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As the title says I’m interested to hear about your highs and lows in putting , I got into racing through my family , my uncle’s sister was a part owner of Grey Abbey , soaked to the skin Scottish grand national day getting 14-1 on a future grade 1 winner was one of my wiser bets in fact he only ever let me down twice in 2 years however he is not my best ever bet …
I had a so-so 2013 at Cheltenham , the highlight being Lord Windermere winning the RSA , rewatching the race I knew it wasn’t a vintage race but I could see he was looking around on the run in and there was def more there if needed
Despite the poor runs throughout the next winter I stuck with my decision to invest every time I had a good win , I know it wasn’t the greatest gold cup but I knew …I just knew coming to the last he was going to win …it wasn’t about the money , it was the fact the girl at the bookies said I was the only 1 in the place who,d picked up on him …seeing something few others hadn’t , I loved grey abbey, I love native river yet Windermere will always be my fav
Lowest bewley berry falling while in front in the national ..the despair so bad I couldn’t utter a word for 2 minutes …like being winded ….I’ll say to my last day he could have won …racing one minute it’s the ultimate , the next it’s kneed u in the bollocks and taken your wallet lol
One of my highest and definitely my lowest came in a race where I didn’t have a bet. Elation as Many Clouds beat GC favourite Thistlecrack in an absolutely pulsating finish in the Cotswold only for the heartbreaking news just a few minutes later that he had collapsed and died out on track. I was in bits and still don’t know how Oliver Sherwood conducted himself in that interview – “He’d run through a brick wall for you and he did winning that race.” Absolutely heartbreaking
Had a massive bet for my own standards on mattmu in the great st wilfrid the other year @25/1 (hardly an inspiring race for this kinda topic) but nontheless i had him more of an 8/1 shot at the time even after a very poor return from
Over a year off track, usually im not so confident in the sprints, especially this class, but as soon as he came out the gate i was pretty confident for some reason, wasnt anything in particular, ive had bigger priced winners, but he was by far my biggest ever return, was sitting in a bar watching it abroad and was trying to keep my mouth shut so the misses wouldnt do the usual “how much did you win” chat, there was no hiding this one though LOLBiggests low recently was laurens bombing in the qe2 had a fair bet on it, but wasnt about the dough, just wanted her to win as im a massive fan as ive said before, got the high until about 3 furlongs out and then i crashed, kills me when either a horse i really really fancy doesnt win and or i dont think theyve shown there true form for whatever reason, put me on a downer with racing until the end of november when the jumps were in full swing lol
Highs:
As an 18 year old telling everyone at work that Generous would win the Derby.
Backing Earth Summit as he romped home at 14-1 in the Scottish National and then following up at Aintree a couple of years later.
And jumping up and down while wedged in the stand at Cheltenham as Looks Like Trouble won the Gold Cup with the Patriot fortune on it.
And from a non punting point of view leaping from my couch and punching the air as Coneygree battled to his Gold Cup win.
Lows:
Not backing Earth Summit when he won the Welsh National(25-1?).
Watching Carl Llewellyn trying to cling on to Beau as he was the last horse to come to grief in Red Marauder’s National, made worse by the fact that I backed the winner in the previous year’s race.
And backing the rogue that is Go West Young Man as the outsider of five at Perth last summer, watching him cruise to the lead, only to watch him stumble a stride after landing at the second last and deposit his jockey on the turf.
Ps, I was at Ayr the day Grey Abbey won the Scottish National, a great performance on a desperate day.
Mayweather knocking out Hatton was a high
Dayjur in the breeders cup and to many others to list.
I was at Ayr that day as well, god it was hard going. Everybody sheltering indoors to escape the monsoon outside, you couldn’t move.
From a betting point of view one of my biggest highs was Kahyasi winning the Derby in 1988. It was the first Derby I had ever been to and also was a major touch for me. Backed him at 50/1 before he won at Sandown and then again after he won at 2/5 and was still 33/1 and then again after he won the Lingfield Derby Trial at 20/1 and 16/1 and then on the day at 14/1 and 12/1. I was working as a floorman for a bookie on tattenham corner and he won absolute packets as he had it for a skinner in his book too!! Happy Days
Betting low was Desert Orchid winning the Gold Cup in ’89 !! Was on Yahoo at 40/1 in singles doubles trebles and a yankee!! Bllody Horse was beat and then the crowd cheered. I remember I was managing a betting shop in Coventry and the shop went nuts when Dessie won and they all thought my miserable face was because Dessie winning was going to cost the shop loads of money but in truth it was because that damned grey had just cost me a five figure sum!!
Emotionally FRANKEL winning the guineas was unbelievable and was sooo uplifting !!
The worst day was a horse called SAMLEE in the Scottish national 2000. Sammy was owned by a syndicate who included a good friend of mine and I got to know the horse and followed him religiously back then. He was tough as old boots and had been placed in Scottish Welsh and Aintree Nationals and went to Ayr that year in good form having won his prep at Exeter by twenty five lengths with AP on board. He led for a good time and was headed and then weakened and stopped quickly and awfully passed away. The White Lion pub (where the syndicate was from ) was like a morgue. You could hear the proverbial pin drop and in those moments you realised a brave brave soldier had given his all for the final time and was gone.
