Good morning all,
So I left you yesterday in despair after a poor Sunday at Southwell. Could we turn it around on the Monday? Read on, dear reader…
Plus a couple of selections I like today – loads of low-grade jump racing to get stuck into, my sort of day!
And so we make our way to Huntingdon, the three of us. Normally it’s just myself with Daren driving, but today we have some glamour on the team with Emily (big Sam T-D fan) with us. Poor Emily has to put up with us two old farts battling it out over Popmaster (I win 30-21, even with Daren getting a 6 start) but she does get one right involving The Saturdays, a popular beat combo among the young ones, I understand.
We get there with a good two hours to spare which is just as well, as there’s already plenty of cars coming in. Again, the sun has brought them out and as we get out the car and get the gear in, they’re already queueing.
We’re joined by Steve and his Dad, who we thought were going to Fakenham but appear to have changed their minds, and Group One Gary, who helps us out when we’re going to be busy. The good news is we never lose when Group One is on the team. So no pressure…
So we have three pitches – two on the rails and one in the ring, and off we go. It’s slow going, as ever, for race 1 – people are simply finding their positions for the afternoon, and having something to eat and drink, but business is steady and we have a decent book on the first.
Coming to two out, it looks a two horse race. The good news is both are big winners in the book. Then, one unseats. Not to worry, it still leaves our best in the book with the race at his mercy. Then he starts to slow coming to the last. And down the outside comes Lord Sparky. The worst result in the book. The writing's on the wall. It’s a slow death as we watch Lord Sparky grind it out. Daren’s not happy. “We can’t have another day like yesterday, can we? Good books and bad results?”
Business is picking up now and race 2, despite being one of the worst handicap chases I’ve ever seen, is at least competitive. Reason Number 1 you know you’re dealing with a Bank Holiday crowd – they want to back Sussex Road. And they do, in their droves. They also back Fenjack and when that one departs at halfway, we know we can’t do much damage. Gentleman Moore leads two out and that is a decent result, but who’s this? It’s Arboretum, and that’s our best result! Now, I know Arboretum well, and know he doesn’t always find for pressure, so I’m willing him to find enough today. And he does! We win four figures on the race and suddenly Daren’s giving it the big one, cheering it home and actually moonwalking. I’ve seen it all now…
Reason Number 2 you know you’re dealing with a Bank Holiday crowd – some of them back Arch My Boy, the 2-7 fav in the next, each-way. Only a few, but they do. But most simply want to have pounds each way on the outsiders, praying for another Falcao-type miracle, but this time it doesn’t happen and the favourite is actually a good result. In fact, with the first three in the market finishing 1-2-3 (just!) we cop the each-way money too. Now we’re sucking diesel, as Hastings might say…
Business is a bit lighter on the next but, with about a minute to go, a bloke shoves a grand in my hand and asks for it on So Lonely at 6-4. He’s on. No sooner does he have the bet than it drifts like a barge and at the off, it’s 2-1 and bigger than that on the machine. So Daren can hedge back quite nicely now and make it a winner. And win it does, so although we’ve £2500 to pay out (to the owner, as it happens) it’s still a small winning race.
Reason Number 3 you know it’s a Bank Holiday crowd – at least two or three people will back every horse in the race just so they can say they had a winner. That happens three times with one bloke, who doesn’t seem to realise he’s losing money after the first two times he’s done it, but he gets lucky third time up as Cosmic King, the outsider of three, comes good at 5-1 for him. He thinks he’s got a system. We’re more than happy to lay him. “Have you got any mates?” I ask, hoping he’s told them about his “system” too. Sadly not.
Daren’s well in front now and happy. “I’m like a matador up here, controlling the crowd” he tells us. I say he’s more Matalan than Matador, which raises a laugh from Nina and her mum on the Michael Cannon pitch next door. Not even the jolly old favourite going in in the last can put a dent in things and after expenses, it’s fair to say that we’ve more than turned the weekend around. It’s McD’s drive thru for all on the way back. I’m tired, it’s been a long weekend, but in the end, worth it. Group One Gary keeps his 100% record too! Available for hire for a reasonable price…
if you want to get a full rundown. I have had a bet on the card, West Coast Lass in the second who has been installed as the rank outsider but her C&D form of last year is decent and makes her look well treated today. Worth a small e/w bet I think, with a few at the front of the market beatable. But for the main selection it is to Taunton I go and Ourmullion in the 7.30. There was some 13-2 around yesterday (which I missed) but 9-2 is acceptable. The key today might well be the return of cheekpieces, which he had to have on the Flat, but have been missing in his runs over hurdles so far. They return as he makes his handicap debut and I don't think that's a coincidence. Looks very well treated on Flat form and the whole thing looks a bit of a plot.
Good luck with all your bets today,
David.
Always enjoy your write-ups Dave. Cheers.