This is how I got on last week with my own personal fancies and bets.
Saturday: As you probably know I went up to Newmarket with Matt and a group of his horse syndicate members for a day at the races. Having had a 5 hour train journey to get there I’d had plenty of time to read the Racing Post and study the form. One of the things I had noted was that Brian Meehan had in previous years targeted the fillies maiden on the card with great success so obviously I backed his runner in the opening race (actually I got one of Matt’s group to place my bet as I was still eating my Bangers and Mash at the National Stud). She ran very well but could only manage 4th at 20/1.
As we entered the course the runners were just being loaded for the second but (un)luckily there was a bookmaker standing right by the entrance and I was able to get £20 at 14/1 on Henry Cecil’s filly to win the race. After watching her become agitated in the stalls, miss the break, run very green and finish 2nd last it didn’t get my day off to a great start. To make matters worse I had failed to note that Meehan also had a runner in this 2nd division of the maiden and she had just obliged at 14/1. This left me wishing the train journey had been 6 hours and not 5 which would have given me more time to fully study the card!
But they say every cloud has a silver lining and so it turned out. When I bumped into David, who had taken the responsibility to get my wager on in the first, it transpired he too had failed to get there in time and returned my £40 stake. Two races down and only minus £20. Time to hit the bar.
In the 3rd race I had £80 at 15/8 on Anhar which was headed on the very last stride and looked very much to me like Frankie was outridden by Jimmy Fortune. Back to the bar.
Then to the bookies to have £40 Seven is my Number in the Ascot feature Chase. Another ‘great’ ride from Timmy Murphy, who decided to leave it until between the last two fences to make some sort of challenge from 5 lengths down, meant that I was now down £140. Thanks to his free system Matt had backed the winner at 33/1 which did little to improve my mood but at least it was his round. I fancied Secrecy in the next but having stayed in the bar too long I had missed any semblance of value on the horse and wasn’t going to take 7/4 about him. So I had £20ew on Marvo at 16’s and rued having had that last pint as he trailed Secrecy home by some distance in 7th. Uh oh, -£180 and time for another drink.
Next up was a very confident selection in Shaweel and £120 at 13/8. Another 2nd and my confidence was shattered. It was time for a rethink (and another drink). I got a bit distracted by the conversation at the bar and missed placing my bet on Tamarinbleu in the Charlie Hall. As it loomed up 3 fences out I was beginning to think someone up there really had it in for me. I had laid Matt an even £20 on Deep Purple coming round the bend so at least I had won that. Well, until he somehow got up in the last few strides and had me cursing profusely. Losing £20 to Matt is like losing £200 to a bookie. Grrrrrrrr….
When the going gets tough the tough get going and so I went and had £60 on Timepiece (9/2). I love Henry Cecil. I’ve won more money backing his horses than all the other trainers put together. I love him….
Only minus £50 now and back to the bar. In an attempt to get my £20 back from Matt I laid him a score on Petitifour at 5/4. Job done. Winning £20 from Matt is like winning £200 from a bookie. Only £30 down now.
I didn’t really fancy anything in the next but simply watching a race when at the course has never been something I’ve mastered so I had a tenner each way on Perks. I didn’t get much of a run for my money but at least Frankie didn’t win that one either.
And so the grand finale and my nap of the day. I had been telling everyone that would listen (Matt didn’t) Bended Knee would win the last and having consumed a fair amount of alcohol during the afternoon my confidence in my selection was slightly more enhanced than it normally would be for a 16 runner handicap. Down in the betting ring I had £50ew at 16’s on Bended Knee and a £40 saver on Jordaura. Back at the bar before the race I then had a £1 exacta on those two with Julia Fielden’s horse and Fallons mount Edgeworth. Suprisingly the Tote weren’t doing a trifecta on the race so I had to dash to the bookies for a combination tricast before joining everyone in the stands to watch the race. Never in any doubt he led from start to finish and the only dampener for me was getting paid out at 1/5th the odds a place. In all the excitement I hadn’t realised that it was Jordaura closing him down and I had the Exacta ….which paid a measly £65.60. Make that two dampeners!
All in all a great day and a win of £940. Good times.
Sunday: Back to work and no time to get out for a bet though I did note in the morning that Green Manalishi looked like a nice bet in the 3.05. I was ‘overjoyed’ to see it had won at 10/3 and another winner had gotten away.
Monday: Even a great card at Kempton failed to inspire me and again I spent the day selling calendars well away from the betting shop. That was until I was on my way home and called in to back my horse in the Melbourne Cup. £20ew on Leica Ding which ran leica pig. I’m now officially not a fan of betting shops staying open late.
Tuesday: A good card at Exeter and I couldn’t resist a couple of bets. £20ew Mahogany Blaze in the feature race which finished 4th, of course, and £40 Dee Ee Williams which finished 2nd, of course! I also had £10ew Laterly at 50’s for the November Handicap which would become a non starter and lose my money, of course.
