SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Ascot Saturday

The day started, as is fast becoming tradition, by having breakfast with pro-punting gentleman of the turf Michael ‘The Bullet’ Fletcher, writes SIMON NOTT.

He is of course always tremendous company though I fear my rather morose conversation punctuated by coughing and spluttering wasn’t properly reciprocating, sorry about that Bullet. Star Sports pitches and personnel today were Lofty, Tony and Kann in Tatts and Amberley and Dan trying out the joys of the lower rail all out for one last hurrah before Christmas.

12:40 – Howden Graduation Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 5f

The day’s betting promised to be at least as lively as yesterday, as the big punters betting on Friday were back today. One backer not here yesterday certainly meant business, having £14,000 on Firefox at 8/11 to kick the day off that was just after a trade bet of £1600 – £2200 though the cheeky rascal really did think Lofty was Santa initially asking for 4/5. Despite other potential big backers lurking and dipping into Kaan’s Quality Street tin, remaining business on the race was very slow. Down on the lower rail it was steady recreational business as you might expect though Dan and Amberley did take £1165. The day started badly for favourite backers when Firefox wasn’t good enough for 2/1 second-in Iroko copping a whooping £16,300 and the lower rail £850.

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1:15 – Karen Codd Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 7½f

Between races, Kaan held a ‘betting school’ for a gaggle of ladies who came to the joint keep to learn. He was quite a charmer with the fairer sex, patient and gentle as he taught them the basics of punting, if they make it back to another meeting maybe we’ll delve into fractions.

The next punter up to the joint didn’t need any tuition betting £30,000 – £9000 each-way Mount Gay Run, I suspected that selection might well end up as the bogie and of course I was correct. The only other biggish bet in Tatts on the race was £1800 – £400 Fresh Kicks, a further kick for me was a distinguished looking Scottish gent who came over to say he enjoyed reading my blogs, thank you sir. Getting my steps in dutifully between races, down on the lower rail Dan and Amberley had taken £1264, keeping £546 of it when 15/2 chance Jakar Du Moulin won the race returning 15/2. That was a cracking result in Tatts too, not least because the each-way whopper finished out of the money in fourth. The tree amigos had fielded £19,5000 (rounded figure of course, it is Lofty) and copped £18,500. The big man was miffed that the last bet in the book was £50 the winner, no, there’s no way you could mistake Lofty for Santa…

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1:50 – Howden Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 3f

Next up, two hefty bets were heaved into the Tatts pitch early, £18,000 – £6000 Bad and £20,000 – £4000 General Medrano and not much else, until a late trade bet of £2000 – £360 topping up the latter. Down on the lower rail they had stayed consistent, fielding £1177 to the general public in a cheery many.

One punter down there was complaining he’d missed the first two races due to the traffic, he might have wished he’d missed the third too, unless he was on the 18/1 winner Etalon. Not many people were, Lofty reported copping £11,500 from field money of £11,500, lower Tatts got £483 grinding away, too early to Aye Aye but the day was shaping up nicely.

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2:25 – Howden Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 3m ½f

The Tatts team were up the front two in the feature thanks to bets of £4000 Honesty Policy and £1500 Impose Toi both at 11/4 with disappointing business otherwise, just £6600 in the book. Down on the lower rail, they enjoyed their busiest race so far, fielding £1851. Both books copped a monkey when Impose Toi, a small drifter out to 3/1 won the race from 15/2 result, Strong Leader which would have been much handier, but still a winning race over a second in.

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3:00 – Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 3m

I’m happy to report that Kaan’s betting school harem were still betting with Star’s silver-tongued caviller in the penultimate. The market headed by 11/4 chance Pic Roc gave punters plenty of betting opportunities; the hope was that plenty would get involved. They did, as did the bigger punters, they bet £13,000 – £2000 Johnny Who, £13,000 – £2000 Blow Your Wad and £9000 – £3000 Pic Roc.

Looking into the book with three bright red bogies, Lofty commented that the book should really lose on the day. Seeing my raised wrinkle where my eyebrow should be, he added that they were £47,000 up on the day with a further £8374 in the hod. Down on the lower rail they were £2480 up on the day. They held £2170 on this race, and what a race where Christian Williams’ 10/1 chance got the money in a desperate photo with the rapid finisher and bad loser Johnnywh, who was a couple of strides away from snatching the race back in third. ‘Copped £7000’ rounded up Lofty, won £247 was accurate Dan’s figure on the race.

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3:35 – Ascot Rotary Club Festive Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 7½f

Despite the cold and damp weather it was excellent to see so many people in the festive spirit enjoying their day and very much embracing the racing. It was trade money that bothered the Star Sports Tatts’ team first in the lucky last that was £4800 – £1500 Mondo Man and of course they asked for 10/3. There wasn’t a lot else happening until the horses were going down to the start when a punter waded in with £15,000 – £5000 Mondo Man, a bet that made a healthy chuck of today’s winnings very precarious. Down on the lower rail they’d taken £2377 nicely with a handful of small losers. The winner 15/2 chance Wilful wasn’t one of them so no damage done there and £7000 copped in Tatts. It’s been a good day for the firm. Thanks for reading, I’m not sure when I’m back but I will be and in the meantime would like to wish my readers a very merry Christmas.

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

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