SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Kempton Saturday

1:50 – Coral Adonis Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO only) 2m

What can you say, forget about everyone keeping their powder dry for Cheltenham, Kempton was busy. Ed Dark and Lofty bet on a pitch each and were under the cosh from the start, the punters were keen to be on.

A bag man was busy in the ring in a lively opener, bets included £13,000 – £2000 and £3000 -£500 Perseus Way with £6500 – £4000 £1650 – £1000 x 2 450 – £300 and £750 – £500 Scriptwriter. Those two were backed pretty much to the exception of anything else. Approaching the last, it looked a bit hairy for the firm as Perseus Way was still in it with a great chance. Thankfully for Lofty and Ed the bogie ultimately had to settle for second behind 7/2 winner Nusret who took command on the run-in. Ed had just one winning bet of £400 – £100 to pay. That was an excellent start with a £5600 cop in the non-linked books.

THE RACING PAST: It wasn’t such a great start for veteran bookmaker Tony Styles who bets as Bob Stock. He nipped into a garage to get a Racing Post on his way to the races only to discover on arrival he’d been given Wednesdays. What a rotten trick, at least he’d be able to pick all the winners, he told me what he’d really have liked is tomorrow’s paper today. Wouldn’t we all Tony!

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2:25 – Coral Pendil Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus) 2m 4½f

Next up and Lofty laid £1750 – £500 Solo and £1800 – £300 Tweed Skirt, Eddie shouted he’d laid one, he should have just said ‘Hold my beer’ £20,000 – £8000 Datsalrightgino laid and nestling in the hod. The bets were keeping the lads warm, a £600 – £300 Boothill added to the take, they were dressed for the weather, damp and nippy, I on the other hand wanted to look cool in the photo so donned the Crombie, hence I was more frozen than I’d hoped I’d be when looking at this morning’s forecast. Schoolboy error.

If it hadn’t been for jumping errors from the absolute bogie Ed and Lofty could have been looking deep into the bag for readies. Handily Solo put in a better round of jumping and got the money, for connections, the punter that had a monkey on with Lofty and courageous ‘get it in the bag’ Eddie. The winner returned 11/4. Come racing!

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3:00 – Coral Trophy Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus) 3m

Next up and the feature, the crowd inside were getting into spirit singing a rousing rendition of ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby’ while out in the chill the punters wanted £10,000 – £2000 Our Power and £4500 – £1000 Cap Du Nord with Eddie and Lofty respectively, the rest winners in the book.

It had been going so well, and for much of the race it still was. 10/1 great result Flegmatik was going ever so well out in front and copped another nice few quid then up loomed Our Power, flew the last and swept past under Sam Twiston-Davies to win nicely. Frodon, had been the popular each-way choice and finishing third tortured poor old Lofty’s frozen fingers with loads of shrapnel laden place payouts. The book took a hit which juddered it back but not behind on the day.

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3:40 – Sky Bet Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 2m

Getting to work on the fourth race, it looked nice and sunny for the Eider at Newcastle. It was drizzling, I’m not having a moan up but if the Weather Forecast was a tipster it would be Cayton of the Morning Star! (for those of a certain age of course). It may not have been Royal Ascot or indeed Royal Ascot weather but the bets were a bit like it. The punter that backed the last winner came to draw, then added another £4000 to his £12,000 and bet a £28,000- £16,000 Hansard. At the off Eddy could have ‘greened up’ for £3211 which would have been in old parlance ‘a very good book’. You have to either always do it or never, Star never do.

‘Be consistent’ Ivor Perry always used to say. The firm were consistent, no greening up, Rubaud bolted up under Harry Cobden and the book copped £15,000 despite laying an £1100 – £400 the winner. What’s that sound? Oh, that’s just Eddie giving it the ‘Aye Aye!’ Quite right too.

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4:10 – Coral Racing Club Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m 5f

Ed was tapping away on the race before the penultimate when a known big punter stood in line. Luckily had stayed patient because the chap in front of him started to call a list of £2.50 bets then handed over a handful of change to pay. Once those bets had been tendered the patient punter had £20,000 on Don Hollow at 4/1.

Just as Lofty and I were chirping about how much fun a lively day is, loyal blog reader Andre (@RacingDre) came over and asked if he could be in the blog. He’d been betting with Lofty most of the afternoon. Our pleasure mate.

It would be an exaggeration to say that ‘Fearless Ed’ didn’t have a moment of worry, but he was quietly confident he’d copped for the firm again with a couple to jump. Gary Moore’s Mark Of Gold absolutely trounced them, winning unchallenged at 4/1 which needless to say was very handy. With two races to go, things were looking good but with big punters lurking, chickens could not be counted just yet.

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4:45 – Coral Bet Bundles Handicap Chase (Class 3) (5YO plus) 2m 4½f

A £37,500 – £5000 on The Edgar Wallace in the penultimate backed that no fowl theory. There was also smaller money for the jolly Quick Draw, Ed laid £1400 – £800 late on. Then, right in the hole, a punter came up to the joint and had £12,600 at 13/2 The Edgar Wallace, yes the same horse which was losing £118,000 at the off.

Lieutenant Rocco won at 18/1, Ed had two payouts and another big cop in the book with one race to go.

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5:20 – Coral Get Closer To The Action Open NH Flat Race (GBB Race) (Class 5) (4YO to 6YO) 2m

The punters appeared to be happy enough to cosy down in the warm bars rather than venture out into the increasing chill early evening to bet with the bookies. Equally, the bookies appeared happy enough to sit on what they were winning, hands in pockets. Ed and Lofty were hardly rushed off their feet and not too bothered after a successful day’s work. Just when it was safe to start counting it, a punter asked for and got £70,000 – £20,000 Dancing In Brazil, a bet that would top off a terrific day on the turf for Star Sports or end it in disaster.

East India Express steamed home at 14/1 and left the rest looking puffed out, the good guys had a colossal day and the next stop is the big one, Cheltenham Festival here we come. If today’s punting is anything to go by, it’s going to be a cracking four days in the betting ring.

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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