SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Saturday

It was nice to get out to the races after a week of rain in Devon, it’s actually rained every day this year in the Shire, still it’ll soon be March, writes SIMON NOTT.

Before I go on to describe today’s racing at Newbury, I’ll relate a tale. I got a phone call this week, the person on the other end of the phone said ‘I’m loathe to tell you this incase you get more big headed and annoying than you already are, but I thought this week’s #BettingPeople interview with Marty Smyth was excellent.’ Yes, that’s what passes for a compliment these days, mind you I do agree with the caller who shall remain nameless, at least in respect of the interviewee Marty Smyth being excellent, please don’t miss it.

#BettingPeople: MARTY SMYTH

1:00 – William Hill Racing Epic Boosts Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m ½f

Anyway, shameless self promotion over, Star Sports bet at Newbury today working in Tattersalls, the pitch was manned by Sophie, Keiran and Kaan doing their best to stay dry. They were kept busy from the get go, in the first heat they laid £10,000, £5000 and £1000 single bets on Sober Glory all at 4/9. Sober Glory won unchallenged, the book knocked out seven grand to kick off Super Saturday.

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1:35 – William Hill Each Way Extra Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus) 3m ½f

Betting on the second race, Kaan at the helm was having a right old moan up, saying that Super Saturday’s business was desperate. They only took 12 bets from punters and a £3000 – £2000 the A Pai De Nom bookie’s hedge money in the race, so he had a point. At least one of the dozen bets from the floor was £900-£300 the jolly too so there was something to win on the race, or lose as it turned out after the market leader obliged returning 11/8. An even bigger moan up ensued, I got out of earshot, and the rain for a bit, there’s no point putting yourself through it if you don’t have to!

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2:10 – William Hill Denman Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus) 2m 7½f

It was drizzling quite heavily as betting got underway for the third. When I say underway, business was very poor. A punter did spin up £2444 of the winnings he had to come on Haiti Couleurs at ‘tips-on’ 10/11, the team were happy to take it. It wasn’t all one way traffic though, right in the hole, Kaan and co laid £2250 – £1000 bookmaker’s hedging money over L’Homme Presse which made that one a taker making the jolly a loser for £1200. In hindsight that was a handy bet to lay as Haiti Couleurs made it three favourites out of three and still it rained. One highlight was bumping into my old pal and dog pro punter Lester, he was here on a jolly not the jolly, which was handy.

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2:45 – William Hill Game Spirit Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus) 2m ½f

Between races, the joint man came around for his readies, which reminded me of something from Newbury back in the day. An old boy used to come around and ask each bookie for ‘£2 cloakroom’ and it appeared most firms used to just give it to him, it always baffled me why. Anyone who knows what that was all about I’d be interested. Meanwhile in the present day, punters piled into Lulamba, that despite it being the second leg of Bloggsy’s double, bets included £5000 at 8/13, £8000 – £14,000, £2400 – £4500, £3611 – £7223 and £5000 – £10,000, precious little for anything else. Bloggsy knew, Lulamba won without too much worry for his backers, this was turning into carnage in the betting ring, carnage I tell you. The book lost £22,000, then the sun came out, was it a sign?

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3:20 – William Hill Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 2m ½f

No signs but a point in the right direction. ‘We’ve taken 53 bets all day’ was Kaan’s summing up half way through betting on the fifth as the rain came tumbling down again. That was soon 54 when a sodden tweed clad young man had a monkey on All In You at 6/1, that was the third decent bet on the race following a grand and a monkey on Let It Rain at 10/3. Tutti Quanti hosed at the same price lumping top weight scything through the heavy going to win unchallenged. The book copped on the race, £680 to the good so only doing £33,700 going into the penultimate.

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3:55 – William Hill Cheltenham Non-Runner Money Back Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus) 2m 7½f

There was a little more respite when a punter bet £2000 on Le Yacht at 5/4 over at Warwick and left it behind. That couple of grand back was handy as the firm only fielded £785 on the penultimate, including a monkey trade bet at 11/2 on Itseemslikeit. Holloway Queen won at 11/2, the book copped a monkey which was a drop in the ocean back but a welcome. We had visitors were most used to seeing at the dogs when greyhound industry stalwarts Carly and Gail came to the joint to say hello, it was lovely to see them away from Towcester.

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4:30 – William Hill Racing Bet Builder Beacons (Standard Open NH Flat Race) (Listed) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO to 6YO) 2m ½f

A bet of £10,000 – £3000 each-way Risky Obsession in the last made the race very interesting to say the least. I didn’t appear to impress Sophie much; she’d had enough, I’d go so far as to say that by the last her demeanour was such she’d make Lofty’s worst grump like the Laughing Policeman. Who could blame her though, 70 bets all day in the rain isn’t really going to excite anyone, is it?

A very nice chap came and had a bet in the last and said he likes Star Sports’ content so that cheered me up, comments like that are always most welcome. Meanwhile, there were zero other bets forthcoming and still it rained. Would you believe it, Risky Obsession was out of the frame behind A Likeable Rogue £6000 back. We’re back at Ascot next week, thanks for reading, poor bookies.

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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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