SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Exeter Tuesday

Exeter after Cheltenham always used to be a back to reality check, though there were times when the Festival overflow used to make the meeting an exciting and humorous one, writes SIMON NOTT.

The former was when the festival Jackpot used to roll over and the latter when firms would play pass the parcel with Ulster and Scottish notes collected at Prestbury Park, happy days when Gold Cup day was on the Thursday.

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1:45 – Oddschecker Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m½f

There was an incident on the motorway today which resulted in some red-faced bookies rushing into the course later than they would have liked. Armaloft Alex was working the Star Sports pitch on his tod, he wasn’t exactly busy but did field £360 on the opener where Dutch Corner was backed from 6/4 into even money but to hardly a dinar on course with Star. The Skelton hotpot was a winner in the book where Elusive PB was the big priced bogie. The favourite looked a tricky ride though still managed second behind 5/2 winner Constellation Walk which copped £166 in the book, a winning start.

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2:20 – Oddschecker Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus 0-100) 2m7f

Special John ridden by Matt Griffiths was the fairytale comeback well-back jolly for the second heat of the day. Nigel Hawke’s Square Du Roule had been touted in some quarters, while Pop’s Folly was an early mover in a lively but small staking market. Local Derby was a big drifter in the market, 8/1 at the off with Armaloft on Star’s rails pitch but didn’t stop him romping home for Chris Gordon under his son Freddie, though SP punters only got 6/1. Try as he might to call them in, Alex only held £355 but kept £255 of it, which was handy.

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2:55 – Oddschecker Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus 0-115) 2m5½f

Next up, Armaloft took £234 on the race, and kept £64 when 9/2 shot Snapdance won. There was little else to write about the race, but luckily I had the pleasure of talking to DragonBet’s John, who’d had it spark bang off with a well-picked multiple at the Cheltenham Festival, with Meetmebythese as the banker, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer chap. Talking of DragonBet, Lee on the front of their joint, was just wearing a t-shirt, nails.

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3:30 – Oddschecker Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4) (5YO plus 0-115) 2m3f

Next up, and Armaloft was a bag of nerves, being a member of the Culverhill Racing Club, owners of Jane Williams’ Saint Cyr De Pail the second favourite or favourite in this four horse heat, depending on what book you looked at. The betting ring, although busy but very light previously was virtually bereft of punters for this race. A punter bet £120 on Sherborne, the other market leader at 7/4 made up a big chunk on the £280 the hod held at the off. That support was justified when Joe Tizzard’s gelding won unchallenged. The book lost £292, Saint Cyr De Pail finished a close up third.

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4:05 – Oddschecker Novices’ Handicap Chase (Class 5) (5YO plus 0-100) 3m

Poor old Alex’s – being on Star’s pitch is like being on the dark side of the moon, or the stand side at Ascot, it never gets any sun. While the wind was sharp enough everywhere up on Haldon Hill today, it wasn’t so bad in the sunshine. The punters did appear again to bet on the next race where they bet 4/1 the field, Thickthorn Tom being the one the market appeared to favour. I got quite excited when Alan the beard, pro-punter of longstanding, approached the joint, but no he didn’t pull out a wedge to have on, he just asked Alex how many horses he thought could win, the answer was not many, but picking which one was still problematic. At the off, there was £309 in the hod and an extra £15 in at after Dyno Dave won the race at 9/2.

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4:40 – Oddschecker Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 2 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Class 5) (4-6yo) 2m½f

There was a big tip in the bumper, River Kwai would not be beaten was the word. It’s funny how there is money in the ring when there’s the word, a punter bet £1000 – £500 into a book that held £906. It wasn’t just the monkey punter that was on, they all knew, but luckily weren’t as confident was the chap that had the monkey on, anyway, they knew. The good thing bolted up, the book lost £1121.

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5:13 – Totnes And Bridgetown Races Company Ltd Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 5) (5YO plus) 3m

The finale of the day was the hunter chase, so this being hunter chase country, brisk business was expected. Early money was for Macklin and Crawter, but they went on the walk late in the betting when money came in for Revels Hill 10/1 into 7/1. When I say money, at the off the Star Sports book held £377 with 9/4 chance Macklin losing £418 in the book. Once again, they knew. Macklin won unchallenged  and the book did £418, topping off a day that started slow, showed a glimmer of hope then went pear-shaped in the closing stages. Some consolation was that Alex didn’t have much to count before heading home. There’s always a silver lining, we’re back at Newbury on Friday.

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

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