Wednesday: Having read the Racing Post on the train into work I was really surprised to see that Alexandros was forecast to start at 5/6 in a conditions race at Nottingham. I thought odds of 1/2 would be more likely which meant my gob was really smacked when I was able to get odds against. £80 at 5/4 was stealing money and I only wish I had had more cash on me. Unfortunately I lost £50 of it immediately when Straw Bear ran no race at all in the following race over at Warwick. What has happened to this once classy animal? I’d also had a tenner each way on a horse called Priestley in the 1.10 at Nottingham which as far as I know is still running.
Thursday: Looking through the Post on the train Rite of Passage caught my eye in the big handicap at Leopardstown. However I committed the cardinal sin of letting someone else sway my decision and having read the Racing Post’s experts analysis of his chance I didn’t back him. Another winner goes begging…..
Friday: At last the big Breeders Cup meeting was here and I spent the day going through the form and reading the Post in between serving customers. What wasn’t in doubt was that I would be backing Henry’s horses but I hadn’t made my mind up yet about the supporting races.
I had £80 on Father Time at PMU odds, £120 on Midday(PMU) and three £5ew doubles and a £5ew treble on those two plus Twice Over in the Classic (taking the 16/1). I also had £20 Man of Iron as a saver in the Marathon. After making my decision on my other bets it was simply a case of poor judgement - £50 on Lillie Langtry, £20ew Devil May Care, £50 Ventura and £40 Careless Jewel all being well beaten. I did though go to bed feeling very happy for Henry Cecil and Tom Queally. His ride on Midday would have won the Nag Award for best ride of the year if I hadn’t already given it to Tony Culhane. I doubt Mr Queally will be losing any sleep over that though.
Saturday: Was it really a week ago that I was on the train to Newmarket? Wow, time goes fast (well, faster than most of my horses anyway).
I had my punting boots well and truly on for this fantastic trans-atlantic day of wagering. Though things didn’t start off to well when I found out Pricewise had tipped my selection in the November handicap meaning I had to take 9/1 instead of 11/1 for my £50ew Hillview Boy. They were to get even worse when I missed getting my bet on Jordaura in the first at Doncaster as the race went off at 11.55am. I’m now officially not a fan of racing starting this early.
Unbeknown to me, overnight I had been struck down by the dreaded ‘placeitus’ and my afternoon’s bets were a sorry tale of close but no cigar. £40 at 9/1 Mamlook (2nd), £50ew 9/1 Hillview Boy (2nd), £40 The Package (3rd), £40 Mia’s Boy (2nd) and £20ew Webbow (5th). One bright spot on a dark day was that Betfred paid me out at the SP of 11/1 on Hillview Boy as it was one of his Guaranteed races. Good old Fred. I saw this as a good sign and so it was onto Santa Anita for the evening’s fare with my confidence restored…..
After getting home from work I made a quick dash into Penarth village to put my bets on while I was waiting for my Indian takeaway to be prepared. Saturday night is takeaway night here at Nag Towers and the Tropical Tandori is one of the best Indian restaurants in South Wales. Lamb Biryiani for me and a vegetable masala for the missus. Yum Yum. Anyway I digress, my bets…..
£20ew Buzzword, £20ew Vale of York and a £2ew Double. £80 Gayego. £25ew Strike The Deal, £50ew Twice Over and a £5 Lucky 15 on Goldikova, Conduit, Mastercraftsman (what was Murtagh doing?), Rip Van Winkle.
I had to spend the early part of the night watching only brief portions of the racing channel as the missus was watching X Factor but I saw what I needed to see and basically I experienced every type of performance possible. There were some poor runs (Strike The Deal, Rip van Winkle), some strange runs (Mastercraftsman), some unlucky runs (Gayego), some not quite good enough runs (Twice Over), some high class runs (Goldikova), some brave runs (Conduit) and one ‘don’t know what the heck he was doing but what a fantastic run’ (Vale of York).
What a great night’s racing with two exceptional performances from two super fillies, Zenyatta & Goldikova.
The perfect end to the 2009 flat season. I only wish I’d been there……
———
My 10 to Follow last week seemed to spark a bit of interest amongst readers, and generated a few emails to boot, so on the suggestion of one of those contributors I’d like you the readers to give me your Horse to Follow for the 2009-10 NH Season.
Simply give me one horse that you think will win this Winter and leave it in the comments box below. Depending on how many we get I’ll open up a new page on the site and put your selections on it so we can track them through the year. Any horse will do - hurdler, chaser, novice, un-raced, handicapper, well kown, dark horse…..
You decide and let the rest of the readers know why you fancy it. Simples!
Good luck,
Gavin.