SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Friday

On my arrival, Kaan, micky-taking rib tickler that he is, had a right old laugh at my expense because my Cheltenham blogs in recent days started similarly, writes SIMON NOTT.

He went on to ask if I’d be wandering down Memory Lane regaling everyone of a Jackpot win at Newbury today. What a welcome, well no, I won’t, I decided to start my day and indeed betting ring report talking to two absolute Gentlemen of the Turf instead.

Cut from the same cloth albeit on opposite sides of the punting fence, bookie Paul Gold and punter Alan Potts made much better company than the mirth inducing head of on-course.

12:15 – Play Coral ‘Racing-Super-Series’ ‘National Hunt’ Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m ½f

The fact that Alan had turned up probably meant that it looked like a good punting card and those that like to have it on would be here at Newbury to do just that.

So it proved, a punter approached the joint and enquired about a price for Dan Skelton to win this season’s trainers’ championship, he was quoted 1/5, he evidently thought that was value because he pulled up £5000 to have on.

Once betting on the home race got underway Act Of Innocence was popular, 13/8 fizzled into 6/4 a punter bet £6000 – £4000, the book had hope shortly after when a face bet £1600 – £400 Harbour Island. There was precious little else forthcoming as the total field money of £4959 will testify.

Sadly, the big hitter rather than the reasoned selection won the day, Act Of Innocence obliged for backers of favourites and Star Sports, today Dan and Kaan knocked out £5154.

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12:45 – Coral Racing Club Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m ½f

Looking around, there was a huge crowd here. I’ve seen worse Saturdays, that’s for sure. The punter who bet the five-on came back over and asked if I was Ben’s son, yes, Star’s owner Ben.

I replied in the negative then concluded, to myself of course, that I hoped he was a better judge of racehorse trainers than potential bookmakers’ offspring. Meanwhile, that burgeoning crowd certainly contained some proper punters, one of whom bet £4500 – £1000 Captain Bellamy and another £16,000 – £4000 Bluey.

Needless to say, the Star Sports book wasn’t a pretty one; it wasn’t even really a book but a Bluey shaped big red figure. A little bit of Ben Pauling trained Ben Jones ridden Mambonumber five in your life is just what was needed, winning nicely.

Mind you, the gelding returned 5/2 jolly so wasn’t going to be a good result for most of the ring, so neither Dan nor Kaan gave it the ‘Aye Aye’, quite right too. The book copped £4019, then another £10,000 after a punter bet that figure at 6/4 on the beaten Quay Item over at Doncaster.

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1:15 – Coral ‘Daily Rewards Shaker’ Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle (Listed) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (3YO only) 2m ½f

Next up, a different £10,000 punter against the book. This punter’s bet was on Gordon Elliott’s Highland Crystal at evens, when I say against the book, at the off the rest of that book totalled £10,212, yes despite the very decent sized crowd most of them weren’t betting.

The intrepid ten grand punter must have been feeling quite confident as the field turned for home.

His fancy and ultimate even money jolly scythed her way through the field before bolting up with the minimum of exertion.

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1:50 – Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 2m 4f

The fourth race on the card was desperately quiet considering the previous races, though take away the lumps it was par for the day with just £553 forthcoming from the crowd.

Much of it was on Jamie Snowden’s Wendigo, which was backed from 9/2 into 5/2 before winning.

It looked unlikely as No Questions Asked cruised into the lead with two to jump but capitulated to the winner on the run it, the book lost £538.

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2:25 – ‘Join Coral Bet 10 Get 50’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 4f

Next up and I got a text sending me off to the Injured Jockeys’ Fund Christmas stall to purchase some great cause fare for a chap in our village.

There’s some great stuff this year and an excellent charity to support, luckily he didn’t want a door mat mind that would have taken some lugging.

Meanwhile, Dan and Kaan were grafting away on the race before the penultimate, the biggest bet was rails trade, £1400 – £400 Heltenham making up a fair bit but not the majority the £1821 in the hod at the off.

They only had the one loser at the off, you don’t need to get which one, which went off at 11/4 but at least had the field against him. Paul Nicholls’ Twinjets winning at 3/1 saved the day, mind you, he did bolt up though was the only one to beat the bogie copping the firm £698.

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3:00 – Coral Long Distance Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 3m ½f

Going into the penultimate including the away bets, the firm were doing £762 and it looked as if the big punters had gone home. Ricky, working today on the Westend Racing pitch was still talking about getting caught short at Cheltenham, it really must have been touch and go for the old boy.

The firm couldn’t understand the spike in field money when I stood in for him, but I’m not the type to blow my own trumpet. Meanwhile, it had got lively on the pitch, a bet of £3000 at 11/8 Impose Toi to the trade was followed by £300 at 5/2 Strong Leader then further bets of £300 and £400 the jolly put Dan and Kaan right in it.

At the off, the book held £4270 with Impose Toi losing £4909 and win he did. It was quite cruel for the bookmakers really, the winner was always going to get there but was taking his time inching to the front slow torture stride by stride until the layers were put out of their misery with a victory.

After the race, the punters were chuffed coming up to draw, chirpy in fact as they often are when they are winning. One winning backer said he loved the blogs, he didn’t want a photo though, still it was nice of him to say so.

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3:35 – Coral ‘Pipped-At-The-Post’ Payouts Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus) 3m ½f

‘It doesn’t matter that we can’t get out on this race, it’s a two day meeting and it’s the big day tomorrow’ was Kaan’s defiant statement looking into a £1742 book.

The race hadn’t really come alive but had started off with a fractions bet from the rails £2000 – £360 Blue Carpet ‘One of the worst fractions to lay’ commented Dan talking about the value to be had asking for 100/18 instead of 11/2 when you come racing.

I know, sorry everyone it’s just me again banging the same old drum, but I’m assuming more serious punters will be coming racing when the off course SP screw that is almost certain to be turned starts revolving, they need to know their fractions. Anyway, today’s crowd were mostly proper old sweats and enthusiasts with a fair sprinkling of early Christmas parties.

The refreshed young gentleman pressing 4 in the lift at every floor as it descended from the fifth one of the latter’s number I’d wager. Meanwhile, the horses were at the post, cars had their headlights on, there was that £1742 in the hod and they were off for the lucky last.

The day ended as well as it could do for the firm, of that field money they kept £1504 of it when 12/1 chance Keable won the race from the bogie Blue Carpet. That was handy, part one of the two day meeting concluding with a winning race.

The hope is that today’s losses are only lent, the forecast tomorrow isn’t great, but proper jumps racing fans won’t be put off by a smattering of rain.

We’d back tomorrow with Kieran to bolster the team, thanks for reading. If you enjoy these blogs, please share them with your racing mates.

SIMON NOTT

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

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