SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Friday

Kaan, Star’s stalwart head of on course, always laughs at my nostalgic reminisces of Newbury and other courses, so he started the day with a smile, writes SIMON NOTT.

I had a brief conversation with Derek Barnes and Mark Hill about the days when there would regularly be five rows of books in Tatts on a Friday, workable too. Derek remembered Jack Lynn wandering down the rows of books, belting out a fine rendition of ‘Singing in the rain’. They don’t make them like Jack anymore.

I don’t know what he’d have made of the three books in Tatts today, but I do know that after looking at the £125 field money taken on the first he’d have said ‘Pack the tools up Simon boy’. There was always another day with Jack.

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2:00 – West Berkshire Mencap Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 4) (4YO plus 0-110) 2m4½f

Guchen absolutely bolted up, justifying 10/3 joint-favouritism and copped £60 in the book. There was no way Kaan would be packing the tools up for the simple reason that there were big punters lurking.

No sooner had I typed that, a punter bet £1400 – £400 Noahsgreatrainbow over at Doncaster, it’s different these days but there’s still business out there.

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2:30 – BetVictor Simple Things Juvenile Hurdle (Novices’ Championship Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO) 2m½f

The bet at Doncaster was beaten before betting got underway in the next here at Newbury. When I say got underway, the book took £101, dreadful business.

The upside of the betting was that we got a visit from pro-punter Alan Potts, who it’s always a joy to talk to. I wish I had his racing knowledge, I reckon a day seminar on just the more intricate rules of racing would be a sell out, questions about things you were too ashamed to admit you didn’t know the answer to.

In the meantime, Cecilia Star won the race at 3/1, the book copped £9.

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3:00 – OLBG “Chasing Excellence” Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus) 2m7½f

The third heat was a non-event betting wise, hardly a bet was taken. Mind you, it worked out well, Miami Magic the 4/5 won the race, the book copped a pony over a jolly.

The best bit was that the winning horse is owned by an absolute gentleman of the turf and top judge Dan Hague, well done Dan, couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.

Meanwhile, a punter bet £250 on Romeo Tomcat at 20/1 ante-post in the Greyhound Derby, it was worth being here.

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3:35 – BetVictor Watch Weekend Winners “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus) 2m4½f

Even more worth it when a punter bet £500 – £550 Talk To The Man in the next, it was a good bet to lay apart from Alan Potts had just told us that Paul Nicholls’ gelding looked different class, and so it proved bolting up shortly after.

In the meantime, the Betting Ring Manager for the day visited each joint to highlight the fact there were some moody scores doing the rounds.

Luckily, business as it was today, there was plenty of time to check, but you could see that when it was busy they might slip through, one way to check them, as well as the artwork not being spot on these panels (pictured) aren’t replicated properly.

There were no iffy notes paid out in the £602 Kaan lost on the race, though he did field £802.

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4:08 – Highclere Horse Feeds Oataalin Handicap Chase (For The Geoffrey Gilbey Trophy) (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus 0-130) 2m½f

Kaan was still upbeat as an even £250 trade bet on Daytime Dreaming got the betting ball rolling on the penultimate.

The trouble was it didn’t roll much further, £175 in total bets further to be exact, there was £425 in the hod at the off, less £74 losses when the 10/11 jolly Daytime Dreaming won the race.

Kaan had been gazing at the busy rails pitches in a way he probably shouldn’t for most of the afternoon, but his ardour was cooled when Harry of RDT pointed out how much Star Sports would have knocked out this afternoon had they actually been able to take some decent money – plenty I’d imagine.

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4:43 – Cheltenham Specials Made Simple At BetVictor Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (5YO plus 0-130) 3m½f

The sun was shining through the ominous-looking clouds as Kaan got to work on the last where Peacenik opened the 9/4 favourite in a competitive-looking race.

There was just the slightest aroma of burned bookie’s fingers in the air and hardly a whiff of a punter, though one did ask for a carpet the jolly at 5/2 when Kaan the intrepid was already top price in the ring, nothing done.

As the horses went to post with just £44 in the hod and 5/2 painted Peacenik on the board Star’s man might have been rueing his no dice on the requested price deal, even more so as that was the total in field money at the off. £44, can you hear the whirring of the old inhabitants of this once vibrant ring spinning in their graves? No me neither but it’s an atmospheric thought.

Another thought was that had Kaan laid the punter 5/2, he’d had done the firm another £750 after he made all to win virtually unchallenged. Aye Aye to a losing day totalling £136.84 on the day instead, it’ll be busier tomorrow; it had better be, or Lofty will be having a right moan up.

Incidentally, I’m making a debut cameo remote appearance on the Big Weekend Raceday Review on Sky Sports Racing tomorrow.

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

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