SIMON NOTT AT CHELTENHAM

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SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Cheltenham Hunter Chase Night

The concluding Cheltenham Hunter Chase night has often been one of my favourite meetings of the year, writes SIMON NOTT.

It’s when the country comes to (a country) town and has their own Festival, the cream of the point to point community at their best in attendance.

Having missed the meeting totally due to traffic a couple of years ago, I left in plenty of time today, but was still given the 50-minute delay in traffic treatment on the Bristol segment of the M5 before arriving a couple of hours before. The team today was Hunter Chase fan Eddie Dark and fresh back from Punchestown, Lofty. Before racing, my El Bufalo syndicate pal Richard Walsh came to say hello, of course my brain being perforated, I forgot his name, again, sorry Richard, good to see you.

4:35 Bottlegreen Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 5) (5yo+) 2m½f (2m62y)

Betting on the first race, touted as one of the good things on tonight’s card Barton Snow unsurprisingly opened up a short-priced, even money favourite. Sadly, business was abysmal, maybe because the 4.35 start is just too early. At the off the book held £392.

Lofty and Eddie had a lean-up, copping £350 on the race when Barton Snow won as he liked. Good work guys, a virtual skinner on a shorty.

5:10 Venatour Sports Travel Intermediate Point-To-Point Hunters’ Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 3m2f

Next up and a race that looked more competitive than the opener. Lofty and Ed, the latter tempting fate with a fetching green tie, did their best to get stuck into the heat. The biggest bet struck was £700 – £100 Important Notice, they do accept fractions you know, in a book that held £650.

The easy to back favourite was Snap Fish which eased from 2/1 out to 5/2 in the face of little support. It did appear as if Snap Fish was going to win despite the market weakness jumping the last in front, but Crawter which had often jumped badly right throughout the race ran on strongly on the stands side to collar the jolly up the hill and land an 11/1 result.

A bad result in the case of the Star Sports book a loser to £616, back to the old drawing board, or rather on to the third race.

5:45 Junior Jumpers Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 4) (6yo+) 3m1½f (3m1f56y)

Next up and the weak horse in the race was the well-backed this morning Douglas Longbottom in the face of the support coming in for Fairly Famous, at the off the former was an 11/4 shot and the latter 7/4. There were no bets of note in the race but the field money crept up to £732 as the crowd filled.

At the off, Fairly Famous was a loser for £323 and Learntalot £903. Maybe the people making the market on the machine aren’t quite as clued up on these types of races, combined with Will Biddick never giving up on Douglas Longbottom, but once again, the market got it wrong, Douglas won as did the Star Sports book, which copped £350.

6:20 Jonathan Neesom Memorial Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 3m1½f (3m1f56y)

Next up, and just the five runners where Music Drive was the ‘tips against’ 11/10 favourite with we’ll-backed in the morning Gracchus De Balme weak in the betting. There wasn’t a lot going on which was ideal as I had a chance to talk to Jamie who reads the blogs and came to say hello.

Thanks, Jamie, it was most appreciated. In the meantime, Lofty and Ed laid £440 – £400 the jolly and plenty of other smaller bets, the hod held £1042.

This time the market knew, Music Drive got the better of an after the last tussle with Gracchus De Balme, who tied up halfway up the hill. The winner returned evens and the book blew a carpet and a half, £350, in one hand, out the other!

It really was a lovely to to have the race in memory of Jonathan Neesom who was a regular at jump racing a point to points and loved the game. Jonathan was represented by a plethora of his old Press Room colleagues on the winners’ podium which was an excellent if poignant touch.

6:55 Cheltenham And South West Racing Club Mares’ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 3m1½f (3m1f56y)

Next up and it got livelier again, a bet of £450 at 10/3 Latenightfumble was followed by a trade bet of £400 at 5/2 Walkin Out. The team did well to lay those bets as all eyes were on Constitution Hill on the big screen at Punchestown, at least they were until he disappointingly dropped out the back of it behind State Man. Ed and Lofty kept tapping away, though Lofty did find time to blame Blogger for results in Ireland!

As the horse went to post, there was nearly £1800 in the hod but Ed only had one feasible winner Cullin Hills. All the money had been for Latenightfumble which had been backed into 7/4, some value the early punter had. All the punters for that matter, at the off the book showed that Edwardo had bet to 100% come racing!

It looked to be going OK, Cullins Hill was still in front as the winning post loomed only to be collared on the line and beaten a short-head. The favourite returned 13/8 and the book lost £550.

7:30 Brooklands Watches Golden Miller Chronograph Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 4) (5yo+) 4m½f (4m97y)

Next up, the penultimate and now also the longest race of the season at Cheltenham. It was a very competitive looking betting heat too. Lofty was back on the computer and aiming to be more misery than Ed had been the previous race, Ed was back in the front charming the punters in, despite the green tie. He did well, the biggest bet on the race was £1500 – £300 Law Of Gold with decent public money for Red Maple and Frontal Assault the three losers at the off in a £960 book with little else to mention.

I was rooting for rank outsider Viva Lavilla because the gelding was ridden by Tiverton jockey Molly Legg who used to work for Nigel Hawke, I bet it was a huge thrill to ride the Cheltenham course The race went to 20/1 chance Hung Jury which got the better of the 11/4 favourite Jeffery’s Cross close home and copped £900 so going into the last the firm were around £60 up on the night but the staff were well up thanks to former #BettingPeople interviewee Darran Pearce’s tips on the card.

#BettingPeople: DARRAN PEARCE

8:05 (New) Royal Gloucestershire Hussars Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 5) (5yo+) 2m4½f (2m4f127y)

The lucky last was a bit slow, I blamed Ed’s green tie, Ed protested, he said the last two times he’d worn it the firm had won. Who was I to argue, it’s Ben’s superstition not mine, ‘And it’s got greyhounds on it’ added Ed, labouring the point somewhat. The biggest bet in the book between discussions on neckwear was £100 on Rebel Dawn Rising which lost £658 in the book at the off. It wasn’t more than the book held, but nearly, there was £734 in the hod at the off, a result was required to cover the exes. There was to be no fairy tale ending, in fact it was the bogie Rebel Dawn Rising what won it at 9/2 concluding a hugely enjoyable meeting and what had been another action packed season at Cheltenham. We look forward to doing it all again, but Newmarket beckons, I’ll be reporting from there tomorrow and Sunday, time to point the car.

It was definitely Ed’s tie that’s to blame.

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

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