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I have never been to one. Are they just a bit of fun or does one learn anything useful for betting from them?
Good afternoon Garry
I have been to a couple mate and personally speaking you don’t learn anything you don’t already know, you might depending on the panel get a little handicap snippet of info maybe depending on the panel but again nothing really you couldn’t find if you done your homework.
With that being said they are still worth going to as it’s good to sinka few jars and talk racing all night with like minded folk, well worth the fiver/tenner to get involved in my esteemed opinion.
Yeah Kasparov, I’d agree 100% with La Cress on this one, well worth going along just to have a few pints, and talk racing, but of little value for betting purposes.
I’ve been to 2 or 3 different ones, but the only one I go to every year is the one in Hamilton, and off to it again this year. I was going to take the car, but I’m owed about 40 pints after saying last year, that I had more chance of running in The Gold Cup than Vautour, I took a fair bit of abuse for that shout, but all good fun lol.
The general rule for preview nights is that it will start off very orderly, and the panellists will be given respect to give their views, but as the evening goes on it will resemble the shambles which was the National Weights Launch a fortnight ago.
The usual running order for Hamilton is something like this……
1930 Supreme Novices – The panel will spend far too long on this as it’s the first race covered, but they’ll be very professional, and most horses will get a mention, but you won’t learn anything about the runners that Rocky91, Thehorsesmouth, or Stilvi wouldn’t have told you 5 months ago. One race down, and a quarter of the way through the night already.
2015 The Arkle – We finally make it to The Arkle, but despite the fact that for the 48th year in a row, this years Arkle is a “surprisingly weak renewal” they will analyse it to death, before informing everyone that Altior should win easily. Star Sports offer a special 4-11 Altior, for all in attendance.
2055 The Champion Hurdle – Gets given plenty of coverage, and rightly so. Just a bit rushed though as they realise they’re “slightly” behind schedule. Iain Taylor, “tipster” from “newspaper” Daily Record will now be pissed, and will be winding up a few of the audience, who also appear to be under the influence, especially the boys from the less salubrious part of Blantyre who appear to have brought their own carry-out. Taylor will, as per, go for the 4th horse in the betting, just to make it look as if he’s given it a second thought, and will discuss in detail how he had Petit Mouchoir earmarked for this way back in July.
2110 The Mares Hurdle – The Panellists all agree that the Mullins Fav should win. The Audience don’t appear to have the slightest interest in this race, and to be honest, neither do the panel.
2115 – Live Chat on the phone with David Pipe, but the line goes dead.
2120 – Interval, smoke break, and a chance for every drunk in the audience to accost whichever poor jockey happens to be on the panel as he tries to go to the bar for a soft drink. He looks annoyed and scared in equal measure.
2130 – Live Chat on the phone with David Pipe again. The line is very poor, but all we can establish is that plans for Moon Racer haven’t been finalised. The audience have been asked to submit their own questions to the trainer, and to be fair to the compère he reads them all out. Funnily enough, none of the questions are about Moon Racer, and they all seem to be about his plans for the handicaps. He confirms that all the horses are fit and well, but manages to avoid committing to anything.
2135 The Neptune – Panel have an easy time of it, and get their views across, as half the audience are still at the bar, and have no idea that things have started again.
2150 RSA – Drinks kicking in now, and the “tipster” promises to buy everyone a pint, at the preview night next year if the RSA Fav wins. This causes more discussion than any of the races. There’s now some colourful language getting used, as he’s made this promise the last 7 years, and despite being wrong every time, has so far failed to buy a pint for anyone, not even coughing up for a packet of Dry Roasted.
2200 Champion Chase – Compère gets things back on track, and we’re now on to The Champion Chase, and despite the fact that for the 48th year in a row this years Champion Chase is a “surprisingly weak renewal” they will analyse it to death, before informing everyone that Douvan should win easily. Star Sports offer a special 4-11 Douvan, for all in attendance.
