SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Exeter Sunday

It was Family Fun Day at Exeter and the families turned up in force and certainly had fun, writes SIMON NOTT.

There was a Shetland pony race to kick things off, followed by a boys and girls running race, both of which were contested by Grand National-sized fields, and featuring close finishes, though the judge didn’t call for a print.

Then it was on to matters of the turf and a six-race card. Star’s Exeter man Armaloft Alex was otherwise engaged with point-to-point stewarding duties, so substituted by racecourse booking face Russ.

Before the opener, a young chap named Harry came over to say hello and said he always reads the blog and that ‘Chunk’ wanted to know how my head was after Friday. I had no idea who ‘Chunk’ was until he mentioned he’d had a pint or two with him before golf at 10.30 this morning, answers on a postcard to ‘Chunk’s’ identity.

---

2:32 – Guildhall Shopping Celebrating 5 Decades Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 5½f

The first race of the day wasn’t ideal for this sort or any sort of crowd, with Kildinan Prince ranging from 1/25 to 1/50 to beat these two rivals home.

A guy dressed very flamboyantly in the 50’s style bet a score the favourite with Russ, who was having a lean up at 1/50. There weren’t many other takers, though a £1 bet on the jolly at the price was refused as Russ quite accurately pointed out he didn’t have any 2p coins to pay out.

At the off, the book held £65 with the jolly winning £45. The race went to script, Kildinan Prince won on the bridle, but Harry Cobden did give the crowd reason to cheer, letting Dalcassian Girl get to within a length jumping the last, but he was only teasing. The book copped £45.

---

3:02 – Guildhall Shopping Exeter 50th Anniversary Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus) 3m 6½f

Next up, and Russ was busy, having taken £400 with 12 minutes to go. Evidently, when the crowd gets to a certain size, they find the rail.

Rivers Corner was the mover, probably because somebody pointed out that one of the owners, John Roman was here and wearing a very nice suit.

Joe Tizzard’s charge was seen at 7/2 early but a 6/4 chance at the off. The Star Sports book held £740 with the jolly winning £340.

Tall Boy Watson came over to tell me that they’d £5000 – £1000 Egbert over in the ring, it seems that punter didn’t spot Star Sports but of course there are plenty of bookmakers on course that will take a decent bet, come racing.

What a race we were treated to, the gamble was landed by Rivers Corner winning by a short-head with the machine getting it spectacularly wrong in the photo. The book copped nicely after an almighty gamble was landed.

---

3:37 – Barry Johnson Memorial Mares’ Handicap Chase (Class 5) (5YO plus) 3m

Next up, and a tight-looking five-horse race, where Fortunefavorsdbold and Sweet Nightingale opened a bottle each of two.

The bets that were missing at the previous meetings were in evidence today: £20, £50 and £100 bets, as well as the smaller stuff. The one the punters came for early was Polly Gundry’s Sweet Nightingale then Fortunefavorsdbold was the late move into 13/8.

At the off, there was £790 in the hod with two losers in the book. Sweet Nightingale won quite decisively in the end after a prolonged battle with her market rival. She returned 13/8 favourite but copped £568 in Star’s book, no lean ups from Russ it was just the way the money came in.

---

4:12 – Guildhall Exeter, Shop, Eat, Play EBF Junior ‘National Hunt’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO only) 2m ½f

The race before the penultimate saw an odds-on favourite in Mwabani, which opened at 8/11 and with nine runners was what Russ described as a ‘bad each-way race’, which of course meant it was good for the punters.

Having been just in shirt sleeve order so far this afternoon, it started to feel like coat time as the sun disappeared behind the clouds, but felt I should hang in there for another race, there weren’t many up here in shorts, they must have been atop Haldon Hill before.

Meanwhile, Russ, layered up, was too busy to get cold; at times the punters were actually queuing to get on, though to modest stakes, it was nice to see the pitch lively. The punters didn’t want to be in the jolly, which was a 5/6 with Star Sports at the off, they were on the others, each-way in the right and proper manner, at the off Russ was holding £769.

A shout out must go to the commentator John Blance, who managed to get discombobulated into the commentary, he wasn’t talking about Dakota Star though which trounced the favourite to win and knock out £788 from the book and punch a hole in today’s winnings. Stay at home punters take note, the last bet in the book was £5 each-way at 6/1 as they were lining up, the SP was 9/2. Come racing.

---

4:47 – Guildhall Exeter Style, Favour, Fun Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 7f

The penultimate looked a very tough race to solve, it was one of those that, whatever won, you could go back over the form and wonder why you didn’t back the winner, a case could be made for all eight horses in the race.

Going into the heat, the book was winning two hundred quid after being a grand up, which was disappointing after things had been going so well. Call Me Legend and Got A Dream were the 7/2 joint favourites when the market opened, the race turned out to be the busiest race of the day with £932 fielded in what Russ described as a traditional book with Call Me Legend losing £850.

Meanwhile, a bookmaker asked for a price Red Acre Max up at Carlisle. It was 11/10, he wanted 6/5, nothing done, and they were off. Once again, racegoers were treated to a cracking race, even more cracking that 14/1 chance Kayf Dancer beat the bogie a short head after the judge deliberated a photo, the book copped £666 and were back looking at a winning day, albeit a modest one, but I’m sure they’d take it.

I spoke to Ryan who works for the racecourse after the race, he was chuffed with the day and the crowd and so he should be, if only all racecourses were triers like Exeter.

---

5:22 – Greendale Farm Shop Point-To-Point Bumper Maiden NH Flat Race (Amateur Jockeys) (GBB Race) (Class 5) (4YO to 6YO) 2m ½f

Over at Carlisle, the requested but not laid bet won, at 4/5, bullet dodged. So, with renewed gusto, on to the lucky last, an intriguing point-to-point bumper where they bet 3/1 the field in the seven horse heat. They latched on to one here, Timmie Two which appeared to have been the day’s racecourse whisper and backed accordingly by the punters betting with Russ on the Star Sports pitch.

As the field lined up, the book had just the one loser, Timmie Two which was for £1113 enough to ruin the day. Barney Curley famously said ‘Never listen to racecourse rumours’ 11/1 chance Call Me Ken won the race, the book won £293 on the race and £1152 on the day, Aye Aye not to be sniffed at a winning day at Exeter on Russ’ debut.

Thanks for reading, if you enjoy these reports please share and spread the word.

---

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

---

STAR PROMOTIONS