R I P Fella
High
2003 Champions Hurdle, ,having backed Rooster booster all winter to win it since seeing a different horse in his comeback beating Mr Cool pulling a proverbial cart. Won a very, very nice amount on him that day, coming in handy for someone not having long left university. Don’t think any horse, anywhere was going to beat him that day,, to take a pull like he was running to 2nd last in a champion hurdle been ran at flat out pace by Intersky Falcon, was a sight to behold
How Far the Booster was the cry in local from me and by sidekick, as he shot on from the last – happy memories
Similar this year with Paisley Park,, had him at 12s (my mate was on at 40s after Haydock handicap it won ) just before Cheltenham trial’s day not for a huge amount , but a nice amount none the less, to have the confidence to say to everyone in the pub watching the race as he is getting a niggle after the 2nd last, that just wait till he straightens up for the last and the boosters get switched to turbo,, whoosh, ive been watching racing for over 20 years, and ive never seen a stayer hurdle be able to finish like this one, hopefully he will win a few more to come avoiding any training / injuries issues
Lows
Cue Card fall in his gold cup when going for the million bonus,, was in near tears, probably my favourite horse of all time and was devastated for the horse and connection (and my pocket secondary). was an absolute cert to win had it stood up., but hey ho jumping name of the game
Bit further back but one of my earlier cheltenhams, maybe 1999 /2000, as a poor student I had convinced myself there was 3 absolute stick on certainties that year. Istabraq in Champion, Barton in Royal and Sun Alliance Hurdle. Again not a lot of money looking back, but for a student at the time,, this treble was going to pay for an awful lot of cheap student nights out.. Sadly Nick Dundee fell 2nd last when looking likely to go past Looks like Trouble, and the ability of Nick Dundee was never to be know with injuries thereafter
High
2003 Champions Hurdle, ,having backed Rooster booster all winter to win it since seeing a different horse in his comeback beating Mr Cool pulling a proverbial cart. Won a very, very nice amount on him that day, coming in handy for someone not having long left university. Don’t think any horse, anywhere was going to beat him that day,, to take a pull like he was running to 2nd last in a champion hurdle been ran at flat out pace by Intersky Falcon, was a sight to behold
How Far the Booster was the cry in local from me and by sidekick, as he shot on from the last – happy memories
Similar this year with Paisley Park,, had him at 12s (my mate was on at 40s after Haydock handicap it won ) just before Cheltenham trial’s day not for a huge amount , but a nice amount none the less, to have the confidence to say to everyone in the pub watching the race as he is getting a niggle after the 2nd last, that just wait till he straightens up for the last and the boosters get switched to turbo,, whoosh, ive been watching racing for over 20 years, and ive never seen a stayer hurdle be able to finish like this one, hopefully he will win a few more to come avoiding any training / injuries issues
Lows
Cue Card fall in his gold cup when going for the million bonus,, was in near tears, probably my favourite horse of all time and was devastated for the horse and connection (and my pocket secondary). was an absolute cert to win had it stood up., but hey ho jumping name of the game
Bit further back but one of my earlier cheltenhams, maybe 1999 /2000, as a poor student I had convinced myself there was 3 absolute stick on certainties that year. Istabraq in Champion, Barton in Royal and Sun Alliance Hurdle and Nick Dundee RSA. Again not a lot of money looking back, but for a student at the time,, this treble was going to pay for an awful lot of cheap student nights out.. Sadly Nick Dundee fell 2nd last when looking likely to go past Looks like Trouble, and the ability of Nick Dundee was never to be know with injuries thereafter
High: having Bosra Sham at 33-1 for the Guineas before she even set foot on the racecourse.
Low: Barton Bank’s fall at the last in the King George. Had him in various multiple bets, as well as hefty singles.
High
17 years old, walked into a betting shop for first time Corals next to train station. Was terrified I was going to get asked for ID as I looked young.
The next race was The QE2 at ascot. I looked at the card at the names of the horses and I liked the colors of MAROOF and noticed he was number 3 and drawn 3 and de la soul had taught me that 3 was the magic number so I put a £1 ew on, I wasn’t aware of the price or even that it was the 2nd string and was only being sent as the pacemaker for willie Carson’s horse Mehtaaf the owners 1st string.
He did his job as pacemaker but never came back to the field and won at 66/1. The betting shop was absolutely packed in those days and I was the only one to have backed it in shop. They gave me eighty something back and I thought they had made a mistake as I thought I would only get £66 back.
I always loved Richard Hills from then on and would always defend the man late ring his career as he tended to get a lot of stick on the racing forums.
High – One For Arthur winning the National. On him for months. Told everyone who asked for a bet from January onwards he would win the National in April. The way he cruised up, picking them off one by one was a beautiful sight. My excitement and nervousness built as the race went on but crossing the Melling Road for the final time, he was travelling on the snaff and going double the speed of anything else effortlessly going through the field. At that point, I knew tbh. And I let out a ‘look at Arthur – he’s absolutely cruising!!!!!!’ shout. I knew he had it won. Gave me a fright when jumping into Cause of Causes at the last but it was over as soon as he landed with all four legs on the ground.
Low – Benie Des Dieux falling the other day at Cheltenham. Was on her for four figures and she was my NAP of the week. Was stood not far from the final hurdle when she came down. Stunned silence at the track. That one hurt. Great to see her get up as it looked a nasty fall. In betting terms, that one hurt me.
Annie Power at the last & Cue Card at the third last will forever haunt.
Anytime you’re bullish about one and it wins well is a high.
Sometimes when your down and out and somehow it still wins is almost even better sometimes – Sire Du Berlais the other weeks for example.Potato I remember the Maroof race!!
I was on Barathea and Mickey Jo Kinane rode a shocker on mine!!
Came cruising on the outside and had everything covered apart from the pacemaker ( Maroof).
I cursed him for sitting too long and the winner had gone. Barathea flew at the death but was never going to catch Maroof!!
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