Forum Replies Created
- Posts
I think it’s a real shame, racing is so sanitised these days, we need these stories to keep the interest up and get racing off the back pages. Let’s have a fairy tale every now and then. OK the horse is almost certain not going to be competitive but the connections are paying their fees to be there and if they beat just one home are vindicated for taking part. Just my humble opinion.
Absolutely, they see no need for a racing correspondent, a paragraph here and there in print written by an intern or staffer with limited knowledge gleaned from a quick glance at Google will suffice for most papers. It’s heartbreaking really when you consider that racing (I’m pretty sure) is still the second highest spectator sport in the UK after football.
I started working for Star Sports as a freelancer on-course at Cheltenham after I got made redundant by the PA. Prior to that I was working for TurfTV returning SPs for nearly nine years. I worked for bookies on course before that after leaving the Army in 1989. Star Sports have now taken me on full time working on course (though they only do big meetings) and writing content for their site, based at home. As such I am not privvy to anything sensitive. I know they’ll take whatever comes at them on-course. Surely racing has always been about ‘Insider’ information, and most people go skint listening to it. If you elaborate as to what what you’d like me to look into I’ll do my best to look into it. I imagine most of us have to take ‘unders’ because if you show any hint of even breaking even (I got restricted by Ladbrokes, when I asked for my betting record I was a score up). I think people on the ‘outside’ think there’s a lot more sinister going on then there actually is.
They used to bet to huge margins in those days too, punters have never had such good value on course.
Thanks for all the replies and for taking the time to read the blog, most appreciated.
Saturday plus a handful of pre-race bookmaker interviews http://www.simonnott.co.uk/index.php/tales-from-the-grand-national-betting-ring-080417/
Tales From The Betting Ring Aintree Friday http://www.simonnott.co.uk/index.php/tales-from-the-betting-ring-aintree-070417/
Actually there’s a good point, you won’t need to keep records because if you even look like breaking even you’ll soon lose the BOG concession!
Judge. You’ve pinpointed the problem right there. You can’t afford to bet to £50’s, you need to get real with your staking, start with stakes you can afford and up them when your bank doubles. It maybe boring betting to tenners but it won’t be watching your winnings grow and not enduring the stress of going skint just before the inevitable next winner. Bookies love punters that bet too big for their boots – they’ll always get you in the end.
Judge it’s not about oneupmanship. I spend most of my time travelling to racecourses and juggle that with a young family. Hence I don’t have the time to study enough to show a profit. I have followed my mate Andrew Mount who writes a column for GG.com and his own personal marks, and Roger Bush who charges for tips via his WestCountry Racing for years. Last year both sources made a profit but I found myself £726 down over the year. Like I said in a previous post I always thought I won money on multiples, last year was the first time I used a detailed spreadsheet including multiples. There was no hiding the fact I lost over £3000 betting to win fortunes on doubles trebles etc. Both my sources look for value, and they both win. Of course you could hit a treble and win a row of houses but the odds against it are true odds, I slashed my multiple outlay by 10 so instead. This year they are still costing me £400 but I always like to give myself the chance of a big win, except now it will be a house and not a row. The other thing I have learned over the years is staking is probably the most important part of any successful betting. You need a decent bank, I’d say if you bet to £10 units you’ll need a grand. Every winner finding source be it your own skill or my lazy way will suffer bad losing runs. If it’s value you look for, very long ones, and they take the mick too, beaten by noses, fifth in 16 runner handicaps etc but if your bank is there and you stay disciplined it can change in an instant and you have that psychological edge. Back in 2008 I had the best year ever, upped my stake from £20 to £40 a point and nearly went skint after the worst run of luck you can imagine in 2009, my lesson well and truly learned. I’m now comfortable with tenners in the knowledge that with 100 points in reserve I’m going to withstand the worse betting can throw. If you don’t stick to a discipline you’ll end up losing, whatever your level. This year has worked out pretty much as last but I’m not doing my £3k on multiples so nicely up.
I used to keep mine in a ledger and now on a spreadsheet. I feel that if you are betting with money you didn’t find on the floor you have to. Even if you bet to tenner units you’ll be astounded at your annual turnover, if you don’t like what you read then it’s time for a revaluation of your betting, why bury your head in the sand if you are losing. I always used to think that I won on multiple bets, last year those bets were into minus four-figures and a lesson was learnt.
The first two days betting ring action from Glorious Goodwood. http://www.simonnott.co.uk/index.php/tales-from-the-betting-ring-glorious-goodwood-tuesday-wednesday-2016/
Salisbury today and The Oaks for those who are interested http://www.simonnott.co.uk/index.php/tales-from-the-betting-ring-salisbury-070616/
Tales from the Salisbury betting ring with archive footage from 1972 and current comparison, along with all the usual light-hearted banter. http://www.simonnott.co.uk/index.php/tales-from-the-betting-ring-betfred-city-bowl-day-salisbury-010516/
