My trip to Ireland started a day early thanks to the gracious hospitality of Shane Reville who picked me up from the airport and gave me a bed for the night on Wednesday to save me the 5.55am from Bristol. What a gentleman, thanks Shane. AK’s Graham picked me up at Kerry airport after the short flight from Dublin this morning. He and Tidler showed me the town in the afternoon, one of them looked a bit bleary eyed after from what I can gather was a lively night, though I couldn’t name which. I must say I’ve never seen so many bars in one street, but of course being professionals only ice cream was imbibed, before racing. I’ve seen Killarney Racecourse on the TV but this was my first visit, what can you say, it’s stunning. Dave O’Reilly joined us on course making up the A-team for AK Bets. We all walked the course before racing, a pleasure denied by most racecourses in the UK these day, so it was a treat. Mysteriously AK himself was AWOL, but that disappointment aside, the stage was set for a glorious evening of sport.
The opening Killarney Plaza Hotel & Spa Maiden Hurdle was a bit slow, people were still coming into the course and marvelling at the beautiful scenery. By this time the sun was out and the weather balmy, it was a pleasure just to be here, but of course it’s an expensive trip to the races if the firm don’t win, but you can’t force the punters to bet. The AK Bets team were betting from adjacent pitches and doing their best to take as much money as possible. As I’m told they do at every meeting theses days they were offering to take bets on Leopardstown and the two UK meetings as well as the home meeting. Here at Killarney 8/1 chance Miners Bridge won the race, the book lost a carpet which wasn’t the best start, but the first race anywhere is often the worst so it no massive disappointment.
Next up and the four-runner Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Hurdle where Charles Byrnes’ Redwood Queen opened 11/8 favourite. Meanwhile, the racecourse had been abuzz after Dave ‘Gogglebox Celebrant’ O’Reilly had a funny turn at Leopardstown last week. Bookmakers present there feared the worst for our pal. He was last seen clutching his chest while being pushed in a wheelchair to a waiting ambulance. Dave himself thought his ‘your name’s not down you’re not coming in’ moment with St Peter had arrived and was preparing to have to bluff his way in. Luckily , Drs that gave him a good going over in Hospital told him that his chest pain was a mere infection, nothing more serious, rumour of his demise, I’m told perpetuated by some fun loving pranksters on this very firm, was extremely premature. Meanwhile, all the money was for Redwood Queen, with her connections that’s to be respected. Business was much better than the first race but still hadn’t really come alive, though the team made sure they didn’t tug the jolly considering the market confidence for her. They did exactly the right thing, Redwood Queen won with some ease returning 5/6, the book only lost €99, which was a result and a lesson in picking your battles.
Meanwhile Dave, also thinking of value was musing over recording his own funeral celebrant talk, he presided over his first dearly departed recently and enjoyed it better than weddings so why not. Of course we all hope it’ll gather dust for some decades but even at today’s prices would save him a monkey so an idea not to be sniffed at.
Before betting on the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle really got into gear punters were piling into the aways at Leopardstown, they were small bets but plentiful. Tidler joked that they’d taken more than had they actually been there, photos from the course showed the racecourse, packed at Christmas, looking very quiet.
This race saw some brisk business though no bets of any notable volume. The punters were reacting to Dave and Tidler’s excellent banter on the pitch and finding them with their business. Give the performer that is ‘Not Dead Dave’ a horse like One Night Standard in the card and magic will be weaved. This being a tricky looking handicap there were plenty of horses backed, not just the ones mostly called by the cheeky duo on the stools. At the off Major Barry was the bogie, everyone knows a Barry. It seems not so many people know a Kell or at least didn’t want to back her namesake if they did. Mind you, Kells Priory winning at 20/1 was a cop in the book, but only €200, you don’t have to lay too many of Kell’s mates to make a dent in the figures. Still, it was a winning race and added to the clean sheets of winning heats away so far tonight.
