The Punters Betting Diary – A Saturday with Dougie

The Punters Diary – By Douglas Martin (Premium Member)

A one day betting diary – I couldn’t do a week

You wouldn’t and shouldn’t do it this way and probably neither should I – but anyway this was my Saturday betting day. Powered by DC (almost totally) and the other DC racing members and my odd approach to betting.

Friday 28 Nov 

On the Friday afternoon before the coral gold cup – DC has got 4 recommended bets – all between 3s and 13/2. So, I put them in a lucky 15 – a total of 3 points – I’m happy the prices I get are close to DCs high end suggested or above. I then have a ¾ point bet on Booster Bob (13/2) on its own.

My rationale is that – as BB is the first leg to go on my lucky 15, 8 of the 15 bets are at risk on the first leg – so both bets taken together tie in roughly with DC’s recommended 2 points on booster bob. Perhaps a wee bit more because I backed it at big prices when it won last season (on DCs say so in his BF column) – in that ridiculous race, when it was tailed off for most of the race at Newbury, before storming home at the end under Sean Bowen.

So anyway that’s it for the Saturday selections for now – I’ll decide on the other bets from there on the day depending on how the results go.

Saturday 29 November 

All four prices taken have contracted overnight – so it feels like the value has been locked in for now.

First leg of L15

An early start to Saturday racing and BB bolts in (come on bob, come on bob – for those like me who tuned into the live stream lol) .

As I often do – I put in a couple of lay bets at odds on – just in case things go wrong late on – so a point given back – but happy enough with that. Also, I now know that I don’t need to back the others separately – as I’ve got 1.8 points going on to each of the other 3 overnight via my lucky 15. 

+4pts from my ¾ point single 

DC “on the day” selection 

On the day DC suggests two other bets after the L15 is on the day before – so I have a point on Kalkbenner on the exchange at just over 2/1 and a corresponding lay bet at 1/2 gets matched inplay. Kalkbenner gets run out of it – so I wash my face rather than eating a loss. 

0pts

2nd leg of L15

If DC second selection (French ship @ 4/1) wins my lucky 15 would bring another 7 points profit – and of course it wins nicely – a point given back at odds on due to lay bets on the selection in running, but a profit on the day is now guaranteed. And now I know that I have 10pt bets rolling on to the last two selections with anzadam next. Note I’m in the pub drinking wine at this point so my reactions and concentration are not at 100% and I’m getting excited (nervous).

+6 pts (+10 on the day)

3rd leg of L15 – the big graded race

You’ll all be aware how eventful the fighting fifth was – with a potential 40pt extra profit on this third leg of the lucky 15 – I have an 8 point lay bet on anzadam in running at 1.6. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I need that – as it doesn’t get the job done – so a nice profit rather than a break out the bubbly profit. I lie of course – I definitely did have some bubbles anyway.

+8pts (+18 on the day)

4th leg of L15

Onto the final leg of the lucky 15 and again I’ve got a potential 50 points extra profit if indeevar blue wins – should be 60 points extra but somehow the bookie I’m on with finds a 20p rule 4 for Live Conti being withdrawn despite it drifting out to 14s – not happy!

I did have some hefty lay bets on in running at short odds – but they don’t get matched as Indeevar Blue doesn’t get particularly close to the winner even though it finishes second.

Hey ho it was nice to dream.

So no further profit from the overnight lucky 15 bet.

0 points (still +18 on the day)

The big handicap 

On to the coral gold cup – and flashback to Tuesday 25 November – DC recommended Hyland each way ante post at 10s. I had a point to win as I’m not a great each way player unless I see 16/1+.

Panic Attack caught my eye before DC’s recommendation – I checked the media and Dan Skelton is very positive that it runs and is well – but Harry isn’t riding it. I check and he’ll be at Newcastle for The New Lion in the fighting fifth – so it isn’t necessarily a negative and have a half point win ante post panic station on the exchange at 20s. 

Obviously Panic Attack won the paddy power two Saturdays before – travelled comfortably and finished off well to my eye. Only lightly raced over fences and 3lb rise seemed minimal and the jockey Durrell claims three pounds – and is more than handy I believe.

I won 6 points in the paddy power at Cheltenham. DC recommended the Skelton horse with Woods riding. It seemed clear the trainer had been targeting the big races at that meeting (doesn’t he always) – but many members were also commenting on the underwhelming rides on Skelton horses in the weeks before. So with Skelton horses in the forefront of my mind, I noticed Harry was on Panic Attack and I didn’t think he would be likely to be on the wrong horse if he – could do the weight on both horses and – got his fair share of luck. So I split my stake between Holy Joe Smoke and Panic Attack- both at double figures odds – so they were both on my radar for when they turned up next – with panic station winning the paddy power well and Holy Joe Smoke an easy, “respectful” and never nearer third.

Flashback over – back to Saturday. DC added Myretown as his second “on the day” selection – and both Myretown and Hyland have drifted on the exchange as the race approached – so I’m happy with only a point to win Myretown and now have a point to be placed in the top five for Hyland – as I was only on to win ante post.

Panic Attack wins comfortably again for my ante post – but as you can see that was a hell of a lot of activity for only a three point profit on the race – but it’s nice getting it right in any case – for a change!

+3pts 

Total +21 points on the day but …

Some points handed back on Etalon, General Medrano and Hold That Taught in the final jumps races of the day – and serve as a reminder to myself to mainly stick to DC selections unless I have a strong fancy with good reasons. 

When some bets were made at Wolverhampton on the all weather I realised that I definitely have had too much to drink – go home and get your dinner man – and that’s what I did.

Total for the day back to +18 points – smashing. I’ve definitely had worse days. Cheers to DC 👍.