The Slow Counter….

Good morning all,

I was in a bookmakers in Central London yesterday when I watched a guy trying to pull the wool over a cashier's eyes with cashback – paying for bets on his card but wanting the winnings paid in cash, and wanting cashback as well! Kept kicking off and was eventually told he couldn't have a bet!

These days tricks like that are tried in order to get one over the bookies, but back in the day the slow count was part of the conman's armoury, and I remember the day someone tried it on me very well. That, plus one from Warwick, on the main piece.

Back in the day, when I was but a mere cashier for Provincial Racing (eventually brought out by what's now Bet365, I think) and in the winter, racing finished at four and you went down the pub, I can remember the time a guy tried to pull a slow count on me. It had never happened before, but thankfully my manager knew what the crack was and made sure he went nowhere.

It was January, and getting towards the end of the day. There was no-one in the shop, and we were starting to wind down in readiness for a pint. I worked in a small shop, just the one door in and out that you actually had to turn a handle on to get in. How very old-fashioned!

A bloke we'd never seen before came in, started having a look at the papers, and made his way over to the dogs. I remember very well the bet being for a race at Bristol. The dogs were going in the traps as he ambled over to the counter and placed a bet for £100 on Trap 3, which was favourite. I rang the bet through the till and he got his wallet out. Slowly. Then opened it. Equally slowly. The bell goes and I've not had payment. I look at my manager and he twigs what's going on straight away.

Next thing I know he's counting out a hundred quid in five pound notes, very slowly. The dogs are already off and heading to the bend before there's £20 on the counter. My manager comes from behind the counter and goes and stands by the door. The three dog is in front so he keeps counting. 40, 50, 60. I'm scooping the notes behind the counter like a JCB as fast as he can put them down. Three is still in front. 70, 80, 90, 100. All paid just as they cross the line. Three's nailed right on the line too. Unlucky! Let that be a lesson to you I think, as he trudges off out the shop, tail between his legs. He's never to be seen again. We warn the other shop in town, and half an hour later it's all forgotten as we down out first pint in the White Hart.

It's never been pulled on me again, although tomorrow I'll tell you all about the other fraudsters that have crossed my path – including Pencil Man…

The 2.00 at Warwick promises to turn into a right slog and at first glance, Yanmare would appear the one to be with. He's one of the biggest horses in training and goes well in the ground, but seems to want even further than this these days and might actually find the line coming too soon. Talk Of The South has a good record at Warwick and is well handicapped, but he'd so tricky to catch right. So at a big price I'm going to give Gardiners Hill a try – he too is better handicapped these days, just 4lb higher than his last win (when he rattled off a hat-trick) and has conditions to suit. He's also had the wind-op since his last run, which may or may not make a difference, of course. but I'd suggest if it does, he could go quite close here. Probably all or nothing, so don't bother with e/w.

Today's selection – Gardiners Hill 2.00 Warwick

Good luck with all your bets today,

David.