2240 Live Chat on the phone with Gordon Elliot, but he doesn’t answer.
2245 Day 3 – Compère looks at his watch “****, we’re nearly done”, and quickly asks the panel if they’re all in agreement that Uknowhatimeanharry is the winner of The Stayers. They’re all in agreement, apart from Iain Taylor, who puts in a good word for Cole Harden, who he bet last August. Star Sports go 11-8 Uknowhatimeanharry.
2250 – Live Chat on the phone with Gordon Elliott again. The line is very poor, but all we can establish is that all is well with Apples Jade, though nobody actually mentioned Apples Jade to him. The audience have again, been asked to submit their own questions to the trainer, and to be fair to the compare he reads them all out. Funnily enough, none of the questions are about Apples Jade, and they all seem to be about this years handicap plots. He confirms that all the horses are fit and well, but manages to avoid committing to anything.
2255 Triumph – Despite the fact that nobody is ever really that interested in The Triumph, we waste another 15 minutes on it. The noise from the drunken rabble, now means that we can’t hear the panellists views, though to be fair nobody appears to be listening now anyway.
2310 Gold Cup – The big one, and there’s a brief lull as even the audience remember why they’re at the event. It all goes to pot though, as one of the Blantyre team mentions that Thistlecrack is a f’cking certainty, “did you not see how easy it was when he won it last year FFS” and threatens anyone who happens to disagree. Compère tries to wind things up, but not before Iain Taylor gives a good word to Sizing John, who’s been his dark horse for this all season.
2325 Any Questions For The Panel – 33 people put their hand up and ask for the panels view on the handicaps, the real reason why they were all there in the first place. To be fair to the panel they do give a response, and its a unanimous, “Diamond King, whichever race he takes in”. Iain Taylor signs off with exclusive Altior/Douvan Double, “it’s buying money he says”
2335 – We all trudge out, walking past one of the Blantyre team, who is spewing outside the foyer.
I bloody love it, and wouldn’t change a thing. Can’t wait for next week
Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed it, and I hope it’s an accurate reflection of other Preview Nights.
lol Graham, I don’t need any excuse to swerve a visit to Blantyre
Brilliant Vtc……….
TRF had an on-line Cheltenham preview night last year
highlight being rob north eating his fish and chips and shouting down to his wife to bring him up a ribena..
Gaelic Warrior Gold Cup Winner 2026
Thanks all and especially VTC. I believe Betfair may be streaming a preview night so I might watch that.
Don’t know if this is sacrilege but I never really look any further forward than the next day
I won’t look at Cheltenham Tuesday until the Monday evening
I’d rather have a Preview of tomorrow’s racing than something that might happen in 2 week’s time that can wait until, well, 2 week’s time
Live for the moment !
Don’t know if this is sacrilege but I never really look any further forward than the next day
I won’t look at Cheltenham Tuesday until the Monday evening
I’d rather have a Preview of tomorrow’s racing than something that might happen in 2 week’s time that can wait until, well, 2 week’s time
Live for the moment !
This is my approach too in general. It can be difficult enough finding winners period so the nearer to the off the better for weighing up as accurately as possible a multitude of factors like going, stableform, etc.
Time is the ever present enemy. I’ll have from lunchtime on the Monday to study the opening day, just Tuesday evening to look at Wednesday – but there’s only 5 ‘proper’ races! It gets impossibly frantic after that so I have to survive on about five hours sleep, abbreviate my assessment of some races and pre-select some ‘bankers’, e.g. Cue Card, Unowhatimeanharry, that I know for sure will come out top of my ratings regardless of time spent on the race.
The Grand National takes 8 to 9 hours so that is the one race I have to do a few days before.
Preview evenings sound like a great social event and a lot of fun but no more than that.
I really miss our Racing Club preview meetings; we used to have 3; NH season, Cheltenham and then Aintree, and used to meet so many trainers, jockeys etc.Although the information itself didn’t tend to throw up many winners it formed a framework to the season,and I’m really struggling these days. However, there is a preview evening in Nottingham next week that we can go to; they’ve never done one before so I hope it’s a success. Really looking forward to it.
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