SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Epsom Friday

The day properly started with a minute hand clap rather than silence in honour of Lester Piggott legend of the turf. The racecourse was bathed in glorious sunshine as it rang with applause, I’m sure Lester would have cracked a smile.

Star Sports had tandem pitches on the rails, the team, Flynn, ‘Inlike’ if you like, Lofty, Hannah, Kyle and Steve.

Betting started briskly but modest, punctuated by a grand at 13/8 on the Oaks jolly Emily Up John. After a couple of years away it appeared punters were reacquainting or newly familiarising themselves with Epsom. Some who is familiar to #BettingPeople watchers is Rupert Mackeson who was selling his books and prints in his usual spot between the stands. In years gone by he has been joined on the stall for a while by his old mate Lester Piggott, poignantly absent today.

2:00 – Cazoo Woodcote British EBF Stakes (Conditions Race) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 6f

The betting on the opener stayed steady but modest, a late bet of £2000 – £240 Blatant made that one the bogie, which tells you about the levels. Legend Of Xanadu, plenty of 9/2 on course but industry SP’d 4/1jf won the race and also won modestly in the book. A handy bullet dodging start with the hope that business will pick up.

2:35 – World Pool Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 1m ½f

Next up and another tricky race for the punters. One backer thought they knew and had a monkey on Totally Charming at 9/2 nice and early which gave the book something to bet up to, a figure that should be easily achievable on a day like today.

The trouble was, trouble at least as far as a balanced book went, Totally Charming was the only one the punters wanted to be on. Star Sports laid another £550 at 9/2. ‘It’s suddenly a good betting heat’ declared Lofty after laying a carpet Excel Power at 13/2 ensuring that one went red in the book too. There were plenty of smaller bets for other horses though at the off the bogie was still for more than the book held. Hear that whirring? It’s traditional bookies of days gone by spinning in their graves.

They knew. The bogie bolted up and Star Sports were now well behind after the second 4/1jf obliged, a double for Will Buick on the day.

3:10 – Dahlbury Coronation Cup (Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 1m 4f

What you can’t see in the picture above is the 85/40 price on Pyledriver, you might scoff but it attracted a punter with a grand directly after a grand at 9/4 the same horse. Both those bets paled into relative insignificance when a punter came in for an early £20,000 – £8000 Ever Given in the penultimate.

At the off Pyledriver was losing nearly five figures. Flynn was already on the phone making contingency plans to obtain more readies should it win. Those plans stayed on hold, at least for now, when the favourite proved no match for runaway 11/4 winner Hukum.

3:45 – Cazoo Handicap (Class 2) (4YO plus) 1m 2f

While betting got underway in the next we had a visit from Australian racing legends Rob and Gai Waterhouse.

The next was another good betting heat, bets were plentiful if not overly lumpy. The biggest was £2000 – £800 Moktasaab which made it the bogie losing nearly £4000 and Solo Sizzler a loser for nearly a grand. You’ll be pleased to know the rest were winners in the book.

14/1 winner Royal Champion was a welcome result but by no means unbacked taking out a couple of grand in winning bets though still a good cop in the book.

There was a less welcome visitor to the racecourse on the build up to the Oaks, a totally unexpected one too, rain. Not predicted by the weather forecasts, at least not the ones I read. We didn’t have coats, let-alone mushes.

4:30 – Cazoo Oaks (Fillies’ Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO only) 1m 4f

The rain didn’t amount to much and punters weren’t deterred. They couldn’t really see past the favourite though. There were no huge bets but Inlike did field another grand Emily Up John at 11/8. There were just modest bets on everything else in the race, much of it each way, the smaller punters keen to try and find one to beat the favourite. Just like the bookies!

At the off the favourite lost £6000 in the book. What a race, that really was a classic. Frankie Dettori on Emily Up John looked like he had to be on a wonder filly to win with just one behind them coming around Tattenham Corner. He then looked like he was, the combination swooped wide closing on Ryan Moore and Tuesday with every stride. But they weren’t for passing, the groan from the crowd and 1.03 price on the machine for the photo as the slow motion replay was displayed on the big screen told the story. Tuesday held on by a short head winning at 13/2. The booked copped £5000 after the places.

5:10 – Poundland Surrey Stakes (Listed) (Class 1) (3YO only) 7f

Having laid £20,000 – £8000 Ever Given early there was little doubt what would go off bogie in the penultimate. The sun had come back out so hopefully the punters would be encouraged out to have a bet on some of the others.

They didn’t really, they didn’t bet on Ever Given either though. He had drifted to 10/3 on course by the off. Kyle, ex head of on-course lamented that the firm’s policy wouldn’t allow a hedge bet at the price to ensure a good day whatever happened. It was OK though, that was never an option, besides it had drifted, they always know on the machine. To quote an old bookie boss of mine, on this occasion they ‘didn’t know shit from butter’. The bogie bolted in. The firm did the thick end of £20,000 and it was game over for the day.

5:45 – Cazoo Derby Festival Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 7f

The lucky last came up for the books as 80/1 chance Bowman skinned the book for most under William Carson, grandson of the great Willie of the same surname. That winner got three grand back, well you have to start somewhere.

We’ll be back tomorrow wielding mushes and donning waterproof clobber.

SIMON NOTT

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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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