Driving up from Devon through torrential rain, Racing Posts blowing across a sodden betting ring, wind too strong to erect a bookies mush, proper jumping weather had arrived just in time for Friday of the November meeting, writes SIMON NOTT.
Star Sports boasted two teams, Lofty, Ricky and Amberley on the rail, the latter dressed to the nines in ideal clobber for a Young Farmers do, not so much a deluge.
Tony, Kaan and Nick were battling the punters in Tatts. Nick, from up North wasn’t flustered by the weather telling me he doesn’t even get his big coat out until December. Troupers the lot of them.
1:10 – Lycetts Insurance Brokers Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers’ Hurdle Qual) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-125) 2m5f (Old)
There was a saving grace though, no not me being able to duck into the warm from time to time, but plenty of bookmakers had given the meeting a swerve.
The lack of books meant the ones that did turn up took a few quid, the Star Sports pitches took just under £4000 between them, around £2000 each in smallish bets.
The 11/2 winner A Pai De Nom was a cop in both books £598 in Tatts and £400 on the rail. Star Sports and some other independent layers were betting 1/4 the odds first four, the last price on both Star Sports boards was 13/2.
The SP couldn’t possibly have had anything to do with the large number of off course firms betting five places a fifth, come racing.
1:45 – Unibet Middle Distance Veterans’ Chase Series Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Qualifier) (Class 2) (10yo+ 0-150)2m4f (2m4f44y) (Old)
Between races, I was getting the rubdown from Bahrain, bookie Bo Brown was sending me photos of the racecourse holidaying over there basking in 28’. It was about that temperature in the Sovereign Lounge where Steve, Paolo and John were working.
They were all smiles until I asked if anyone had a coat because Lofty needed help on the rails, I left Steve a couple seconds of horror until my smile broke the bluff, you’ve got to have a laugh. Meanwhile down in the rain the rails were struggling with precipitation affected printer and card machine though they did manage to take £1400 – £400 Fugitif and £1100 – £200 Can You Call. Over in Tatts Tony, Nick and Kaan laid a £900-£200 Fugitif and £300 at 13/2 Eldorado Allen, the punter could have had £2000 – £300 at 100/15 had he asked, but didn’t. Another punter waded in with a further carpet at 6/1 making that the absolute bogie in Tatts.
It’s not a lot of fun getting a soaking and watching the bogie for £4475 win but what a glorious sight Eldorado Allen was winning as he did, everyone loves a grey, but he was a costly reversal for the Tatts book, Lofty’s team clawed £600 back which eased the blow.
2:20 – Sun’s “Save Our Bets” Novices’ Chase (Listed Race) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m1f (Old)
Next up and Kaan took a stand, he wanted to ‘get’ Leave Of Absence and get him he did, the intrepid trio in Tatts enjoyed an old fashioned knock over when they went 5/2.
Monkeys, carpets and bottles were asked for and laid at the price with a liability of £6000 glowing red before they waved the white flag. Lofty had managed to get him in cheaper, £400 at 9/4 and well as €1200 – €400 One Big Bang. The tall lad was confident of keeping the rouf as ‘we always win loads of Euros here’.
He was right, the overseas wings stayed in the hod as did the lumps that Kaan took over Leave Of Absence which was beaten and pulled up way before the business end of the race. The horse that had also looked beaten way out was 9/4 chance Wade Out, but Sean Bowen earned his fee plus some with a never say die ride culminating in a decisive victory which probably had some punters searching for discarded by then papier mache tickets.
The winner was a cop in both books Kaan’s team got £2000 and Lofty’s a tenth of that, but probably had better value, at least that’s what Lofty said.
Between races, I went down to the bottom end of the course to meet previous #BettingPeople interviewee William Morgan author of the four massive now completed volumes of ‘Strongholds of Satan.
If you are coming this weekend, please go and say hello, he’s an absolute gentleman and ex amateur rider and a joy to chat to, the books are works of art. He’s in the huts facing the AP McCoy statue, tell him Simon’s blog sent you!
2:55- Shloer Chase (Registered As The Cheltenham Chase) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m (1m7f199y) (Old)
Meanwhile, Lofty had laid a £1000 double, the first leg running in this race, the eagerly awaiting reappearance of Jonbon at 10/11 and the second leg the jolly in the penultimate, Heads Up.
The rain had really started to get into the most waterproof of clobber so spare a thought for poor Amberley who was learning a very cold and wet lesson about practicality over glamour. She was last seen with a wedge of readies under a hand-dryer in the ladies, so not seen by me, obviously.
The money on the rail that wasn’t wet had appeared to dry up somewhat; field money only £1800 including the double. Tatts was a different story, they had plenty of takers for Jonbon including grands, monkeys and lesser lumps, but Kaan’s team were out to get him, but really didn’t in the bigger scheme of things.
There was decent public money, notably but not in noted sizes for L’Eau Du Sud and others in the race. Those who had their £100 and £200 on L’Eau Du Sud would have been thrilled at the way he won head in chest. Lofty wasn’t so chuffed because despite getting the grand double beaten the book still lost a bottle.
Kaan wasn’t chuffed either as they copped a bottle but getting Jonbon beaten and not getting their whack hurt given the huge liabilities he cost the firm when obliging here in the past.
Nobody was happy, the firm broke even and still the rain came down, then a 7.30am inspection was called for tomorrow. Bugger.
3:30 – Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (Registered As The Hyde Novices’ Hurdle) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m5f (Old)
We all know that National Hunt fans who turn up for weekday meetings are a hardy bunch. The same can be said for the bookmakers, too, but nobody can be as tough as the legend that operates the camera on top of the cherry picker at the top of the hill; that man must be nails.
The hardy punters certainly weren’t letting the wind and rain get in the way of their punting. It was Heads Up they wanted to be on with the Tatts pitch in the penultimate, Kaan’s mighty men took bets of £400 at 2/1, £300 at 15/8 and £400 at 7/4.
Meanwhile, on the rail, looking headlong into the win,d they’d managed to take a few quid nearly £3000 including £2000 – £500 No Drama This End. Tatts doubled that and some though had Heads Up for pretty much what they took, £6288. It didn’t look like the jolly was going to win from a long way out, No Drama This End veritably bolted up at 5/1.
Lofty had the value laying 4/1 but still managed to know out £1100 but that was more than compensated for by Tatts cop of £3444. At this point, I think I can speak for everyone if I say everyone were pleased today’s card only hosted six races.
4:00 – Valda Energy Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 3) (3yo+ 0-125) 2m½f (2m87y) (Old)
Going into the last, there wasn’t a lot in as far as the Star Sports books went, with Tatts and the Rails both just in front. That lucky last looked as if it was going to be run in very limited light, with the ring looking like an end-of-season Blackpool Illuminations as the horses went to post, and commentator Simon Holt pointing out that it was nearly dark so it would be best to get them off when the time came.
The punters were still keen to get on before that including one who bet £4000 – £1000 Jack Hyde with Amberley, Ricky and Lofty.
Meanwhile, in Tatts volume of bets rather than lumps brought their field money total to £3833, at the off the rail had added a grand to the grand they’d taken in one hit. By the off Jack Hyde was an 11/4 chance, at least off course.
Luckily he had to give best to the 5/1 winner French Emperor. The Tatts book blew £556 on the race but still won £456 on the day, the rails copped making at £1700 on the day, so across the firm may well have covered some but certainly not all of the exes.
Let’s hope tomorrow is on and the heating is turned up suitably high back in Cheltenham’s finest digs tonight. They tell me it’s odds-on to be racing here tomorrow, let’s hope the oddsmakers know!
Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.
Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
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