SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: York Friday

‘Loo, racecard, bar!’ One lady racegoer knew exactly what her priorities were on arrival at York for the final day of the Dante meeting, writes SIMON NOTT.

Nick Bennett, head of Northern On-Course Operations, and Chris Dobson ‘Dobbo’ public-facing Star Sports team member, knew what they wanted, ‘Double Espresso and a Latte’, so off I trotted, with the duo charged up and ready to take on the punters.

Nick thought it was going to be busy; it certainly seemed busier, so with no further ado, here’s how the mop flopped.

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1:45 – Yorkshire Equine Practice Handicap (Class 4) (4YO plus)

A punter came to the back of the joint and asked Nick the price for Aisling Oscar, he was told 33/1, to which he replied ‘monkey’. Well, Nick never expected that, but of course the man was laid.

That was it as far as big bets went, but given they bet 13/2 the field and the opening heat, that was to be expected. The deadly duo did manage to take another £1066 out of the race, the one the punters wanted to be on was Dylan Cunha’s Zarathos to follow up yesterday’s last race win from the yard.

They knew, the gelding bolted up returning 4/1. Star Sports got away with it copping £56 over a well backed jolly, result.

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2:20 – Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes (Registered As The Michael Seely Memorial Fillies’ Stakes) (Listed) (Class 1) (3YO only)

It didn’t take long for the thick action to get going in the next. The first bet was a bookmaker hedging £2700 – £600 Pacific Mission, closely followed by a punter betting £6000 – £1500 which certainly got the ball rolling.

The trouble was, it didn’t keep rolling, that flurry of decent bets wasn’t followed up with anything similar for anything else which meant Pacific Mission, a 3/1 chance as the field arrived at the post was sticking out a mile losing over £8691 with £3123 in the hod at the off.

Well, what a race, I’d been tipped So Regal by a real good judge and backed her accordingly and was happily mentally counting my winnings as she went further and further clear inside the final furlong. I must admit my arm went up, just as Lilt found another gear after trading 950 in-running to fly past the once clear leader close home, sorry to anyone who backed her, it was me that put the mockers on.

On the plus side, the 13/2 winner was OK for the firm who copped £2712 on the race. Just after the race, the betting ring manager came around warning of more snide scores doing the rounds, poor bookies get it in all directions.

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2:55 – Support Macmillan Charity Raceday On 13 June Handicap (GBBPlus Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus)

The third heat on the card was a 3/1 the field affair and looked a hard race, but one punter thought he knew having £4500 – £1000 Tony Montana fairly early in proceedings.

Sadly, business replicated the previous race, the rest of the betting was pretty tepid with just small public business, though there was £2116 in the hod at the off the lads had grafted, the bogie was a loser for £4608 and 3/1 joint favourite.

The market leader won the race, but the other 3/1 chance, the King’s Warrant Holder winning nicely under William Buick the book copped £808 despite a punter finding the forecast to a fiver. The winner returned 11/4 favourite, come racing.

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3:30 – Design Tonic Out Of This World Spaces At The Races EBF Marygate Fillies’ Stakes (Listed) (Class 1) (2YO only)

Next up and a punter came in asking for 11/1 Love A Giggle, Nick told him it was a 10/1 chance, and he disappeared no doubt looking for 11/1 or 100/9 with the fractions. He evidently didn’t find it as he came back asking for £800 at 10/1, but the horse was now a 9/1 chance, nothing done.

Meanwhile, Nick and Chris were tapping away taking public money, which, with ten minutes to go had crept over the grand mark. Last night I was out in York with Jordan Hopkins of Quest Thoroughbreds and his guests so was delighted to see that Asgard’s Captain won for them and Dylan Cunha at Newmarket returning 11/1. Let’s hope Lofty and Pam betting didn’t lay it down there.

Considering the size of the crowd, by far the biggest of the last three days business could only be described as steady but a bookie’s fairly late hedge bet of £3500 – £1000 Lover Girl livened things up a bit, it wasn’t long before that price was history. Once again, the firm had a one horse book, they needed to get Lover Girl beaten and away with it again.

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4:05 – Boodles Yorkshire Cup Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (4YO plus)

The feature race featured Amiloc, which opened the 5/6 favourite. Quite early in the betting, a punter walked up the rail trying to bet 10/11, but it didn’t seem that anyone wanted to take liberties with the jolly; nothing done. The reason for that soon became evident when a punter short-headed a bagman betting £1500 – £1800 the jolly, the bagman had to go elsewhere.

That little flurry was short-lived as 5/6 it was again, a punter with £3300 had that on at the price, wrist-on it was, briefly, then 8/11 losing nearly £4000 in the book, the money kept flooding in, as the horses loaded the jolly was a 4/6 chance.

At the end of the hod held £7087 with the jolly losing £3711. The fortunes for the jolly were badly off target, pretty much the first one beaten after trying to make all.

The race went to 4/1 chance Rahiebb copping £4252 in the book, a real Aye Aye. The book was copping £9182 going into the last two races.

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4:40 – Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Handicap (Class 3) (3YO only)

Next up and the punters still had their betting boots on, two lumps made the book £8000- £800 Arduis Invicta and £10,000 -£500 Naana’s Shadow, but there were plenty of smaller bets too which helped the final off figure to £3444 though the late withdrawal of the second-in Old Is Gold threw a spanner in the works and kicked in a 10p rule 4.

40/1 chance Fortification winning was a cracking result but poor places meant the book ‘only’ copped £1974 though I remember it vaguely as a very good year!

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5:15 – Darley EBF ‘Confined’ Novice Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (3YO plus)

Going into the lucky last, very nicely in front on the day and indeed the three days, it was highly unlikely that a consummate professional like Nick was going to knock it all out on the finale, though you never know in this game. There were decent bets still being asked for and laid, he was grinning from ear to ear when he gave me £2000 11/10 Weheedd and £500 5/4 twice Portcullis, adding ‘Lovely book’.

At the off, Nick had a lovely book indeed holding £4106 with one loser, Weheedd for £377 and Portcullis winning a round of drinks in a posh pub. Weheedd pulled up on bend, which made Portcullis the evens favourite task much easier and duly obliged, the book won £447 with the forecasts and places taken into account, making the total won on the day £11,656.68, a very satisfying three days on the turf.

Right, I’ve got a train to catch, thanks for reading, if you enjoy these blogs please share and spread the word to your racing mates. I’m back with Star Sports at Goodwood 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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