SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Ascot Friday

Star Sports were mob handed at Ascot on Friday, writes SIMON NOTT.

Well, mob handed might be a bit strong but Lofty and Nick on the rail could easily pass for doormen.

Kaan and Amberley were working pitch two on the second row and didn’t look like doormen. Kaan was regaling us with his travel tales of woe. While this blog isn’t long enough to share them, let’s just say you wouldn’t want to sit next to him on a plane.

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1:45 – LK Bennett Lady Amateur Jockeys Handicap (For Female Amateur Jockeys) (Class 4) (4yo+ 0-80) 1m (Str)

The crowd didn’t look overly large and the betting backed up the initial impression that it wasn’t going to be a particularly busy day. Kaan and Amberley only managed to take £197 but the bouncers had £1750 in their hod, largely due to a bookie hedging a £3500 – £1000 Look Back Smiling.

He’d laid £7000 – £2000 each-way but only hedged the win part. Luckily for Lofty and Nick’s coffers, Walsingham won the race at 5/1 with the bogie back in third, guess who wasn’t looking back smiling. Kaan and Amberley copped £43, the two Rons copped £737, a good start.

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2:20 – Charbonnel et Walker British EBF Maiden Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 3) (2yo) 7f

The second heat became lively rather quickly, Kaan and Amberley laid £2000 at 13/8 Raaheeb, not to be outdone Grant and Phil had laid the same bet plus a bet of £10,000 – £400 each-way YY Nation.

Sadly, for the firm at least, the jolly won returning 7/4, both pitches had the value but still knocked out a nice few quid each, Kaan and Amberley blew £3432 while the bouncers blow was eased by the each-way punt coming unstuck but still did £2719 of Ben’s money in cold blood such was the ease of the colt’s victory. Still, the decent bets justified the firm being here so not all bad news because the bookies always win in the end, don’t they?

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2:55 – Wesco Anixter EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 4) (2yo) 1m (7f213y) (Rnd)

Next up and very little report apart from the bookmakers were all talking about the previous SP, 7/4 when to a man they were a bottle, I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, come racing. There was very little going on with Amberley and Kaan but over on the rails Right Said Fred had laid £2500 – £3000 Maneuver and not much else. The feature of the race was the weakness of the jolly which had drifted out to 6/4 by the off.

It looked for a while as if the jolly was going to win despite the drift but was overhauled by El Vamos which veritably bolted up the impressive 10/1 winner chased home by Shetalkstoangels and the jolly.

The Tatts pitch had only managed to field £364 but copped £325, over on the rail they’d been too sexy for their shirts copping £1700 of the £3800 they’d fielded, oh sorry if you backed the winner at SP, that was returned 17/2 while the third placed jolly was 5/4, outrageous.

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3:30 – Juddmonte British EBF Restricted Novice Stakes (Bands A-D) (EBF Restricted Race Qual’) (GBB) (Class 2) (2yo) 6f

At this point I must give a mention to Adam, a tall good looking chap that came over to say hello and that he likes my blogs and videos. He was with another couple and his wife to whom he introduced me to adding that he quite often lays in bed reading or watching my content. I must admit while I was chuffed as I always am when someone takes the time to say hello and that they enjoy my word I did feel a bit sorry for his lovely wife!

Meanwhile, I do need to congratulate young Archie Melcalfe, fifth generation of the Jack Bevan organisation; this is a masterclass. He wandered up to Kaan and Amberley who were displaying 6/1 Thaluna, he asked if he could have 13/2, was told he could, then bet £500 – £75 with the fractions, attaboy Archie, your granddad would have been proud of you.

Sadly, his bet finished runner up but returned 11/2 so he at least could console himself he’d had the value. Another person who had value was the punter that bet £3500 – £2500, yes 7/5 what on earth were Reagan and Carter thinking of, the 6/5 winner Watcha Snoop which cost them £4200, Kaan won £31.

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4:05 – Molton Brown Classified Stakes (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-90) 7f

Next up and I have to say it was quiet, I had a chat with Armaloft Alex, Rolf Johnson and Richard Liles, the latter told me a great story about a new big punter on the scene up north, I can’t repeat it, I’d be cancelled.

Meanwhile, the race before the penultimate heat was available to bet on but the problem was there were very few punters wielding money. Luckily, there were two bets I can report, Kaan and Amberley laid £800-£200 Fondo Blanco while Stadler and Waldorf took £4000 – £1000 Fine Interview.

I can also report that neither won, that was 6/1 Hickory which sailed home buoyed by calls of ‘Go on Saffie’ from the pitch. Kaan’s team copped £232, the rails won £200 after running into the forecast.

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4:40 – Ascot Iron Stand Membership Handicap (Class 2) (3yo+ 0-105) 1m (Str)

The penultimate looked very competitive, the smattering of the crowd there was in the ring were having the odd bet, but they were few and far between. Bets of note included £4500 – £1000 each-way High Degree on the rail and £1400 – £200 Shout in Tatts followed by £1350 – £300 each-way High Degree.

Lofty came over to the pitch and suggested there was room for a game of cricket between the bookies, gesticulating as he went with elaborate swings, he’s got some stance for a big lad.

Things weren’t so jovial after Shout won at 15/2, Tatts had laid £1400 – £200 the winner but it was the places, 1/4 the odds that did for both teams when High Degree the 10/3 jolly and each-way bogie finished fourth. Tatts had fielded £1338 and done £1191 while the rail had taken £2600 blowing £700.

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5:15 – Sodexo Live! Handicap (Class 4) (3yo 0-85) 7f

Given how much they could have won, it was pretty bad that the rail was down £4800 and £4000 going into the last. Business wasn’t any better though the rail had laid £4400 – £1600 Excellent Echo. At the off, the rails pitch had fielded £2090 and Tatts £750.

The concluding race was a really horrible one to watch. Excellent Echo broke down in an incident where Nordic Norm also came down unshipping Sam James in what looked like a very nasty fall. Oisin Murphy stayed next to his prone colleague until medical aid arrived and two sets of screens went up, one for the favourite and one for Sam.

The racecourse was shrouded in a really somber mood, a terrible end to a bad day on the turf. Nobody really cares how the books got on after that do they, everyone’s thoughts are with Sam James and Excellent Echo and connections.

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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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