Next up and The Kerry Drain Services Handicap Hurdle which was such a tricky heat they bet 15/2 the field with Moyvilla Lass heading the market. When you are just cracking on taking public money, it’s often going to be a matter of time before a bet comes in that could ruin your day. Noble Crusade had been a 14/1 chance early but a well-respected racecourse bookmaker was happy to hedge €250 each-way at 8/1 before the horse’s price went into free fall. He wasn't the only one backed though, there was also public and trade money for Walk In Time €1000 - €120 laid and steady support for Cloudy Fountain. At the off all three were losing with Noble Crusade the worst bad for €2700. Despite there appearing to be several plots in the race it was the original market leader that proved best out there on the turf. Despite being clipped from 15/2 early into an SP of 6/1 Moyvilla Lass winning was an excellent result for the book which copped €1200. That was helped by the gamble in Noble Crusade, backed into 4/1, finishing unplaced. Aye Aye! My apologies if you left it behind, but the rub-down is a not so guilty pleasure on both sides of the fence!
Meanwhile, the sun beat down, the fiddler, not to be confused with Tidler, fiddled, and it was a joy to be at the races. Prepared for all occasions the AK team were slathering on the sun cream no doubt making the notes very slippy but needs must, nobody wants a red neck. Business was picking up race by race and the lads were really working it. The heat before the penultimate the KPH Construction Handicap Hurdle came up for the bookmakers before the race even started with a non-runner making the 16 runners 15 so a bad each way race became a good one. That didn’t deter the punters, but they bet small, the biggest wager on the race €180. at the off there were five red in the book, the biggest being red glory losing €700 odd.
It had been going so well too, the bogey won the race and with two bumpers to go, the shine was taken off what the firm were winning but were at least still in front with the aways containing to go their small way.
Going into the penultimate, The Dr Ivo O’Sullivan Memorial Flat Race the book was still winning a monkey betting at Killarney and a monkey betting on the aways so still €1000 up in total. This race boasted a 5/4 favourite in Hey Boy which given this was a bumper was unsurprisingly trained by Willie Mullins. The punters didn’t appear interested in backing the short one at least to money. Graham clerking, said that there was plenty of public money at bigger prices and a bit of money for the jolly which added up to enough to make it a small loser so anything in between would be a good result for the book.
As the race was off fashion icon, Dave O’Reilly, a TV star himself of course, was interviewed by Frankie Foster about his attire and his big nights out but there was no mention of the near death experience. Back out on the turf, Willie’s didn’t win this bumper, it went to 5/1 chance Not Now Darling which had been 13/2 early. As Graham said, anything between the jolly and the couple of rags losing nearly €2000 each would be a winner in the book, in this case a carpet was copped.
The lucky last, The Kate Kearney’s (Ladies Pro/Am) Flat Race, looked a match as far as the betting went with El Fabienne opening 6/4 and Beltown Lake 2/1. There was just no business for the short ones so the book was very lopsided with both favourites winning. Of course that meant that they were quite a few losers lower down the book. As the race was off Neil @28dogs in Twitter came over to say hello, he’d been enjoying the meeting all week. I also met larger than life character and owner Jimmy Nolan who the guys all appear to like a lot, you could see why. Chatting away I almost didn’t watch the race, but when I did cotton on to the fact it was reaching the business end, looked up just in time to see The Gray Ghost quietly backed from 15/2 into 4/1 win the race and cop the book €600 in the process. That made the day a respectable €1700 winner and concluded the sport for the evening.
While the betting wasn’t lumpy, the guys won and you couldn’t wish to be at a more scenic or friendly racecourse. If you have never been, you really should. I even met my Uncle Jim and wife Kate who commute from Devon to Ireland and back. They’re back tomorrow, as are we, but as I type I’m dreaming of the curry a brace or two of Guinness I’m told are on the cards for this evening. You don’t mind if I nip off now….
Thanks for reading.
Simon Nott
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