I’ve had better
Nov 25th, 2008 by Bert
I’ve had better weekends. On Friday in the day my main fancies ran badly, although I found a couple of winners to limit the damage. I had three runners in the evening, all fancied a little bit and they all finished tailed off! I decided to have a go at the Scoop6 on Saturday - I put only one in each of the first two races and covered most of the runners in the last four. The bet cost me £8k - it blew out on the first leg when Markab came second.
All my adult life I’ve had a problem with headaches - I had one on Saturday that had me reeling for the whole day. In the days when I played bridge for a living my headaches were a huge liability - I’d spend weeks building up money in my account and blow the lot in one day, turning up at the club with a splitting headache and playing like a complete novice. Saturday was a bit like that - I lost a stack of money punting injudiciously throughout the afternoon.
I woke on Sunday without a headache but with a terrible cold - often a headache for me is the sign of a cold coming. I found out later that I’d made a small profit on my Scoop6 - I hadn’t realised that there was a place pool as well, and the accrued place dividends came to £9k.
On Sunday night I did a terrible thing - I watched I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. I watch very little TV these days - I haven’t got time for it and there isn’t a lot I want to watch anyway. I don’t watch reality shows in general - the only one I’ve ever enjoyed is IACGMOOH which seems to appeal to the sadist in me. Having watched one episode I now know I’ll be glued to the set for the rest of the series. Oh well.
I’m looking strange at the moment - I’ve been growing a moustache in November for charity. It’s an Australian custom called Movember - Betfair is full of Aussies, all suitably moustachioed right now. I’ve gone for a Hulk Hogan number accompanied by sideburns and a little extra bit under my lower lip. Every weekday morning I drive my daughter and a few of her friends to school and I’ve been getting very strange looks from the mums. Only a few days to go.
I tried to claim a horse today - Kinigi in the 1:10 at Southwell. It was an obvious claim and there were 21 claims in - she went to Conor Dore.
I’m fairly positive about the three runners on Friday. Effingham was hopeless - beaten at the first bend - but he’s better than that. He’s a tricky ride and he probably needs strong driving - he has a slight leg problem and can be a slow starter. He’s been dropped 7lb - if we can get inside his head there are races to be won with him. Shepherd’s Warning could do with coming down the handicap a bit - she was dropped 2lb but I doubt that’s enough for her. She’ll be back in claimers soon. I don’t think King’s Head enjoyed being crowded - he might be better being dropped right out the back and coming with a late run from there as he did at Epsom.
Mon Michel is currently in for a novice chase at Taunton on Thursday, and he’s likely to stand his ground. It could turn out to be quite a hot race, but we’re ready to take our chances.
10 Responses to “I’ve had better”
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Hi Bert,
Sorry to hear about the headaches… not pleasant. Hope you’ve seen a doctor? I had the first two up in the scoop 6 and got mildly excited but normal service resumed in the 3rd race!!!
Any thoughts on Tikka Massala this week?
Morning Bert
1 - I seem to recall you saying the headaches had gone when you went to live in your new home, the country air, was that just a temporary thing. Sorry to hear they have returned
2 - How can you lay out £8k (relative, i know) on a bet you didnt even fully understand (place part - poor imo for a mathematician) and of more concern is if someone like yourself (whos company the previous week contributed £246,602 into the pot from its own customers) didnt realise, then the TOTE PR machine must be doing something wrong.
to be fair, the Tote make no mention at all of the place fund in their Scoop6 marketing, and who goes in it to pick up a consolation dividend of £255 anyway? It’s a nice extra, but it never comes into my thinking when doing the form for it.
The place element is a big factor for the major syndicates - they hope to recoup a fair chunk of their stake even when they miss out on the main pot. Harry Findlay was quoted as expecting something close to £190K in place dividends alongside the two winning tickets last Saturday.
However, I agree that it is not widely appreciated even though half of each £2 unit goes to the place pool.
Hi Bert,
have your thoughts turned to Cheltenham Festival yet? Any ante-post fancys?
Cheers
Jon,
TM has been pulled out - she’s got a rash on her neck and Tom’s decided to give her some time off. She’s got speed and she’s a nice mover but she looks weak and needs to fill out a bit.
Bog,
1. I was good in summer but since the weather has been colder and we’ve closed the windows at night with the central heating on I’ve been a bit worse.
2. I didn’t bother to check out the terms but I knew it was a value bet which was enough reason to place it (if I hadn’t had a headache I’d probably have looked into the detail).
I haven’t seen much of the Tote’s PR or marketing - I’m not a normal punter (with my BF bias) and I’m not inclined to judge. I’m sure I wouldn’t have placed the bet if I hadn’t been able to do it from my BF account.
Scott,
Mon Michel runs tomorrow, his Arkle hopes still very much intact… I haven’t seen better than Starluck for the Triumph.
Thanks Bert.
With talk of syndicates have you thought of having a horse syndicate for those who regularly read your blog. not sure how many you would need to make up the syndicate but I am certain there would be no shortage of takers. The horse would have to be called “Bert’s Blog”. It could prove good fun and would be a chance for contributors to meet up when it ran.
Can you tell us a bit about Latin America? Fancy Pocket Aces and Amazing King tomorrow, what do you reckon? I really fancy Dee Ee Williams for the Supreme Novices, got on big at 33/1.
Sorry to hear about the headaches.
I have a technique for this.
Put both your hands above your eyebrows. Move them up to your scalp. Repeat 5 times.
After that return to starting position, and move hands sideways towards your ears. Repaet three times. The last tiem letting your hands go all the way acrorss.
I guess it’s a bit like a head massage. It works for me and I also find it quite relaxing. Repeat ad infinitum.
20 minute relaxation exercise works good too.