SIMON NOTT AT NEWMARKET

AUTHOR: Star Sports Content

SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Newmarket 2,000 Guineas

I first saw 1950’s rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess before his first UK appearance at Weymouth in 1984, I was 19 and he 55, I saw him again in Spain in 2012, I showed him the photo of us back then and he smiled said ‘I shouldn’t leave it quite so long before the next time!’ Sonny passed away in 2017. Today was my first time at the Guineas meeting, it took me 60 years, I’d better heed Sonny’s words before my next time, writes SIMON NOTT.

Mind you, now that Star Sports have a pitch here, let’s hope it’s an annual visit. The team on the pitch today was Nick, Dan and Chris, betting from pitch five on the front row. They were up and ready to take on the punters for the mammoth nine-race card very early, but the first bet of note they took was £1500 – £1000 Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler to win the World Matchplay darts in July.

1:10 Oddschecker British EBF Ellen Chaloner Stakes (Listed) (Formerly Kilvington) (Fillies & Mares) (Class 1) (3yo+) 6f

The first of the nine races featured just eight runners and an odds-on favourite in Unequal Love which as they were going down, was a 10/11 chance, but the early birds got 11/10. The crowd was large, largely young and boisterous but not betting, apart from the few guys that bagged evens the tips-on, and got it, I hasten to add, come racing. At the off the book held £547, from pitch five on the front row. It had to pick up, meanwhile Steve who reads the blogs and used to be in the game came up to say hello, thanks Steve. The books had a turn-up, Tiger Bay won at 11/1, the firm copped £88.

1:45 Betfred Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (4yo+) 6f

As the next heat was a competitive looking handicap which I didn’t expect to be busy I went in search of previous #BettingPeople interviewee ex top NH jockey and author Ian Watkinson. He was in his usual spot soaking up the sun and looking well. It’s always a pleasure to see him when in Newmarket, if you aren’t familiar with Ian and his story check out his interview.

Sadly, on my return, my assumption that the betting on the second race wouldn’t be lively had proved to be accurate though the book had taken £800 worth of bets with 10 minutes to go so an improvement. As the jockeys mounted, the forecast clouds rolled in from the north, it looked as if my extended bald patch tanning session was almost over. ‘Where’s everyone going?’ That was Nick’s perplexed question as the crowds gathered like the clouds but appeared reluctant to bet though there was a flurry as the horses passed the stands to the post.

More Thunder, the well-backed 11/4 favourite got up on the line to win by a short head, the book looked to have lost a monkey but the places went their way, that deficit was reduced to a loss of £303.

#BettingPeople: IAN WATKINSON

2:20 Betfred Suffolk Stakes (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo+) 1m1f

The wind was picking up and coats were going on as betting got going in the third. Hand Of God opened the 7/4 favourite but again, betting was slow and small, do the big punters avoid these public Saturdays these days? The punters were betting, but it was fiver, fiver, fiver, tenner, with the odd £40 or £50 bet in between. The wind and change in temperature didn’t help matters either, blowing kit about. Dan got a bit concerned when Nick asked about putting the mush up, which would have almost certainly resulted in the formation of the Star Sports airborne division. There was no rain in my forecast, fingers crossed as I only brought one jacket! I was almost dozing off when Nick called £1050 – £600 Hand Of God right in the hole. At the off, the book held £1998. Fox Legacy won the race and the book copped a very welcome £1091.

2:55 Hong Kong Jockey Club World Pool Palace House Stakes (Group 3) (Class 1) (3yo+) 5f

Next up and the team got excited when an £800 – £200 Washington Heights was called in, and was immediately elevated to the biggest bet of the heat status, that bet was bested at least in takeout when £1100 – £200 Beautiful Diamond was laid, he didn’t ask for the fractions. Bets continued to be tendered in a fairly brisk manner, keeping Dan and Chris busy fielding and Nick tapping away at the off the hod held £2250 but was up the front three so a result was required for the hard work to pay off. They got one too. Rumstar winning at 7/1 was a cracking result, copping £1973 which was really handy four races in a nearly halfway through the card.

