Simon Nott spends time at a crowded Ascot and a picturesque Chepstow
ASCOT 07/10/17
First impressions on a dank October afternoon was what a good crowd, rumoured to be about 20,000 and an astonishing number of bookmakers, almost Royal Ascot numbers.
Business looked to be brisk for the opening Hope And Homes For Children Rous Stakes. The trouble was that the money was all one-way traffic for John Gosden’s Waady backed from an early skirmishes 15/8 into ‘tips on’ 10/11 at the off. The bookmakers’ mettle was certainly tested with a one horse book. Those that left the ledger lopsided were rewarded with the shock 33/1 victory of Ronald Harris’ Just Glamorous. To be fair, most of the ring would have settled for the 7/1 runner-up Sir Robert Cheval but a proper result is always welcome, especially in the first.
I took a wander around the ring but held on just long enough to see one layer hop off his stool, ask the pitch in front ‘How much did you get on it?’ then stick his head into the computer before the clerk had a chance to answer. Some bookies just can’t help being bookies!
Further down the line Paul Gold on one of the Pickwick-Bevan pitches was cook-a-hoop. He’d had computer problems, had to stand the jolly for much more than he wanted and got lucky and copped the lot. Not so chuffed was the back row firm who had a skinner for all they took. “Not chuffed?” I hear you cry, yes dear reader, they had taken the princely sum of £81 on the race, trying for their lives. Not only that, they’d given a lift to a friend of the winning trainer who told them the winner had been quietly fancied but didn’t heed the advice. “I only needed to have a tenner on,” rued the bookmaker. Oh well, we all know it’s easy after the race.
Esta historia es de la edición November 2017 de Racing Ahead.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición November 2017 de Racing Ahead.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
LION ROARS TO TOP SPOT
John Anthony is right up with the pace as the speed horses kick on again
JUST STAY IT AGAIN SAM!
Paul Jacobs relishes a grand October climax with final Flat season flourish
TROY JOY OPENS THE FLOODGATES
lan Heitman recounts a month of stunning track highlights
FINEST LAP OF HONOUR
Graham Buddry tells the dramatic tale of Australia's brilliant Southern star
DOWN LAMBOURN WAY
Richard Eagle brings news from the Valley, Epsom and beyond
BOY WILL STEP UP IN THE WET
Ben Morgan sticks to his guns with 10 top tips to follow in the coming weeks
CUTTING BACK TO THE OLD DEBATE
Rolf Johnson weighs up one of racing's perennial chestnuts
FROM BOOK TO BOOKIES
The former Sky frontman turns detective in hunt for Arc clues
FUM-ING BUT NO DISGARCE
Jeremy Grayson picks it up in the sticks after a late summer jumps break
MEMORIES OF SIR MICHAEL'S EARLY DAYS RUN SO DEEP
Dave Youngman looks back at Michael Stoute's road to success