was only one winner, sadly it wasn’t 7/1 chance Dannick, who went clear and was given a huge ‘Aye Aye’ by the rails firm next door, but 2/1 favourite Tex, who collared it close home, as tends to happen when you prematurely celebrate. The book lost £1438.

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2:30 – Racing To School Celebrates 25 Years Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap (Str) (Class 3) (2YO only)

Next up and there really was very little interest, business was minimal, to say the least. Even Mr Charisma Jerry White betting on the Kalooki pitch was struggling to drum up enthusiasm from the public to have a punt.

Star Sports’ brace of pitches managed to take £356 between them, as I sometimes say when pushed for content, there’s often a silver lining when business is that poor. San Jose the on-course 2/1 favourite won the race, costing the book just £28.

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3:05 – Ascot Events EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (Rnd) (Class 2) (2YO only)

Joe Beevers is a positive sort of chap but was a bit despondent about the business going into the third heat. ‘It’s the worst Friday business ever’, he bemoaned. Spare a thought for those optimistic souls that turned up to bet on the end of the line, but you never know in this game.

Over on the rail, Dan had laid a £3000 short priced double away, it wasn’t long after that he had to give that £3000 plus another £2500 odd after they both won. Malcom Bindon, jovial as he is working on the Sid Hooper pitch called me over today he’d just taken £5 each-way and would I like to put it in the blog. Then, as if I made it up a punter bet £22,000 – £2000 Green Falcon in the last race over at Haydock, that was going to keep everyone interested for the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the firm had taken £375 on the home race as the horses were going to post, thank goodness for the away bets, but at least we knew some punters were here with intent. They weren’t betting on this race though, there was just £494 in the joint hods at the off. 10/3 chance Clarity, the bogie for £175 won the race, more dough done.

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3:40 – Juddmonte EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only)

Bing Bong Stewards Enquiry for the last race was called at 3.15. Nobody got too excited; they were good judges not to. The result stood. Pure Mint opened 4/7 for the 3.40. A punter bet £2000 – £3500, which made the race interesting. Even more interesting were a couple of chaps nobody had ever seen before walking around the ring with a bag asking for each-way bets bigger than the machine on Classic in the 4.48.

They didn’t appear to have a clue what they were doing if their mission was to get significant money on, talk about ruining their own market in the most obvious way proper amateurs. If they need a consultant on how to get on…

Meanwhile, the betting ring had a result when 33/1 chance Nobelos won the current race, the book won £4026. Aye Aye, it’s OK after they’ve won.

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4:15 – Big Ascot Food & Wine Festival Classified Stakes (Class 3) (3YO plus)

Next up and the two guys were still scurrying around the ring trying to get their money on the penultimate, while the course bookies were trying to bet on the 4.15. The first bet in the Star Sports was £250 each-way on Suspicious Mindz at 20/1 to the trade who the firm are always happy to try and accommodate.

Meanwhile, the chaps that turned down 10/1 Classic took 7/1 with a leading northern bookmaker, no fractions, then were seen taking 5/1 on the rail.

Back to this race and at the off the firm had taken £1050 including the £250 each-way, not good. The race didn’t pan out well, depending on which way you look at it, first the good news, Malachy’s Wish winning at 7/1 copped £268, the bad news was Suspicious Mindz finished runner-up at 18/1 which cost the firm £705. Bugger.

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4:48 – Ascot Hospitality Handicap (Str) (Class 2) (3YO plus)

A punter showed some real mettle betting £30 each-way Spanish Voice with DragonBet, why you may ask, well, he told James that should the horse win he’d cop £10,000 on a Lucky 15, there must be logic there, but James and I were struggling to find it.

The likely lads sticking on Classic earlier were conspicuous by their absence, and with them any meaningful money going to the race.

At the off the book held £570, but the race was far more interesting than that; given the money in the ring, would the bookmakers be looking out for the putter on guys with fear in the future? No, was the answer to that, though Classic didn’t disgrace himself he was just out of the money a nearest finish fourth behind 15/2 chance Hickory, the book lost £7.50.

Meanwhile, over at Haydock, Green Falcon laid earlier was never at the races so that money stayed in the hod.

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5:25 – Sodexo Live! Handicap (Class 4) (3YO only)

Going into the lucky last, away bets taken into account, the firm was £5500 in front, £1600 of that from business at Ascot. I often say there was very little of interest, a phrase borrowed from Andrew Mount, but in this race, over two good pitches, the combined hods held £290.

First Legion won at 5/1 and was the bogie in the book losing £202 on a tepid but interesting day.

We’re back tomorrow where it will be busier.

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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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