I'm Knackered too.
Didn't go to the festival so interesting to see people mentioning not bothering again.
Went to Southwell instead, for golf and racing with 14 others.
The best part was having the admiral rodney pub all to ourselves for 2 days, with food, TV booths, Big TV's and 2 Pool tables and 2 dart boards.
The racing at Southwell was shite though.
No one there and No internet, and it was freezing.
I thought the festival was brilliant though, in terms of the racing, and we have probably seen the best hurdler and best chaser we've seen for many a year.
The Gold cup performance in particular was outstanding.
In terms of my betting I was pleased with how it went and finished as follows
I was 70 points down before we started - I got a bit carried away with the novices as usual and after a good start with the WTAF bets, I had a run of mainly losers.
Thursday was a magnificent day for me and I returned a profit on that day alone of 321 points. I think this is because my antepost betting ignores shorter prices and doubles early season, so when the favourites hang around I end up having to be against them. I had anticipated Allaho being ruled out and had built up a decent book using the exchange for the Ryanair including Envoi Allen and Fury Road at 50's and higher on the exchange, ending up with returning 76 points on Envoi. This was nearly scuppered as Shishkin dusted himself off and effectively replaced Allaho, so it was a result for me that he ran below par and jumped badly on the day, although he would have been a profitable result also.
The Mares Novice was a similar story as I'd ignored the early prices for Luccia and even though I began to like her chances, I hedged a lot on the exchange and got some other mares at much bigger prices. The form of the Challow looked decent IMO, and the ability to stay is a very good asset for the mares novice IMO so I had managed to get a 65pt return off You Wear it Well.
I was not as strongly opposed to the UK Novice chasers as some on here, and got Stage Star at 16's like many others, and liked him so much on the day as the biggest danger to my main fancy Mighty Potter that I put him in a yankee with Seddon and Foxy Girl and levelneverending. I'd always intended on backing Seddon but expected him in a hurdle so would have backed him had stage star not won, but didn't need too. I cashed the double part of the yankee for a 76pt return. Let the trebles part run on foxy Girl which would have been another 400pts and 50+ pts on the exchange I'd got on her already. It was a consolation that You wear it well held on easily.
Backed Good Time Jonny immediately after he qualified at christmas - antepost at 33-1 e/w so that was simple.
The race looked super competitive this year though and I wasn't hopeful as it began, but it turned out fine. In the end :highly_amused:
I nailed the Kim Muir, with the first 4 home at 14-1, 16-1, 12-1 and 22-1, not all each way though.
Pleased with that as last year I was convinced I'd nailed it and got nothing back from a 26pt outlay :loyal:
The stayers was a blank as I hovered over the Sire du berlais but thought it was stupid, even though my mate Daryl had been mentioning it for weeks.
I did though nearly put it in multiple, which was another winning bet that day, I decided to have an 80-1 Patent on Wednesday night, and selected Notlongtillmay, Gevrey, Burrows Park, had 80-1 been around for Sire du Berlais at the time then I'd have added him too :concern:.
Anyway I was gutted that the non runners made 2 places available for the turners but the horse ran a cracker, and then Gevrey came from the clouds at 125-1 SP, another 53pts.:encouragement:
The other days ticked over for small profits and although I think my multiples got lucky, I save a lot of non runner losses by these being mostly NRNB, and the saver doubles came in handy also after getting IEP & A Dream to Share up on the Wednesday and also Delta Work & Energumene (obvious double for me with the positions I had on their rivals),
wednesday was a slower day apart from the Whacker, as I had Edwardstone at 40's and Galvin at 33's for big wins. Got three placed horses in the Annual, and won with Langer Dan on the Coral Cup, with 2 placed, camprond and epic song would have been bigger winners though.
I'd backed a Dream to Share but not for as much as I actually fancied him to win so the double with IEP which I'd not covered seemed a good idea. Also had Fact to File and It's for Me at bigger prices. It's for Me shaped well and is one to watch.
20 multiples on Tuesday failed to land, but Marine Nationale at 28-1 (one of my first antepost bets) got me off to a good start, I'd always been on the Irish side of things in the arkle also but not got fancy prices on El Fabiolo. The Ultima was a disappointment even though I backed the winner, as he just got my money back really.
I was annoyed with the stupidity of the ride on the twiston davies horse in the champion after getting 60-1 each way straight after he won the kingwell. What the fuck were they thinking
A ride like the one on Zanahyir would have been fine.
But getting evens on 3 accounts for Constitution Hill was a bonus.:applouse:
Jazzy Matty, another early season bet any race 27-1 , was a surprise as it wasn't immediately obvious he'd been hidden, although the jockey booking was encouraging.
Had a big bet on the mare but nothing on Byker so the finish was nerve racking.
I agree with many others that some races were gifted to the leaders and the mares was one of those IMO, although to be fair to Honey, she was the best horse in the race.
And the whole saga around Maries Rock and then the no show will have made some people pretty upset I reckon. Interesting to see how this plays out.
Brandy Love and the rest, had no chance trying to quicken whilst a 2 times champion hurdler was quickening. Fucking muppets.
Friday got off to a decent start although I only had 9/2 on the winner and 25/1 the place on Zenta, Cartoon Dog's festival saved by his excellence in this field :applause:
Backed Faivoir on the machine at 50's so got the best of a tight finish in the county. Just have to back skeltons horses and had his other at 18-1.
Blanked in the bartlett, after having very strong positions which seem very similar to previous seasons. I think the jockey cost Corbetts Cross by getting hesitant and standing up approaching the last. Sometimes you have to be brave or you might end up worse off, like Walsh did. Not sure he'd have won anyway to be fair, and was even more annoyed as I had a free roll for over 2k on affordale fury left on the antepost exchange market, so when I realised he was a close second that stung a little.
Backed very little in the foxhunters but had Emmet's horse each way.
The Gold cup I had a rare full book and after several attempts in the week to get a roll onto GDC, I was left with bets at 11/4, 9/4 and covered my stakes when he won.
Had all the best prices at the top of the market on the Pipe except for Iroko !.
But a saver e/w yankee on horses I had not covered much - Iroko, Ballyadam, BraveMans and 3 card brag, came in on the each way part. I only played the four timer each way though.
Anyway, I could ramble on forever, so I'll stop now.
PS, The handicaps are fucking easy.
Staked = 347pts (+70) = 417
Returned = 821
ROI = 97%
Pre festival losses - 70
Breakdown Handicaps 113.5 v 266 (134%) mostly NRNB (except pertemps)
Breakdown Multiples 53.5 v 223 (316%) mostly NRNB
Graded and Others 180 v 332 (84%)
