SIMON NOTT BETTING BLOG: York Thursday

Thursday was noticeably busier than yesterday as far as people went, despite worries about the train strike.

The ladies certainly dressed for the occasion in their finery. The weather forecast suggested no rain until gone five, the clouds hinted otherwise. The ring was buzzing with banter, plenty of faces make the scene.

1:50 – Sky Bet Lowther Stakes (Fillies’ Group 2) (Class 1) (2YO only) 6f

Jason, who I didn’t mention by name yesterday, came to the joint to tell me that he made Dramatised the jolly in the first his bet of the meeting.

He was going to ask for 5/4, he didn’t get it but did get a free sweet. The biggest bet on the Star Sports pitch was £2400 – £2000. There was a little bit of interest in a couple of others in the race, but it was all about the jolly really, at the off she lost nearly £4000.

One of those backed against the jolly was the shock to most but not the shrewdies 25/1 winner Swingalong. Karl Burke’s winner had been 40/1 but the move was spotted by Eddie on the computer and ducked accordingly. The firm copped over £4000 and were, as Flynn put it, ‘On the road to recovery. Oh Jason, Lofty said he gave you 5/4 after all, so you had the value.

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2:25 – Goffs UK Harry Beeby Premier Yearling Stakes (GBB Race) (Class 2) (2YO only) 6f

During betting on the next, a very polite punter came to the joint with a plastic bag and from it took £7040 which he had on Alpinista in the Yorkshire Oaks at 15/8.

Walking around the ring, several books had run into the previous winner, one laying £75 each-way at 50/1 the biggest I heard of a few that laid a bullseye and all rates down. Eddie had done extra well to miss it. Henry on the Mick Walsh laid it but still copped a monkey. He said he’d be happy to cop £500 a race so was a good start.

The next race was described by Lofty as steady, much busier than yesterday but small. The book was peppered with losers, mostly big prices.

The 5/2 favourite Shouldvebeenaring won the race and copped £800 which was very handy. I congratulated Eddie making the book and told him he should come more often. As I did, what I initially thought was a traditional Yorkshire brass band, burst forth in my right ear. It was Lofty playing several self-congratulatory trumpets at full blast. Apparently, it wasn’t Eddie’s doing that the book copped, but Lofty advising him that ‘favourites always win this type of race’ ( can someone with Proform check that ‘fact’ please? ) he’d also said that Eddie should also chase out the each-way prices as the terms were in the book’s favour. Eddie’s a sport, he just smiled as our man parped out his thunder.

I did mention to Lofty the judge that he must have had it spark off lumping on the good thing favourite. Do I need to tell you if he’d backed it or not? No, of course I don’t.

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3:00 – Clipper Logistics Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3YO plus) 1m

During betting Mr Riley, who has impeccable taste and tells me he reads my blogs, came to the joint to say hello while some punters asked for a price Alpinista in the Yorkshire Oaks. Despite the £7040 bet previously laid they were offered 15/8 and had a grand on. The heritage handicap currently being bet on was described by Inlike Flynn as ‘small and bitty’. As they were running, previous #BettingPeople interviewee and son of legend Lester, Jamie Piggott came to say hello.

Lofty fancied Escobar which was losing £2000 in the book. This time he had backed his fancy and looked as if the 28/1 chance was going to win only to be chinned on the line by 11/2 favourite Blue For You. Poor old Lofty, it appeared he was going to cop big only to have the cup cruelly snatched from his lips. All joking aside, you had to feel sorry for the big lad and the betting ring in general. Star’s book was lopsided and copped £800 with the places going its way. The consolation for Loft was that he was on each-way, running on late for a place is better for the spirit than what happened there, but there you go. Luckily the picture above was taken before the race, it was unlikely to be replicated again today.

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3:35 – Darley Yorkshire Oaks (Fillies’ & Mares’ Group 1) (British Champions Series) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 4f

Prior to betting on the next there was a happier tale, bookmaker Kevin Myles came to the joint and said that York harbours a happy memory for him, it’s where he took his girlfriend 30 years ago not long after meeting her. Shortly after their first date, he’d borrowed £300 from her and turned it into £1500 at a trotting meeting. A romantic trip to this very track was her reward. Kev was back thirty happy years later, but without his now wife! Bookmakers!

After all that jollity the wheels came off. While were no bigger bets for Alpinista, and there was money for a few other horses, the £8040 in noted bets at 15/8 for the eventual 7/4 winning jolly resulted in a loss of £12,000 in the book. Nasty. While it was terrific to see the filly win so bravely, am I the only one that thinks Luke Morris’ wielding of the procush is hardly aesthetically pleasing, even to those of us in the game that know it doesn’t hurt the horses.

Jason came back to the pitch, he was happier, he’d backed the last three winners and had them all in a running-up multiple. The man with the plastic bag came back and left with £20,240 he was happy too. Now the firm needed to get the £6000 back they were down so they could cheer up a bit too.

Henry wasn’t happy, he wandered over to say that they had resigned themselves to ‘To doing our f**ing bo*ocks’. With three races to go, that seemed a bit negative.

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4:10 – British EBF & Sir Henry Cecil Galtres Stakes (Fillies’ & Mares’ Listed) (Class 1) (3YO plus) 1m 4f

The biggest bets in the next race were £350 each-way Voodoo Queen at 8/1 and £125 Topanticipation at 40/1. The book held just over £3000 which illustrates the size of the business, steady and mostly modest.

Ralph Beckett’s Haskoy had been tipped up by some shrewdies this morning but was friendless on course, so friendless that when she won at 13/2 under Ryan Moore, Lofty announced that ‘We just got half back’ and that she’d been a virtual skinner. You never know when you’re going to get it.

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4:45 – OR8Wellness EBF Stallions Nursery (Class 2) (2YO only) 7f

There was early interest in the favourite One Nation, bets of £1200 – £400 and £900 – £300 were struck with Eddie and Nick, now on the joint taking the wagers, there was also £1600 – £200 each-way Courageous Knight laid, the rest was smaller. At the off the book had taken £3000 and that’s what the favourite lost.

At least it would have had he won. 8/1 winner Kyeema was an excellent result copping half the take. With one race to go there were still chances of getting out.

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5:20 – British Stallion Studs Ebf Fillies’ Handicap (Class 2) (3YO plus) 7f

Betting on the lucky last was a dream come true for Right Said Fred whose dream had always been to take bets for Star. Before the horses went down, this lovely chap Barney came to ask how we liked York and to give me a gentle bollocking having left it this long to visit.

The betting on the finale was slower than the previous. The book was made by the punters who collectively bet about £2000 into it. Not many of them backed the 11/1 winner Adaay In Asia which got the firm out in the win book, copping £1600 but the initial joy was tempered somewhat when the two place bogies finished in the frame. The firm ended up about a grand down on day two, but with the two busiest days to come it’s still all to play for at this amazing racecourse.

SIMON NOTT

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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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