SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newbury Saturday

In contrast to yesterday’s trio of books, there were 25 firms plying their trade in Tatts today where Invades were in evidence boosting the crowd and atmosphere, writes SIMON NOTT.

The Star Sports team consisted of Kaan, Keiran and Lofty hoping to be kept busier than yesterday which was 1.01. Kaan called me over to tell me that the first Invades bet was £20 which was a good sign. Today is officially the last day of winter, I definitely didn’t wear enough clobber today, but spare a thought for some of the young ladies who must have assumed Newbury was in Benidorm when they signed up.

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1:35 – Simple Boost Tokens Now At BetVictor Conditional Jockeys’ Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus 0-120) 2m½f

It didn’t take long for the first decent bet, £1000-£400 Eddie My Eagle. They were lucky to take that because at the off they book held £763, though as with yesterday, big punters were here but didn’t get involved at least not with Star Sports. Eddie My Eagle won, déjà vu from yesterday though he wasn’t the favourite just the bogie for £846.

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2:10 – BetVictor Favourite Things, Bet Boosts Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Qualifier) (Class 3) (4YO plus 0-140) 2m½f

It was starting to look a little bit like business was once again going to disappoint today, just the one bet of any note taken in the second race was £700 – £200 Melon in a book that held just £622. The Star Sports pitch was positioned smack bang in the middle of the wind tunnel created between the two stands, winter was hanging in there for its last day. Rubber Ball backed from 2/1 into 6/4 justified the support, Star Sports lost £13 on the race, which Lofty said ‘Felt like winning’.

The Invades crowd were getting involved but to very modest stakes, none of them appeared to have race cards though, that’s racing missing a trick isn’t it, they were evidently engaged in the racing, giving them a racecard as part of their package would have been ideal.

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2:40 – BetVictor Now Non Runner No Bet Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (For Jacky Upton Trophy) (GBB Race) (Class 3) (5YO plus 0-130) 2m4f

While the atmosphere was electric, the business certainly wasn’t. ‘Grim’ said Lofty, nobody was arguing, Kaan could have handled this levelled today’s level of business on his own, which is pretty tragic for a Saturday. Still, the fun boy three did their best to call the punters in, between very sporadic bets Lofty and Kaan discussed the conflict in the Middle East and Lofty’s Twitter comment that cashing out good value Cheltenham ante-post bets might be prudent.

The total field money was £181. Noble Park, yet another market leader, won as the 3/1 joint favourite, ‘It’s getting beyond a joke’ bemoaned Kevin Myles, reeling off the list of the last two day’s winning jollies. Star Sports copped a nifty on the race, we didn’t tell Kev.

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3:15 – 1 Up, Job Done At BetVictor Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 2 Of The Stayers’ Veterans’ Chase Series) (Class 2) (10YO plus 0-150) 3m2f

Next up, Keiran had time to keep up with the ongoing conflict and informed us that France had surrendered. I didn’t get it but as he said it a punter bet £1400 – £800 Brave Kingdom, which added to the monkey the firm had taken in small invades money. The sun had come out, which appeared to have brought the crowd and their money out too. At the off, the book held £1487 which was a marked improvement on the previous race, with just the one loser, surely another favourite couldn’t win.

No, it couldn’t, Copperhead winning at 14/1 was the filip required by the ring, copping £1327 on the race for Star Sports. There are a few people that always come to talk Scotsmen Stuart and Gordon are two, Gordon was absent and missed today but Stuart was here, a city broker based in London and amazingly making his first visit to Newbury, he was impressed with the course and the crowd, no negatives to the Invades being here in his eyes, we had a good chat, he’s a lovely fella.

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3:45 – BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus) 2m4f

Next up and the feature race, ‘you wouldn’t know it was’ said Kaan, being a bit miserable as business slowed down again despite the sun still being out. There were no big bets but at the off the hod did hold £869.

Armaloft Alex came over from the rail with some humorous tales. A young gentleman who was red-headed came to draw over Copperhead, the young lady with him explained that it was a good race to have a ginger boyfriend, OK it wasn’t that funny, but it was a slow day. The big race provided the ring with another result, 20/1 winner Heltenham was a skinner for £627 which was a better result than the popular with the ladies runner up though at 8/1 I expect they were satisfied that the gelding came second.

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4:23 – Simple Racing Specials Daily At BetVictor Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus 0-130) 2m4½f

I really don’t want to fill this blog with innuendo, but a gaggle of young ladies queued up to back 9/1 chance Analiese gigging as they placed their bets, it’s funny watch catches the eye. Despite some customers finding names humorous once again, business was generally pitifully small, a late bet of £400-£200 Huffin An A Puffin was the highlight of the betting in this race which boosted the total field money to just £677 with the jolly losing £853.

Jumping the last, it looked like the gaggle of ladies were going to draw over Analiese but she was run out of it close home by 3/1 chance Kilwaughter, who copped a monkey in the book which was the firm getting more than their whack on the race.

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4:58 – OLBG Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4-6YO) 2m½f

Luckily, going into the last winning £1800 there didn’t appear to be any names in the concluding bumper that threatened to turn this blog into a punting version of Viz. The first bet in the book was £2000-£500 Fairy Park which was handy to lay but would of course wipe the day out shout it be successful. When the guy had the bet the fun boy free were musing if the £2000 – £100 bet on Kayleigh was because that’s what his girlfriend was called, they guessed not when the horse was a 10/1 chance not long after. Business was OK, the Invades mob were stayers, still betting in the lucky last, money at the off was £1600 with the aforementioned duo unsurprisingly the losers in the book.

Fairy Park didn’t win but ran well to finish second, landing the place part of the monkey each-way bet behind 5/2 chance Princess Day. The book copped £180, confirming a modest winning meeting before exes, but it was hard work. I’m back with Star Sports at Exeter and Hereford next Friday and Saturday, see you on the turf! Thanks for reading.

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

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