SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Glorious Goodwood Thursday

The Star Sports’ teams were slightly changed today from yesterday’s victorious ensemble, writes SIMON NOTT.

Russ had stepped in for Dan, who had been dispatched to Epsom. The rails pitch remained in the same spot, but Tatts had been hoiked out of their spot and moved one position, slightly further away from the gap between stands.

Bookmakers can be a predictable lot, one bad day, they convince themselves they were betting in an unlucky position and move!

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1:50 – Coral Kincsem Heritage Handicap (Class 2) (3YO only)

Betting was quite slow in the opener to start, though there were still bets to make the firm jump, not least £25,000 – £500 each-way Lean D’aislinge, Birgham Dub £10,000 – £450 and £4000 – £500 Evanesco. Star Sports were giving away branded glasses so I decided to help, they proved very popular though I’m dubious they were the rumoured to be Ray-Bans.

The teams kept at it so by the start of the race there was £5644 in the hod and still £677.58 when the run of obliging favourites continued when Ciarrai Abu justified being sent off 10/3 market leader.

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2:25 – Markel Richmond Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (2YO only)

Next up and Flann Sunna opened 13/8 favourite, well they can’t keep winning, can they? The first decent bet was £650 on Cut A Dash when a punter span up his winnings, Star Sports do like a plucky punter.

That was ultimately the biggest bet on the race over both pitches though credit to the teams, the book held £5970 on the race in small wagers. Man’s Best Friend winning at 11/2 (6/1 on course at the off) was a cop in the book to the tune of £1204 adding to the winning total.

However, a gentleman came to the joint saying he wanted £100,000 on Diamond Necklace later on the card, was he serious, who can tell, but things could start to get fun, we’d have to wait and see, though I was dubious, even more than of the free bins.

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3:00 – Maison Perrier Gordon Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3YO only)

Friend of the firm Glenn came to the joint to show us his Windsor knot, he said his wife knots his ties before he comes racing, three in total. I think you’ll agree she does a great job. Another friend of the firm Sir Philip Davies came to say hello, he’s a very nice chap too.

Meanwhile, as I was gassing to our visitors the real workers were taking bets, £1750 – £500 Bay Of Brilliance and £1500 and £300 wagers Enceladus noted at 13/8.

At the off, the book held a pretty impressive £10,174 with the jolly Enceladus losing £4856, well they can’t all win can they. Erm, as it turns out they can Enceladus bolted up returned 6/4.

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3:35 – Qatar Nassau Stakes (Fillies’ And Mares’ Group 1) (Class 1) (3YO plus)

At the bottom of the box of dubious sunglasses I found some sun visors of much better quality and some stress balls, I felt it prudent to dish the stress balls out to the neighbouring bookies. All that while keeping half an eye out for £100,000 man, conspicuous by his absence thus far. The sun visors proved popular, as did Diamond Necklace but the big talking man was still nowhere to be seen and as the jolly’s price was drifting it’s doubtful he’d had the bet elsewhere either, as the horses arrived at the post 8/11 was hawking.

There had been money for jolly, £2000 and a monkey at 4/6, also a grand for Friendly Soul at 11/4 but no really serious money for anything. There was still £9821 in the hod at the off in what was a really good book just the jolly losing £1489.

What can you say, it was just as well £100,000 man was probably bullshitting, she won as she liked and returned 4/6, 8/11 was available everywhere on course. Come racing.

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4:10 – Buccellati Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only)

Next up, a hard handicap with little expected in the way of big bets given they bet 11/2 the field with Naana’s Shadow heading a competitive market. It was 6/1 the field as the horses loaded, there had been a decent bet £6500 – £650 each-way Miss Yechance.

Naana’s Shadow won the race, returned 5/1 joint favourite, a whole point below what you could have got on course, to make things worse Miss Yechance was placed, the hod held £5652 going into the race and blew £3235, the pips were starting to pop in the ring. Badwood. You’re missing nothing Mickey.

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4:45 – Whispering Angel Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only)

So, with just the three races to go, getting out on the day £4600 behind including the £2500 won on the Magnolia Cup looked possible. I apologise for not covering the charity race but I was stood in a carpark, ask Lofty. Anyway, there was everything to play for and of course still two days to go. Bookies were walking around in a bit of a daze, was it the sun, possible, financial shell shock was more likely.

Next up, Sophie and I were once again on an ice cream run, served in tubs to save dripping on busy workmen. By the time we came back with the tasty dairy snacks, the teams had amassed £6437 in bets consisting of no lumps at all.

At last, Sword Salute to the rescue 33/1 and virtually unbacked slipped the field and handed to bookies some much needed respite, the Star Sports book copped £4515 ‘We are so back’ beamed the selfless Kaan, no ice cream for him, he can’t eat dairy.

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5:20 – Tatler British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only)

So Lovely was the odds-on favourite in the maiden, it was a weird one, she looked justified at that price but it wasn’t surprising that punters weren’t falling over themselves to back her, after all this was a Glorious Goodwood maiden with some top yards represented.

There was opposition to the jolly, a bet of £5500 – £1000 Avalon Queen was struck which would have been OK had the firm been able to lay the jolly to any significant amounts which they hadn’t. There was a late grand and £800 struck the jolly at 8/11 in a bit of a flurry, as the horses loaded, all in and the book had two losers, So Lovely in her place as the worst for £2329.

The market knew, but also got it wrong, Avalon Queen which returned 4/1 beat So Lovely in a photo, the book lost £800 on the race after favourable places. The winner had been 7/1 but was freely available at 5/1 on course, these SP’s really must be a licence to print money off course. Come racing.

Continuing the SP comment the runner-up returned 4/7 the last bet in Star’s book was 8/11. Outrageous.

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5:55 – HKJC World Pool Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only)

So, onto the lucky last and Star Sports on-course were losing £978.

A winning day was still on the cards depending on the field money and of course, the result. A bet of a monkey each-way Intense Vision at 33/1 got the book off and running. There was also clever money about for Exclusive Code, one punter that knows the time of day bet £9000 – £2000 just prior to a gaggle of bagmen scampering about trying to back the same horse.

The price came tumbling down thereafter, you’d have a job to beat 5/2 as the horses went to post, some gamble it appeared. As the horses loaded top of the head was the best you could do in the ring the gamble horse which was losing £9351 in the book which held £6800.

What a kick in the nuts, they didn’t see which was Exclusive Code went or the £8603 that the firm blew. Some touch landed, not nice to be at the receiving end of it but we’d have all liked the phone call. Neil Channing tipped to winner to Betting Emporium punters, Neil knew.

I think the Ivy is off the cards tonight.

We’re back tomorrow.

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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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