Cheltenham 2018 Ante post bets

[TimRiggins]

Over the course of a few months (August - March) I put 2/3 grand on. In March I get a few grand back. Been doing it since 2013 and have always turned a profit, best about two grand, worst about a hundred quid, average probably a few hundred quid. Even the worst was more than i'd get if i put that money in an ISA, and I still don't think i've had a really good year yet where it's all come together well/multiples have hit the target (hopefully this year). The way I bet i can't see that i'd ever lose more than a few hundred quid (and that would have to be an awful year), and by the time March comes around I have written it off in my head a bit and thus just see the winnings as a bonus. Doing it this way I find I can really enjoy the racing as a sport (and it's a sport I love), whereas before I started doing ante post my enjoyment of the week was tempered a little by winning/losing bets on the day

I just looked back at my records, and I only did about £400 of bets for the whole festival in 2015, so 2016 was the first year I'd done it properly.

I won about 3k in 2016, and lost about a monkey last year*

*Altior & Yorkhill @ 40s saved me from being another grand down

It's all entertainment for me, and I see it much the same as yourself. I just use whatever I get back as spending money for my summer holidays, and if I don't need to order more from FairFX, I've done alright.

[Istabraq]

Not the most original of bets
However,just gone in heavy on a 5/1 treble
Ireland Betbright trophy
W Mullins top trainer
R Walsh top jockey

Given the arsenal Hendo goes in with coupled with some high profile Mullins absentees I'd be looking to get against Ireland/Ruby/Mullins....

[Rhinestone_Cowboy]

I've had my biggest Festival outlay so far but managed to fund nearly all if it through free bets, manipulation of free bets on the exchange, and arbing. Been making on average around 40-50 quid a week since last summer all of which has gone on the Festival. Means I have been able bet much more than normal which is great, although it has taken plenty of work each week so not for everyone. Try to do most of it on the commute to work.

[Faugheen_Machine]

I've had my biggest Festival outlay so far but managed to fund nearly all if it through free bets, manipulation of free bets on the exchange, and arbing. Been making on average around 40-50 quid a week since last summer all of which has gone on the Festival. Means I have been able bet much more than normal which is great, although it has taken plenty of work each week so not for everyone. Try to do most of it on the commute to work.

That's dedication RC and I imagine very time consuming. Not a bad way to spend the commute to work though.

I'll probably have staked somewhere close to £5k by the Tuesday and usually bet half as much again through the week.

Like a few have said, it doesn't matter what you stake are as long as you can afford to lose it. There's nothing worse than losing more than you can afford and I think every one has probably been there at some stage - not something I wish to repeat in a hurry

[Hurricane fly]

I’m off to Australia in april so one of the reasons I’ve started antepost is that I won’t have the same outlay over the 4 days.

I’ve used free bets but also whenever I have a win I use half the profit on antepost. I wouldn’t be putting £5, £10 etc away for the holiday so it goes on AP. It’s money that in some ways I never had and won’t be missed but means I can dial down the spending on the day.


Until someone price boosts Apples Jade on the day and I steam in!

[BigChaang]

Crashed through the 2.5k outlay for the festival yesterday.

Not sure how that compares to many on here, shocked me a little when i counted it all up though!

I really hope that you get a decent return Innoko

[Kevloaf]

I'm pushing the boundaries of what I can afford to lose this year

Very impressed and pleased with the level headed and sensible approaches everyone seems to have.

I respect the discipline in keeping to a pattern that some have as much as the commitment others have in approaches more similar to my own.

Each to their own and the return on investment should include 'hours of personal enjoyment' for me too. If I made a net loss of a few hundred quid I'd only be down a few pence per hour that I've spent on here and trawling through form/oddschecker! A bargain for entrainment!

However, I won't be making a loss

[Middle_Of_March]

I've been reading this forum for a while now and I have always found the discussion informative and friendly... I just wanted to see if everyone is feeling the same as me with the festival fast approaching i.e like a little kid at Christmas.... I cannot wait. Also I wanted to wish you all the luck with every bet you make!

Welcome. I’ve only been on here a week but there’s a good bunch of posters on here I think. Lots of great info.


I can’t wait. My first festival and I’m absolutely buzzing for it.

[Middle_Of_March]

You had me questioning my memory there!

Though now I think about it, I'm not sure Lets Dance was a banker. Not a long term banker anyway? Wasn't Airlie Beach the long term AP favourite?

Had a quick look - seems my memory is crap!

She was indeed. I was on Airlie Beach knowing Mullins likes to send his best mares novice to the race but soon realised that day is backed the wrong one of the two when the money came for Let’s Dance. I believe she opened up at 9/4 that morning across the boards but went off 11/8. Absolute monster gamble on her and she absolutely cantered into the race and won easily.

Love a Cheltenham mulllins gamble. Think that was on St Patrick’s Thursday as well. .

[Brital]

Each to their own and the return on investment should include 'hours of personal enjoyment' for me too. If I made a net loss of a few hundred quid I'd only be down a few pence per hour that I've spent on here and trawling through form/oddschecker! A bargain for entrainment!

Exactly how I think of it Kev, couldn’t have put it better.
I have a job that means I often have to spend evenings away during the week and reading all the posts on here, listening to various podcasts etc. provides an enjoyable way to pass the time.

So far I’ve gambled about a grand - free bets and laying some of those horses means this is netting out at about £750.
By the end of the festival I expect this to be about double.
If I lost every penny it would probably work out about the cost of a decent golf club membership, and so for all the interest and enjoyment I’ve had cheap at half the price.

But hopefully as in other years I’ll come close to breaking even or in profit - not many hobbies can do that

[Istabraq]

Each to their own and the return on investment should include 'hours of personal enjoyment' for me too

The alternative is talking to the wife so a massive loss is still money well spent in my book...

[Innoko]

I really hope that you get a decent return Innoko

Thanks!

Fingers crossed we all do!

[Brital]

The alternative is talking to the wife so a massive loss is still money well spent in my book...

[TimRiggins]

The alternative is talking to the wife so a massive loss is still money well spent in my book...

[Kevloaf]

The alternative is talking to the wife so a massive loss is still money well spent in my book...

Fantastic.