SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Ascot Saturday

‘Held together with butter and soap!’ writes SIMON NOTT.

Not your usual opening line for a betting ring report, but Jerry White’s comment on Stephen Darbyshire’s new barnet, adding that he looked more like a matinee idol than a pro punter! Yes, the banter was flowing in a betting ring prior to Ascot’s opening national hunt meeting of the season.

Star Sports were manning two pitches today, they bet six on the rail where Callum, Tony and Lofty were on duty and number one Tatts second row where Kaan, Keiran and Dan were in action.

There were faces in evidence that were soon making themselves known, having doubles £2000 and £4000 on the aways, the latter copped before the first here winning them £4413 they played up £2570 of it on The Sketcher at Ayr at 10/11 which also copped, it promised to be a lively.

---

12:50 – Grundon Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (3YO plus)

Due to a technical hitch the two books were unable to link today but being only about 15 feet apart wasn’t going to wear out too much shoe leather for your scribe. Business on both pitches was brisk, the rail laid £300 Media Mogul at 11/4 and £2000 – £100 each-way Top Coeur, while the Tatts pitch ran into £5000-£2000 Secret Sniper and £5000-£2000 Media Mogul.

The latter winning wasn’t a great start to the day going off both book’s bogies, the rail knocked out £1453 and Tatts £2804. Before the teams had time to draw breath a punter had £2700 on Kenough over at Down Royal taking 10/11, yep, today was going to be lively alright.

---

1:25 – Ascot Underwriting Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus)

They got the jolly beaten in Northern Ireland. Aye Aye.

Just five went to post for the second heat but there were some decent bets in among some spirited exchanges. Bets included £900 – £400 and £6000 – £3000 Jet To Vegas, £2000 at 10/3 Dance And Glance plus £4800 – £600 Merely A Detail. While that was all going on up by the rail I had a wander down the two full lines of layers, it was quiet with most of them, position is everything in this game. During my preamble I had a quick chat with Westcountry betting ring scourge Harvey Instance and doyen of the southern scene Michael Fletcher. Talking of whom, I’ll take this opportunity to send best wishes to his namesake Mickey Fletcher, the Asparagus Kid who hasn’t been well of late and I know reads these blogs, thinking of you Mickey.

Mickey would have enjoyed watching The Gray Ghost win, particularly as there was hardly a bet to his name despite his topical Halloween moniker which you’d have thought would have been popular with the punters. He was a very popular winner with Kaan and co though, copping £5862 in Tatts and £567 on the rail. Not bad for a 7/2 shot though the runner-up Jet To Vegas would have lost almost as much.

---

2:00 – Sodexo Live! Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Next up and before the teams had chance to get going on the competitive home heat a punter had £6000-£4000 Kateira at Wetherby. The first decent bet here was £1650 – £300 Haas Boy.

Meanwhile Kateira won, the punter drew and bade his farewell, bugger. Meanwhile Kaan cheered up when Mason, who had seen him on the popular Royal Ascot video with Basher and wanted a selfie.

Business took a bit of a dive, the rail only took £526 and Tatts £1240, the Haas Boy bet the biggest on the race. Vanderpoel the 4/1 favourite won the race, Tatts lost £188 and the rail £40.

---

2:33 – Sodexo Live! Regal Encore Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus)

Next up and a heat that you couldn’t describe as anything more than small and steady as the betting went. The biggest bet laid on the rail was £1200 – £200 each-way Queensbury Boy and Tatts £1250 – £250 each-way Tapley, with the rest of the £1210 and £1661 field money respectively made up of bets shorter than that. Viroflay won the race returning 3/1 having been 9/2, the weight of small money ensured it was no good for either pitch, especially as Tapley was third, Tatts lost £246 and the rail £700.

Jerry White in his Sun column gave the punters an insight into the riding prowess of winning jockey Lucas Murphy, who he’d spotted at point to points, ‘sure to be champion jockey one day’ according to the flamboyant punter cum scribe.

---

3:10 – 1st Class Logistics Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus)

The first decent bet to come in the race before the penultimate wasn’t actually on the race before the penultimate but a monkey at 10/11 Pic D’Orhy in the Charlie Hall at Wetherby, bet with the Tatts pitch which he won with some ease. The winning backer returned and spun it all on £954.55 on Babs at 5/2 which actually was in the race before the penultimate and got the ball rolling.

Meanwhile, on the rail Lofty and Co laid £2750 – £1000 Babs, £900 – £450 Sportingsilvermine and 50/1, 40/1 and 33/1 to £50 bets down Seven Airs. At the off the books combined held £4207 between them taking pretty much the same.

When Babs won, at 11/4, they lost pretty much the same too, Tatts £2010 and the rail £1900. ‘The jumps are back’ bemoaned Kaan, they certainly were.

---

3:43 – Lavazza Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3YO plus)

Unsurprisingly, the 16 runner handicap didn’t attract any big bets, just steady very small public money, just £927 fielded on the rail and £1406 in Tatts with a peppering of losers throughout the books.

The 11/4 jolly Trustintimes won the race; Star actually won on it, Tatts lost £29 but Lofty’s team copped £446.

---

4:15 – Ascot Colts And Fillies’ Club Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4-5YO)

They bet 9/4 the field in the concluding bumper, it’s doubtful many of the light sabre wielding punters would have known what a bumper was or cared that much, but at least they were still betting on it. Modestly, I should add. ‘Nothing to report’ was Lofty’s report from the rail. Tatts had at least bust through the grand barrier as the small bets mounted up, totalling £1504 at the off, the rail held just £744.

Including the aways going into the this the last the book was blowing £12,000 so a hefty losing day was assured, though Kaan was keen to point out that they were just winning on the home business.

The 2/1 jolly Saint Argente won the race, more pain for the layers, ah you’d think so wouldn’t you, but the Star Sports teams both copped, Tatts won £722 and the rail £380, Aye Aye at least ending the day on a winning note.

I’m back with Star Sports in a couple of weeks at Cheltenham for the November meeting. Meanwhile, if you enjoy these blogs and indeed our #BettingPeople interviews and don’t already have an account with Star Sports, there’s a free bets opening offer for new customers and it would be great if you could support the firm that pays for all this free content. Thank you! Oh and see you on the turf.

I’m back with Star Sports in a couple of weeks at Cheltenham for the November meeting. Meanwhile, if you enjoy these blogs and indeed our #BettingPeople interviews and don’t already have an account with Star Sports, there’s a free bets opening offer for new customers and it would be great if you could support the firm that pays for all this free content. Thank you! Oh and see you on the turf.

---

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

---

Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

---

STAR PROMOTIONS