SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Sandown Saturday

There was a buzz about the place at Sandown Park, not a Cheltenham Tuesday buzz but a buzz nonetheless, writes SIMON NOTT.

This was the culmination of what has been an action-packed jump season with the added spice of the trainer’s championship to be decided, and people had certainly turned out. While the trainers’ championship wouldn’t be the top of many fans’ interest, it was an added extra bit of race-going value for sure, with ITV covering all the races.

Before racing started a very nice Irish couple, Bernard and Deirdre, came over to say hello. Bernard is a racing fan who also reads these blogs, thank you, Deirdre brought him over to Sandown for his 40th birthday, she’s a keeper Bernard! Also, before racing another gentleman of the turf, Michael Fletcher came over to say hello and confirmed a curry on Oaks day, another top man, the racecourse is awash with lovely people. Come racing.

I also had the pleasure of meeting ‘The Mint Lads’ who had travelled down from the North East for today’s racing action and were kind enough to come and introduce themselves. They wished Star Sports a good but ‘not too good’ day!

1:20 bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+) 2m (1m7f216y)

The first race was a toughie for both sides of the punting fence, they bet 11/2 the field, so not really a race where lumps were expected but the veteran team of Tony, Steve and Lofty busy. For the uninitiated Tony is the non Follically challenged member of the team despite pushing 80. Despite the understandable lack of big money in the opener, there were plenty of punters who like to have it on lurking. Their attendance bode well for getting the short ones in later in the card. Meanwhile, the sun shone down in anticipation for a great day on the turf. Meanwhile over on the pitch, Lofty described the business betting number four on the rail as very busy but very small. Then late on they laid some lumps £16,000 – £2000 Wolf Moon and £9000 – £1000 Mythical Moon, which settled what the bogies were going to be, either of those obliging, would no doubt result in a howl from the team. At the off the book held £5500 including the place money.

Before racing, Andy Holding gave his selections over the racecourse PA, anyone who listened and backed his selection Give It To Me OJ was rewarded with a 20/1 winner which beat Mythical Moon into second place, the book copped £4800 ‘Good result’ beamed Lofty.

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1:50 bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5yo+) 2m4f (2m4f10y)

Next up and Classic Anthem opened 5/2, meanwhile I had a quick chat with Geoff Banks. It’s a worrying time for independent bookmakers, especially off course, it’s a minefield to negotiate, we were basically both lamenting simpler times which have passed, it was sad to hear him so despondent. Luckily, the on-course hum was enough to keep everyone focused on the punters here with tenners in their hands. Tenners were all most of them had but they were in abundance, it was only as the horses were lining up that the guys laid a lump, a negotiated £2400 – £1000 up from top of the head 9/4 Classic Anthem. At the off including the place money, the book held £4500, £3500 in small stakes bets.

Well, predominantly flat trainer Dylan Cunha’s Mahon’s Glory made a valiant attempt to make all and surely would have done so had he not jumped left at virtually every obstacle. It was only after the last he was run down by Gary & Josh Moore’s 11/1 winner Mark Of Gold 3/4 of a length too good at the judge. ‘Another good result’ from the big fella, a cop of £2800 in the Star Sports’ book. It was good to get some cushion in the hod because the hotpots were looming.

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2:25 bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) (For The Menorah Challenge Trophy) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m6½f (2m6f164y)

The third featured the first mob-handed with Willie Mullins trained runners, and his Gaelic Warrior was the tips-on 10/11 favourite to win the race. Meanwhile, punter bet £2000 at 4/6 on a winner in Ireland, which was the first financial reversal of the day for the on-course team. There weren’t many takers for the jolly to a size until the punter who backed the away winner came back to draw and had £3000 of his winners on Gaelic Warrior at 5/6, the bet which made up the bulk of the £5000 in the hod at the off.

The roar of the crowd told the story, Gaelic Warrior had been ridden like he was an absolute certainty throughout the race. There was a good reason for that, he was, simply outclassing his rivals, coasting into it and then clear in a matter of strides from 16/1 stablemate Appreciate It. The virtually last bet in the book spin up ensured the firm lost on the race, £1900 bad and that the anticipated trainers’ title battle was put to bed in the process.

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3:00 bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m5½f (2m5f110y)

Next up, and another Mullins short one in Kitzbuhel which opened half-arm 6/4. I was a bit premature with writing off the trainers’ race, going into this heat, Dan Skelton was still just over £2000 in front of Willie Mullins, skin of his teeth stuff. Meanwhile, the away punters were taking the firm’s pants down, they laid a £5000 – £6000 to a punter on a race in Ireland, according to Lofty the horse in question went odds against in running but still obliged.

Back to Sandown as the field was going to post the biggest bet the firm had laid £800 at 15/2 Salver, in the face of the weakness of the jolly which was friendless and had drifted to top of the head 9/4. When I say friendless, he had a friend when he touched 5/2, £5000 bet at the price, then a late bet of £10,000 – £2000 Salver top off the book. The book needed a result and got one, 10/1 chance Blueking D’Oroux got the better of Salver by a head in a photo, the firm copped £9500 thanks to the winner’s tenacity and was a most welcome cop.

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3:35 bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)/strong> 1m7½f (1m7f99y)

Jonbon, which opened at 4/7 but soon trimmed to bottle-on, was the star of the show as far as the betting went. The standout wager in the Star Sports book was £10,000 at 8/15, which was the only bet of any size in the book which held a total of £13,000. My mate Micheal who features in today’s photo posted on X that if Jonbon was beaten he’d have to walk home, I’d hate to see what a yomp of that distance would do to his hand stitched shoes, those leather soles are notorious on a proper surface, but you do like the firm that’s paying you to win.

If I see you with your thumb out, I’ll pick you up Michael. Willie Mullins’ Il Etait Temps winning at 9/2 ruined the party, Jonbon well beaten into second place. The book copped £11,500 and Mullins all but mathematically had surely put the trainers’ championship to bed.

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4:10 bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m4½f (3m4f146y)

The Whitbread as it was known and loved, proved to be a bit of a letdown as far as the betting went. The book held £3300 with High Class Hero the bogie for £2400. The betting may have been a letdown but the race certainly wasn’t. Resplendent Grey came with a terrific run after the last to beat Willie Mullins’ Lombron, which survived a right old horlicks out in the country running a tremendous race to finish runner-up. The winner had been a double-figure price with some books last night so presumably well fancied and bet accordingly but still copped a grand in the book. With one race to go, the firm were £10,000 in front so hopefully home and hosed.

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4:45 bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4yo+ 0-145) 2m4f (2m3f173y)

The first decent bet in the lucky last was the quite aptly named £1750 – £500 Mostly Sunny, maybe because it still was. There were still plenty of people keen to bet, so many in fact that despite that monkey bet being the biggest in the race at the off the book held just over £4000. The losers were Dr Eggman for £1464, Ike Sport for £288 and Mostly Sunny £1456. Just so there was no doubt about it Willie Mullins’ 5/1 chance Jump Allen won the race, cementing his place as Champion Trainer. In other news the book copped a monkey also capping off a winning jumping meeting for the firm. Aye Aye.

We’re at Windsor on Monday evening, until then..

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

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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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