SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: Sandown Saturday

As you’d expect, there was a buzz about the place at sun-drenched Sandown Park for bet365 Gold Cup Day, writes SIMON NOTT.

Star Sports’ team today was Lofty, Dan and Kaan, the A-team ready and eager to get stuck into the eight race card.

First things first, though, before racing I was talking to my Aussie bookmaking pal, Andrew Barwise, who gave me a ‘lamington’ which is a delicious coconut-coated sponge, traditional Australian tucker mate, he brought them to celebrate Anzac Day which is a big one back home. G’day to my Aussie pals.

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1:13 – Changing Young Lives At Jamie’s Farm Fillies’ Juvenile Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO only)

Betting was markedly different from Friday. The crowd was evidently much bigger, but they weren’t having it on like they were yesterday, though it was much busier.

As the slew of non-runners was being called with 10 minutes before the start of the first, the biggest taken on the race was £500-£200 Made U Blush but the field money had bust through the £2000 barrier.

Poor Lofty had rubbed suncream into his head; it had melted and made its way into his eyes, no fun for a clerk. Of course, being the professional that he is, it didn’t stop him tapping in the small but plentiful bets.

At the off, the book held £2875 with two losers, Made U Blush and Whitletts thanks to a bet of £2000 – £50 each-way.

The race finished as a Skelton one two but not the way most punters expected, 20/1 chance Queen Maeve came with a rare rattle to deprive stablemate Made U Blush close home. I say most punters, the winner wasn’t unbacked, the book copped £860.

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1:45 – bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

Betting on the second race was thrown into mild chaos when three horses were withdrawn with 14 minutes to go before the off, not the ideal scenario with a Saturday crowd with a rule 4 from each horse and places reduced to three to explain. Minella Yoga headed the market at 9/4 when betting recommenced.

While the team were fielding money, Connor came over to say he enjoys these betting ring reports, thank you Connor. It was nice to meet you.

On the pitch, they had taken over £3000 as the horses went to post with the biggest single bet just £100 so grafting away with punters queuing to get on, which was great to see, suncream was still melting into Lofty’s eyes but he was still managing to work, that man takes some stopping.

The rule 4 deduction was announced at 25p so a result would be handy to cut down on all the explaining but most of the business was hopefully done after the horses were withdrawn, at the off the hod held £3914.

6/1 chance Cosmic Connection was put up by previous #BettingPeople interviewee Andrew Lowrie to his clients, Andrew knew, Chris Gordon’s charge bolted up under Sam Twiston-Davies returning 6/1 and losing £400 in the book, let the explaining begin. Luckily, the team today were seasoned professionals.

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2:20 – bet365 Oaksey Chase (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus)

Blow Your Wad opened 11/8 for the third, then Etalon was withdrawn quite early in the betting a 14/1 chance with Star Sports at the time, 12/1 generally so another rule 4 applied this time 5p.

The jolly attracted the first notable bet of the day, £1250 – £1000 the punter no doubt hoping the name of his fancy not prophetic, of his money at least. Business was very good but once again small, at the off the book held £5222 with the jolly a loser for £3096 in the win book.

Lofty had been keen to get the jolly in the book and was right to do so Doyen Quest won, the all-conquering Skeltons returned 11/4 and copped £3574 in the Star Sports book.

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2:55 – bet365 Celebration Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus)

With the non-participation of Jonbon, Solness opened 11/8 favourite for the fourth heat, and I hate to admit I was already seeking out the shade. Then, I was sent on a mission to seek out small change, the rule fours had knocked the smash about, the trouble was, all the other firms were in the same situation, at least the notes were looking after themselves.

Also looking after himself was Kaan who joined Lofty in protecting his head with sunscreen while Dan fielded the biggest bet of the day £3500 – £2000 Thistle Ask.

That was followed shortly after by a bet of £3000 – £2000 Solness putting him in as the bogie for getting on £3000 with Thistle Ask a winner in a book that held £7548.

Anyone who read yesterday’s blog might remember a chap came to say hello, and I didn’t ask his name, he came back, he’s Paul. Great to meet you, Paul.

