SIMON NOTT: Betting Report EXETER Thursday

Exeter’s swansong for 2021, an evening meeting with owners allowed in, a step forward after the steps back after the summer. Ivor Perry and Co were there to take bets from the public – some of whom appeared to be having a few quid on. Despite the glorious sunshine evident in the photos, woe betide anyone that turned up in shirt sleeve order, this was Haldon Hill after all, in a word, nippy.

5:25 – Final Furlough At Heavitree Brewery PLC Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 5½f

The six-runner opener looked to be a match for betting purposes. Jamie Snowden’s College Oak just favoured over Dan Skelton’s Shentri in the betting. JB giving me the Star Sports bets tonight said that it had been a relatively quiet betting heat but did lay a £4000 bet on the jolly at 5/6 with some carpet and bottle bets at that price to top it up. The market got it wrong, Shentri was easy to back drifting from 6/4 to 7/4 but won with some ease by six lengths from Trump Lady supported from 7/1 into 9/2.

A delighted Dan Skelton greeted his winner, ridden by brother Harry with an a congratulatory shout of ‘First winner as Champion Jockey’. Talking to Racing TV after the race the trainer said that the ground had been the key to the gelding. He went on to say that they’d tried him on ridiculously heavy going at Fontwell which had been a disaster. He got good quick ground today and he’ll be on the go all summer and he’ll do well. He concluded the interview saying he was super proud of his brother.

5:55 – Beer Taps Back On Heavitree Brewery Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 1f

Betting was interesting in the next, Shake A Leg drifted like it had lost one from 6/4 to 3/1, Ernesto shortened from 13/8 into 5/4 while Castel Gandolfo was trimmed from 3/1 into newly established second favourite. The bigger punters didn’t appear to have any confidence in any of them, the ‘big’ bets at Star Sports wouldn’t usually get a mention but they do when it’s been this light. Ernesto attracted bets of £300, £400 and £260 at 11/8 and Shake a Leg just £330 at 15/8. The betting got it right, Ernesto won a neck in a photo from Castel Gandolfo. You have to feel for Paddy Brennan, the rider of the runner-up, he did all he could to get his quirky mount to win and was just run out of it.

6:25 – Take A Tenancy With heavitreebrewery.co.uk Handicap Hurdle (Class 3) (4YO plus) 2m 2½f

Fergal O’Brien’s probable favourite Art Approval was declared a non-runner after the first with going given as the reason. That left just six runners, Fair Mountain had been an earlier defector from an original field of eight. This left Katy Price’s Gallow Ford as market leader, opening at 6/4 and it was that one the Star Sports punters latched on to, bets included £500 and £400 at 6/4 and £650 at 11/8. The money was well-placed, the jolly obliged but the punters had been a bit eager to jump in, the gelding eased in the betting returning 7/4 but still favourite. Speaking on his way to the Weighing Room winning jockey Ben Poste said his mount was a gorgeous big sort that took a mile to let himself down on the ground, he added that apart from a slight mistake at the second last he’d jumped well and would do well for a summer break.

6:55 – Heavitree Brewery PLC Supports Its Tenants Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus) 2m 7f

The going changed to Good to Firm all over after the third, the ‘Good in Places’ gone for a burton. The original 13 declared runners was reduced to 11 which still made it the biggest field of the card. The race also boasted the most decisive winner of the night so far too. Singapore Saga, trained by Philip Hobbs and ridden by Tom O’Brien won by 10l but was value for twice that veering so badly to her left she ended up on the stands rail. Up in the Press Room Mike Vince won quip of the night joking ‘The last one to hang that badly was Dick Turpin!’.

I wasn’t able to talk to Jo and Wendy betting on the Ivor Perry and Co joint in person as they were in the owners area that I didn’t have access to. A quick phone call to Jo later though and I was informed that slippage was poor but there had been a couple of good punters betting with them who kept them on their toes. JB in the office had been kept on his toes too, the bets struck there included a monkey at 10/3 the winner and another on Midnight Aura at 4/1.

7:25 – Visit Heavitree heavitreebrewery.co.uk Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5) (4YO plus) 2m 2½f

The Hobbs teams’ luck changed dramatically when their charge Presuming Ed with Tom O’Brien on board fell early in the penultimate, happily both were soon safely back on their feet. Katy Price’s Éclair des Sablons had been a 7/2 chance in the morning but went off a solid 6/4 favourite. The gelding wasn’t the only one supported though. Late money saw Chris Honour’s Shortcross Storm backed from 22/1 into 12/1 before making all to win but all out at the line to hold off the persistent jolly.

Winning jockey Bryan Carver said that a pair of blinkers and a change of tactics had made all the difference. He said that the gelding had been going better at home than he’d been showing on the track and is a tough one to get right on the day. Star Sports had a good race in the office, laying £2000 and £600 bets on Emma Lamb at 3/1 and several wagers the jolly at 6/4 the though the biggest was £900. JB did add that they laid the winner to the tune of £50 at 20/1.

7:55 – Goffs Spring Sales P2P Bumper Maiden NH Flat Race (Amateur Riders) (GBB Race) (Class 5) 2m 1f

The concluding five-runner bumper went to the Joe Tickle trained Rose Above It, ridden by Charlie Sprake. The combination stayed on resolutely to score an 11/2 victory over the well-backed 11/10 favourite Crews Pitch. The win evidently delighted connections who made enough noise to make up for lack of a crowd. That was lovely to hear and see, as was the celebratory punch in the air from the winning rider.

It was a race to get the traders cheering in the Star Sports’ office too. The punters had come out to play for the lucky last, bets included Crews Pitch £3500, £900 and £600 at 11/10 and £1700 at 5/4 topped off with a grand at 11/4 Hinterleitenweg all of course which stayed in the hod, concluding an excellent night on the turf and Exeter’s 2020/2021 season.

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 now on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

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