Off to the races...

Cheltenham races...

After a week of running bad the Paddy Power Gold Cup was my chance to get even. It’s a great little festival; first handicap hurdles of the season so obv. the hardest for the bookies to totally bust you. Only problem was; I didn’t really know shit!

Had to get up at about 8:30 (after going to bed at 6am) to start driving to Cheltenham. Got there in good time, but spent a couple of hours drinking with some friends, one of which was to be my tipster for the day, John, – he came equipped with three form guides, two mobiles and a season pass to the course – obv. a pro... Whilst drinking we missed the first race – alarm bells should have rung when his ‘top-tip’ pulled up half way...

So second race of the day and my first punt. It was the Club 16-24 Novices Chase I just mirrored John’s action with two each way bets costing me a total of £40. We needed a place to break even, but a win would put us up £40-£50 – our ponies came in 5th and 6th. However, Ruby Walsh dislocated his shoulder in a heavy fall on favourite Willyanwoody, Walsh's injury meant he wouldn't be able to ride the heavily backed Granit Jack in the Paddy Power Gold Cup (4th race). So now off to the betting room to watch the odds which were racing around because nobody knew if the replacement jockey Liam Heard, who was racing at Uttoxeter race course, was going to make the 80 mile drive in time for weigh in. For those who don’t know, the betting room is like a trading floor for punters; there’s about 30 free-lanced bookmakers all offering slightly different odds, and most importantly, usually better odds than the more convenient major bookmakers who are all over the course. Due to the speculation caused by Ruby's fall I decided to get on my mobile to my Irish tipster from back in the day who confirmed my hunch – L’Antartique 7-1. Although the odds were bouncing around on all the runners I managed to get £20 each way on at 13-2. John had been doing his own research (he used his two phones, which did look quite professional) and told me that after speaking to a couple of stable boys to back an outsider, Copsale Lad, to win! I took his advice and got £30 down on the outsider at 9-1.

Alrighty – so after spending 40 mins in the betting room I had almost forgotten about the 3rd race when I got a call from my internet blackjack loving mate, Steve. He was up in the Champagne bar with the girls and asked if I wanted to back the 3rd race – I told him to just “get me the favourite, £20 on the nose.” I ended up watching the race course-side and was happy to see the favourite “Franchoek” sale in two lengths ahead – so £27 win! – however, when I got back to Steve I found that my money had actually gone on “Won in the Dark” a 25:1 donkey! – his excuse what that he thought “on the nose” has something to do with ‘whatever you think is best’.
So now slightly angry and down £60 I necked half his bottle of champagne and headed to the course to watch the ponies being led-up for the P-P Gold Cup. Just before the lead up the announcement came in that Liam Heard had weighed in and would be racing “Granite Jack” – fukin marvellous! I had a 13-2 and a 9-1 when there was a 3-1 favourite out there. I watched as the inevitable started to unfold – Granite Jack tore through the field and by the second lap was ahead by over a length – however, on the second to last fence my prayers were answered, Granite Jack spectacularly managed to land on his head, breaking his neck and dying instantly, thus allowing L’antartique to take the lead and win by a nose over the 33-1 outsider Il Duce. I collected £196 for that race, so misusing my £50 I had riding on it, and the £60 losses from the other races I was up around £90.
The next race I didn’t have any real views, and no one seemed to know who to back – so I had a £15 each way bet on an 18-1 in the 3:10. I thought the race was a hurdle, however, when I saw that that it was a chase I kissed goodbye to the £30 and watched the heavily backed favourite come home three lengths ahead of the field.
So my plan was to put the last £60 of profit on the final race. I got on the phone to my Irish tipster (as John hadn’t given me a single winner) and decided to put £30 each way on D’Argent. I had him at 13-2 so a win would give me a total pay and total profit of £150. When I got back the bar I discovered that half the people there had money in D’Argent, and then I discovered why: they were Irish and so was the horse. Luck wasn’t on my side and I watched as the 15:2 outsider came in first.
So, no profit on the day, and a few costs: £25 club pass entry to the ground, £40 on food and booze and that evening I lost two games of spoof for a bottle of champagne each and spent money on a meal and more booze meaning that the weekend was approaching £150 in costs. However, at 4:30am, Steve decided to Martingale deck cutting to the tune of £40 profit for me which softened the blow.
Anyways – hope this wasn’t too boring a read... gl at the tables.