Yesterday’s business pleasantly surprised most of us but today’s predicted 20,000 crowd meant that we expected today to be a busy one, writes SIMON NOTT.

The Star Sports team today was Tony, Kieran and Lofty. The intrepid trio were up and betting a good hour before the first working out of pitch one on the second row as yesterday. The firm were expecting public money rather than professional but one bagman was over for a chat before racing.

He didn’t anticipate much business but added ‘but you never know’ delivered with a cheeky smile.

12:40 – Thames Materials Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4) (4YO plus) 2m 7½f

As with yesterday, betting on the first was slow, the book held a grand, the biggest single wager taken was £100.

It sort of came up for the firm, the punters didn’t want the runaway winner Thank You Ma’am despite being sent off the 11/4 favourite so surprisingly the book copped £365 over a jolly.

1:15 – Howden Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 3f

As the start of the second heat drew near, the team started to get the horrible feeling that despite the crowd being massive, they weren’t punters. Once again the biggest bet tendered had been £100 but the field money had at least risen to £1300.

The race went to the jolly again this time 13/8 favourite Kotmask. The book lost £20 so once again got away with a short one due to the big backers appearing to have swerved the meeting. That’s not good but at least so far that state of affairs had saved the firm from losing untold bundles on the shorties which they love to stick it up if they can.

1:50 – Howden Graduation Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (4YO plus) 2m 5f

Next up and our friendly neighbourhood bagman bet £1100 – £400 Jungle Boogie, got the ball rolling and gave me a bet to write about. It didn’t take long for another, a £500 – £400 over Iroko from the rails direction helped heave the field money over the £2000 for the first time today.

A punter had £1500 – £200 Fil Dor, he could have had £1500 – £195 that’s 100/13 with fractions had he asked, but didn’t. Fractions, always ask for them when going racing, they are available from most on-course bookmakers though they won’t advertise it. Don’t tell anyone but Lofty said he had a good book, at the off the it held £2800 with two losers Fil Dor for £322 and Iroko for £390 which fell at the first.

Jungle Boogie went on to win the race nicely, remember the bagman backed it? Lofty had a lean up after that and managed to orchestrate an £800 cop in the book, unusually for a bagman horse the winner was relatively weak in the betting after he backed it returning 7/2. Aye Aye.

2:25 – Howden Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 3m ½f

Pretty much the first bet in the book for the race before the penultimate was £1750 – £1000 over Strong Leader, Lofty, Kieran and Tony reported business was still small but brisk, the punters had started to find them despite the drizzle. The public money was all for Strong Leader, at the off the book held £3500 with the jolly losing £2136. The favourite was arguably the first one to capitulate so turning for home it was a case of how much the firm were going to win, a nice position to be in.

It was Crambo that got the money winning £900 but as Lofty pointed out, was the worst cop in the book. The winner got home by a head from Hiddenvalley Lake which was £2000 better, still, having got away with not doing their money on the first two favourites nobody was complaining, much.

3:00 – Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 3m

There was a distinct lack of anything lumpy in the penultimate race but business was still good. The biggest bet laid with five minutes to go was £500 – £200 Victtorino but the book still held over £2000. The profit on the day so far was just over £2000 so up but fairly precariously so. Even more precarious were the rails bookies’ mushes, one had already come second to the wind which was picking up pace, but its owner swore that it was repairable.

He sensibly decided not to try and prove it on course though. At the off the book held £2346 with just the one loser, Victtorino for £1353 in the win book.

Did I say precarious? Very precarious as it turned out, the jolly won the race in a slow motion finish, the book lost £1400, the runner-up would have got £2000. Lofty worked out that the last two photos had cost the firm around £5000, it’s often a fine margin between winning and losing.

3:35 – Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4YO plus) 1m 7½f

It was all to play for going into the last, luckily the queue that was forming in front of the pitch contained people wanting a bet and not just drawing their winnings. There was a worry though, Lofty declared that he was going to be with the favourite here, oh dear. He didn’t though, the team were too busy to try and be clever. Bets were brisk and small until a punter came in and bet £3500 – £1000 Be Aware and all of a sudden they were up the front three.

As the horses went to post the intrepid trio got to work trying to lay some of the others. At the off the book still had the front three losers, Be Aware the worst for £1600 but with over £4000 in the hod. The race once again went to a photo, where Fiercely Proud and Karbal Du Mathan, both were winners in the book the former winning £3550 and the latter about a grand. Finally, it went the way of the firm, Fiercely Proud got the verdict by a short-head and a second winning day was assured.

One for the good guys. Just time for one more festive Aye Aye!

Views of authors do not necessarily represent views of Star Sports Bookmakers.

Simon Nott is author of: Skint Mob! Tales from the Betting Ring
available on Kindle CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS

STAR PROMOTIONS