Well, what can you say, old guys rule would be a good one after 12 year-old Edwardstone did the business winning from JPR One by a head, the winner was 14/1 with Star Sports at the off, returned 11/1 and copped £6088 in the book, the crowd went wild and what a crowd, huge.

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3:30 – bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5YO plus)

Next up, the feature, punters were clambering to get on, others, though not many, were trying to draw, then a chap asked for a tenner on the aways. I was expecting an explosion from an under the cosh Lofty, but no, he calmly changed markets and the punter was accommodated.

Shortly after Kaan took over on the computer giving his bonce some relief from the sun and Lofty his chance to shine next to Dan attracting women of a certain age to the joint. Everyone was in shirt sleeve order as the horses went to post when the first bet of note was struck £2000 – £400 In D’Or into a book that was heading toward the £5000 mark.

Another mention of the crowd, there were lots of people in their 20’s and 30’s which was great to see, even better that they were engaged with the racing and betting as well as enjoying a drink in the sun. Back to the pitch and those women of a certain age had continued to have it on with Dan and Lofty, at the off the book held £6178 from 231 slips with a fair spread of bets and a trio of losers.

Linda from the Sam Harris firm saved the day with a tenner’s worth of smash, she even brought it over, she’s a good egg is Linda. Back out on the turf, the firm had the cup cruelly snatched from their lips when the thick end of five grand winner Our Power was deprived of victory by a short-head by the gallant Havaila which was a loser for £1750 in the book, some turnaround.

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4:02 – bet365 Select Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus)

Next up, a four-horse race and an early trade bet of £3000 – £2500 Jingko Blue started the Star Sports book off. Shortly afterwards, a bookmaker I won’t name came over to say his firm had laid £28,000 – £2000 Edwardstone earlier and asked if Star had laid it, Lofty replied in the negative, in retrospect it’s not really surprising my quip about not offering the punter £30,000 – £2100 with the fractions didn’t land well.

What did land well was more hedging money this time an even £3000 on Jingko Blue from another rails layer. That brace of trade money ensured the firm had a proper loser in the book the result of which could flip the day about a bit but with the buffer of being £8600 in front. At the end of the book held £7737 with the jolly bad for £6633.

Jingko Blue won, the firm did its money, the shine was taken off the day so far, the mop had flopped but there were still two races to go and get some back.

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4:40 – bet365 Josh Gifford Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (5YO plus)

The penultimate was another four-horse heat where it was hoped fortunes would swing back the firm’s way. Palamon opened the 6/5 favourite before its drift, betting was a lot slower, maybe a race too many for those enjoying a drink in the sun all day.

Having said that, there were still plenty of people betting albeit with small money, the biggest bet tendered on the heat was a couple of hundred quid, the one the punters latched on to was Go West which was the bogie in the £2035 book losing £1286 and had Lofty ease into singing mode, trust me, you do not need to hear his rendition of the Village People and Pet Shop Boy classic.

‘Everyone loves a grey’ hooted Kaan as 3/1 chance Kahavari quickened away to win the race, he certainly loved it, the book copped £1958, ‘Everyone loves a big eared grey’ boomed Lofty not to be outdone and in chirpy mode. Going into the last the firm were £3890 in front with all the play for.

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5:15 – bet365 Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

The getting-out stakes and last heat of the jumps season looked a tricky race, littered with non-runners with Favour And Fortune installed as the 7/2 jolly in the early betting. Some racegoers had resorted to sitting on the betting ring concrete, enjoying the shade cast by the rails and why not, if you aren’t worried about getting your white frock grubby.

Those sitting down were in the minority; it soon became apparent that punters were going to have a go in the lucky last, the book had fielded over £2000 with 20 minutes to go. That early enthusiasm slowed a bit but then a punter bet £4000 – £500 each-way Across Earth late on followed by £3500 – £1000 Gnomon in the hole which brought the field money total to £5244 at the off.

No Ordinary Joe won the race at 14/1 , the firm won £814 on the race, the profit dented by a £3200 – £200 the winner, but the day ended a £4700 winning won, concluding the 2025/26 jumps season on a winning note on what had been an excellent day at the races.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back with Star at Newmarket next Friday and Saturday.

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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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