SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Royal Ascot Wednesday

Wednesday of the Royal Meeting was another perfect one as far as the weather went. Plus of course Star Sports were going into it winning. The teams today were unchanged from yesterday, Steve, Tony, Emily and Nick with Ben in Tattersalls and Lofty, Flynn and Ricky Rixon down on the lower rail, writes SIMON NOTT.

🎩 2:30 – Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) 5f

The first race was far too hard for the punters. A sweeping statement? Maybe, but the proof was in the very small staking business. People are still looking around when the first is being run, so a 26 runner, 6/1 the field stakes race is ideal to kick off with really. There were no big bets, the Tatts book held less than two grand, the average stakes were £18.

However, Leovanni winning at 22/1 was an excellent result albeit a small winner because of low field money, the Tatts pitch copped a grand. The firm were perhaps lucky though, #BettingPeople interviewee Andrew Lowrie tipped it up to his clients so there would have been money for it. Down in the lower rail they laid £14,000 – £1000 Ultima Grace but no other lumps and won £3000 which across the firm was a nice start.

🎩 3:05 – Queen’s Vase (Group 2) 1m6f

Next up and bang, £5000 – £1500 Highbury got the ball rolling in Tatts. The trouble was, after that it took until the horses were going to post to field another grand. Nobody needed to worry though, £6000 – £3000 bookies hedging money on Illinois, £5250 – £750 Birdman and a further £2000 – £1000 Illinois restored the equilibrium. At the off Illinois was the only loser in the Tatts book for £8264.

They knew. Illinois got the money for the punters and the bookmakers took a hit. Down on the lower rail the only bet of note was £2000 – £1000 the winner, they lost £1800, like I said, they knew and the firm were back down to earth with a bump.

Steve & Liz Nash with Ben & Emily in Tatts

🎩 3:45 – Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) 1m

Rouge Millennium opened the 10/3 favourite for the next race but there wasn’t an instant impact on the punting public. The stand here at Ascot came into its own today, the shadow it cast over the betting ring was a real bonus, it was only when you walked down to the lawn it became apparent how hot it was in the sunshine. I’m certainly not ever going to complain about the sun, but it and 19th century gentleman’s clobber certainly don’t mix.

At last there was a bet of the larger variety to report, £4000 – £1000 Laurel. Apart from that bet business was slow, but bets of £1800 – £600 Rouge Millennium, £3200 – £400 Ocean Jewel and £1950 – £300 Running Lion made the book look a bit more ‘Royal Ascot’ but there was still only £3500 in the hod as they were loading the stalls.

At the off Laurel was the bogie for £4300 so Running Lion winning at 6/1 was a welcome result though the firm could have done with not laying the £300 bet on it. With the places taken into account the winner copped £600 in the Tatts book. The lower rail book took £1500 and kept £700 of it.

🎩 4:25 – Prince Of Wales’s Stakes (Group 1) 1m2f

Next up and an early bet of £26,250 – £15,000 Auguste Rodin followed by a live market bets of £1600 and £800 at 13/8 the same horse set the team a target to bet up to. Meanwhile, down on the lower rail they laid £56,000 – £2000 each-way Zarakem. This race was certainly going to be the most interesting race of the day so far.

One of the non sweary things Jack Lynn used to say was, on quiet days, ‘You could fire shots down the line and not hit anyone’, Adrian White’s variation was less violent, said he could play skittles. Still, when it’s quiet is when you can be caught off guard. An inconspicuous top hatted man came to the joint and said he’d like a bet. He got it, and with that the whole week win or lose was probably decided in one on-course bet.

Well, what can you say, the bogie won, Auguste Rodin stole Royal Ascot 2024. Ben took off his top hat, gave the team a polite and stoic smile and said farewell for the day, Star Sports might have just said goodbye to the week. The Tattersalls book lost almost £200,000. To make matters worse Zarakem was second, that in addition to laying £3000 at 7/4 the winner.

One of the unique and magical things about the turf. Imagine if there was any other transaction in any other business, imagine the contracts and legal fees, that bet was done on the nod, a gentleman’s agreement in the time honoured manner. The only non magical thing was, it won. Steve looked up and observed, we only need to do another £435 and we’re losing a round £200,000.

🎩 | ROYAL ASCOT UPDATE@SimonNott catches up with @Flynngoward after a monster bet on Auguste Rodin puts the firm on the back foot at #RoyalAscot!

🧑🏻‍💻 Make sure to read all the detail in @SimonNott’s blog after the last! pic.twitter.com/AldZObyTVs

— Star Sports Bookmakers (@StarSports_Bet) June 19, 2024

🎩 5:05 – Royal Hunt Cup (Heritage Handicap) 1m

After the drama and huge losses of the previous race, it was an effort to muster up enthusiasm for a hard heritage handicap, but the show must go on. It was going to take skinners in more races of books that held £4000 as this one did than there were left at this year’s Royal Ascot to get it all back. The bet to take out the most money in the race was £6600 – £200 each-way Fantastic Fox, but the book was peppered with £200 and £300 bets.

The winner Wild Tiger was a peppered one which added salt to the wounds, the Tatts book lost £600 which was dwarfed by the £5000 the lower rail lost. Meanwhile over at Worcester a punter bet £6250 on Melton Mossy at 5/4. This game, it’s a wheel you can never get off.

🎩 5:40 – Kensington Palace Stakes (Fillies’ Handicap) (Class 2) 1m

The horse at Worcester won too, with 20 minutes to go to the start of the next where they bet 13/2 the field. Another punter came to draw his winnings over the last winner then had the ‘odd’ £8062.50 on Coeur Jaune at 13/8 over at Ripon, just to keep things interesting.

There were a few bets in this the penultimate heat, £300 at 14/1 Azahara Palace and £5000 – £150 that’s 33/1 with the fractions on Victoria Falls. The book looked similar to the previous race with some nasty red lurking between the green.

Luckily, the 10/1 winner Doha was showing £700 in the right colour, a drop in the ocean but it was a figure in the right direction.

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🎩 6:15 – Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed Race) 5f

As an aside, since yesterday’s blackout the Ascot wifi has been superb which helped us spot good news between races, Aye Aye the horse at Ripon was beaten. That cop added to the small win in the previous race prompted Steve to look up and declare they’d gone below losing £200,000 on the day again. It’s not over yet ladies and gents.

Mind you, there was no getting much back on the lucky last, as the horses went down to the start the book held a monkey plus £250 in the forecast book thanks largely to a bookmaker hedging £130 and £50 bets into that market. As the horses loaded the field money had increased to about £1500 thanks to £2000 – £400 Celtic Chieftain and a late flurry of smaller bets. The latter was the bogie for just under £3000 with Gabaldon losing nearly £3000.

Ain’t Nobody won the race, the forecast didn’t cop so the Tattersalls pitch copped £941. They’d had a more exciting time down on the lower rail laying £50,000 – £3000 Cheval De Guerre so win £4000 in the race. They were losing £12,000 on the day, Tatts about £199,000. It’s a start. Head of on-course Steve messaged everyone to tell them the restaurant tonight has been cancelled and exes are limited to sandwiches with orange labels on them. Well, it’s been a bad day.

No really.

We’re back tomorrow.

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