3:35 Betfred 2000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1) (No Geldings) (Class 1) (3yo) 1m

There seemed to be a real lull in betting, the horses were going to post when that bet famine was broken by a monkey at 15/8 on the jolly. Field of Gold was sticking out a mile, losing £4038 but the line held firm. Then a punter came in with a further bottle, Nick on the keyboard hoisted the white flag and cut the market leader to 7/4 but only in line with the majority of the ring, but not for long, there was soon 15/8 around again so if anyone wanted to back the bogie at 7/4 they were welcome, some did bringing the figure in red to over £4500. The money on the machine was still coming for Expanded, resulting in it being only a handful with Star Sports in the ring. As the horses loaded, Nick had time to tell me that they’d taken 500 bets on the day and the average bet had been £22. And they were 15/8 again, no takers, it seemed that business had been done. At the off the book held £4405, the jolly lost £4567. Well, in theory it did, but Ruling Court, the 9/2 second-in (5/1 on course), won the race, the book copped £3125.

4:05 Lay And Wheeler Handicap (GBB Plus Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-105) 1m4f

Next up, the sixth race, and once again, business was steady but had slowed significantly from the Guineas. French master had been backed from 2/1 to 6/4 in the market generally but not to amounts of any size with Star Sports apart from £650 – £400 on its way down. At the off, there was £1935 in the hod with French Master losing £508, a good book. The good run continued 4/1 shot El Cordobes won the race the book won £798.

4:40 TrustATrader Handicap (Class 2) (3yo 0-100) 6f

Onward to race seven, a race where they bet 9/2 the field, people’s stamina appeared to be starting to sap by this point but there were still people keen to have a bet. Once again, stakes were certainly echoing responsible betting, £5 win and each-way bets were by far the most prevalent. The sun was trying to poke through again, which was a bonus. Everyone perked up when they laid an £800 – £200 Invictus Gold. While I might be bemoaning the size of the bets, it’s only from a blog point of view, field money was holding up very well, especially considering the type of race this looked, tricky. The market mover in the race was The Dragon King which had been supported from 9/1 into 5/1 and glowing red accordingly nestled between the two other market leaders also losers. At the off, there was £1794 in the bag.

Invictus Gold bolted up, the book lost £760 which was an unwelcome reversal after the hard work from the guys fielding all those fivers.

5:15 Aston Martin “Confined” Handicap (Which Have Won No More Than One Race) (Class 4) (3yo 0-85) 6f

The penultimate was another 9/2 the field race, Nick and Chris on the front of house were happy that business was still ticking over. It ticked over a bit quicker when a punter bet £900 – £200 White Crown Star. At this point I should remind readers that there were three full lines of bookmakers behind Star Sports’ privileged pitch on the front line. It must have been incredibly hard to take enough money to make it pay behind them. Late money, but once again not to lumps on course was for Rogue Diplomat backed from 13/2 into 5/1. At the off the book held £1074, keeping £710 of it when 12/1 chance Silver Ghost obliged. Going into the last the firm were £6715 in front, it would need to be an extraordinarily bad result in the lucky ninth and last race to end 2000 Guineas day.

5:50 Nyetimber Handicap (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-90) 1m

The sight of police rushing up to the bottom end of Tatts alerted that there was a proper old scrap between ‘big lads’ going down at the extremities of the betting ring. It was soon dealt with, but didn’t bode well for the ambience in town this evening. Most people weren’t fighting, they were taking part in a more honourable pastime, punting. The field money in the last, on which the sun was once again beating down, passed the grand mark with 10 minutes to post time. That total had crept up to over £1500 in a constant drip of fives and tens, as the field set off there was £1540 in the hod with Mr Baloo the worst loser for £1254. Mr Baloo made a good go of making a dent in the winners, as did smaller loser Stirling Knight but where it mattered at the line, 6/1 shot Great Chieftain won the race £971, which resulted in a £7686 winning day.

Phew, I’m knackered just writing about it, Chris, Dan and Nick played a blinder, working just like they have all afternoon. We’re back tomorrow for the 1000 Guineas and just the seven races and a forecast icy blast, bring it on.

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

Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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