It’s been 20 weeks since I’ve written a weekly update, so a timely update I feel. Still, pretty lazy considering how arousing gee gee punting is. Since then, I’ve
wagered circa 26k in return for 31k. Not bad, eh? I’ve been preoccupied with
multiple distractions; COD, Fats daily picture updates, iphone apps and lashing.
Lost time to several unavoidable circumstances; work, funerals and more
work. And invested time in lifestyle choices; gym, marriage & cooking. All
culminating in less time for blogging updates. I doubt this’ll change until
after the stag in none other than Vegas and the wedding in April. Clearly I’m
so attune to horses I subconsciously planned the Big Day on Grand National Day.
Jokes. Wasn't so funny when I told Jess I want a big screen at the wedding to
watch the Wyck Hill land my retirement…
Some random nuggets that may have popped up in the last
20 weeks of non-existent updates:
- End of the Flat Season - The name Frankel has been less used of late, but he’ll live on forever. Will we see another like him? I freaking hope so. We need to update the Oxford dictionary. Any thoughts? Frankel. Dfn – to well and truly merk. Usage – ‘Arsenal frankelled West Ham’. ‘Sprinter Sacre will frankel his opposition in the QMCC’, although Sprinter will no doubt have his own entry one day too, and yes the past tense requires a double L. My P&L will show that the Hurricane Higgins and Sir Graham Wade was my most successful moment of the flat season. Both were Segal selections, yes, but I called Hurricane out as massively overpriced the day before and his tip up led me to the double, so thanks Tom. The only other horse I called out as massively overpriced didn’t disappoint @ 20/1. I massively benefited from following form. Mount Athos, the late Newfangled, Olympic Glory and Danedream lines all boosted my purse and the ones I wish I’d trusted but didn't were Mince and Jack Dexter.
- Start of the Flat Season – Only place I look at in the dawn of the season. To the man who rates these bad boys and racy chicks. Matthew Tester. He quoted Workforce as the dark horse the year he won the Derby, Carlton House to give the Queen a royal Derby winner (was uber close) and he was also right about last year's crop - average. This year his selection for the 1k is Just The Judge @ 20/1. Next year is going to be immense. I can feel it. Just bring us some bleeding sunshine.
- P&L – Clearly it’s all about the accumulators but unfortunately I’m pants at working out the best value accumulators. Two £15 e/w doubles have resulted in 6k and 7k returns so rather than all this £2.50 e/w treble x 20 lines nark I need to grow some balls and punt on a handful of horses with max bet (£30). The graph resembles some form of dinosaur skeleton; Buncosaurus?
- Discipline – Lost that. Naughty. Max bet (£30) has to stand. Graph below shows I have been boozing and flirting with debt of late, but thankfully no hangover or herpes. I entered the chasing game other weekend and Mr Watson bailed me out, but it could have wiped out my Vegas fund and then some.
- Weather – Gash.
Seriously, wtf. Not peeved with cancellations as London transport has me well
trained, but what happens if Cheltenham is firm. How the hell do we assess
genuine current form on that ground when all we've seen is ground resembling the
sewers in London in 1848. Class is class, and class generally prevails
irrelevant of ground, but calling those wide open races becomes all the more
difficult. This is just my blabber, but it has stopped me from piling into
Antepost bets.
- Antepost Bets – I have a few to write off. Darlan – RIP. Newfangeld – RIP. I’m hoping the bookies will start offering NRNB soon. I’m gagging for it. Give it to me. Please. I've not tucked into any of Tom ‘Pricewise’ Segal from the RacingPost bets except for Cotton Mill.
- Will anyone ever ban
me? – I’m struggling to be honest. There was a period where WillHill were
sending most of my bets to their trader but Boylesports might be the most
likely. My P&L with each of the bookies is below, although I’m now limiting
my betting with any of them who do not offer Best Price Guaranteed. Paddy Power,
Stan James, Bet365, Boylesports and BetVictor are generally the ones I’m homing
in on as they offer BPG.
Row Labels Sum of Profit Bet365 -£184.80 Betfair £900.48 BoyleSports £235.50 Ladbrokes £678.66 Paddy Power £2,681.45 Skybet -£231.13 Sportingbet £267.17 Stanjames £1,268.41 WillHill £8,397.73 Totesport -£90.00 Betfred £119.75 BetVictor £5,910.67 888.com £1,466.70 Grand Total £21,420.59
- Cheltenham and Grand
National – Nothing insightful, yet. Merry King and Wyck Hill are
two I’m excited about.
- Meydan – Seem to
have picked up a trick or two. Draw, surface(tapeta) and ones flying home over
a shorter distance in like races appear to be working well for me.
- Stats & Videos and looking for potential – No substitution for fact. Videos - Worth the investment. Stats - Trainers with records in races at specific tracks when in good form are worth investigating. The RP gives you it all. Looking for potential though is tough. It's what Segal breathes. I’m not experienced, I don’t claim to know what I’m doing but I’m learning and that’s what led me to the Calculated Risk and King Helissio double. Bosh.
Right, I’m teetering out of random thoughts. Bring on some more
racing.
Mate keep it up I love your blog, don't desert it! You've done excellent, I unfortunately went on a bad stint end of December and early Jan and lost ALL my 2012 profit. I am still gutted now. But it was my own fault.
ReplyDeleteI read your blog everyday as I take your view on each horse/race and juggle it up with my own thoughts, and there is a fair amount I agree on with you.
Don't stop, and keep it up. Bring on Cheltenham & the 'banjaydesai' blog
Nice one fella, Al.