It's only a week since I was last in Ireland with AK Bets but was chuffed to be back again for the Harvest Festival meeting at Listowel. The day started with Devonshire alarm well before sparrows even thought about farting, a leisurely drive to Bristol Airport, a flight to Dublin, another to Kerry and a jovial van ride with Tidler, Graham, Des and Celebrant Dave and I was at Listowel Races before lunchtime. First impressions were that it looks a lovely viewing track, though I should have brought waterproofs, it was a tad damp. Of course, the bookmakers are a hardy and well equipped bunch so well prepared, me not so much. The weather app didn’t offer much hope of the precipitation relenting so it was a case of head down and get on with it for the team who were working four-handed on their pitch a the end of the main ring.
As betting got underway for the opening maiden I did wonder how many people would be put off coming. Voicing that concern I was told that if the potential racegoers were local then they’d be used to this weather, which to be fair had eased a bit. They bet 11/4 each of three Sea Of Sands, Special Cadeau and Brave Fortune in their turn. The first winner for me was when Niall from the Daragh Fitzpatrick team loaned me some waterproof strides which was very kind and also imperative as travelling light I only had one spare pair of trousers. The crowd slowly but surely built up and time ticked on to the off time of the first, the rain appearing not to be a deterrent, they looked a hardy bunch some just in jackets. Down in the ring there was a move late on in the ring for Sea Of Sands 11/4 into 15/8 in the ring. That money proved inspired, the gamble was landed, head in chest the book lost €365, the guys had spotted the move and ducked further damage, and the rain started to pour again which wasn’t as easy to dodge.
Next up and just five runners for the Seamus Mulvaney sponsored Novice Hurdle for which Gaucher opened 11/10 to win it. Meanwhile, the AK guys were showing some ingenuity building an impressive board case and umbrella improvised shelter to compliment the less than total cover that the pitch mush provided. Despite the rain there was money for Gaucher backed into tips-on all around the ring, also support for the outsider of five Itsalladream, AK’s team laid €6000 - €500. The odd decent bets aside, business was certainly compromised by the weather, to the extent that at the off the AK book had Itsalladream the bogie for over €6000. For much of the race it looked as if the jolly was going to score, going well in the lead for favourite-backers but salvation for the ring came in Zariygann which sprang a 6/1 surprise turning over the jolly flooring some decent bets in the process, the Gambling Gods smiling on the race sponsor no doubt, the winner didn’t do the AK team any harm either, the book won €1400.
Sorry if this betting report is starting to sound more like a weather forecast, but when the rain is running down your neck and all that, anyway, it brightened up a bit for betting on the next, a 5/1 the field handicap. There wasn’t a lot going on in the ring but there were nibbles for Suttons Hill and Aboy Joey at double-figure prices. At the off there were four losers, the last two mentioned unsurprisingly the bogies. King Kali won the race at 8/1 copping €800 in the book which was a boost in spirits as well as a winner in the book.
Race four was another very competitive handicap hurdle sponsored by the Devon Inn in memory of Dan Sheehan. Doran’s Law attracted a couple of €250 bets at 11/2 and €200 Coole Cherry at 4/1 in a generally small staking race. I went off to get the team half time teas and coffee and passed a fair old queue in the rain for the ice cream, told you they were hardy racegoers here. On my return, quite chuffed with myself I might add, five cups balanced in a flake box not spilling a drop, there had been a fair bit more business done, though of modest proportions. Routine Excellence had been backed from 12/1 into 5/1. As Des and Celebrant Dave took the readies, Dave T and Graham introduced me to Vince Casey from Dr Crokes, an avid racegoer from Killarney, well know locally and a very nice chap. At the off the book had taken just shy of €3000 with two four-figure losers. The ground looked pretty desperate out there but the horses were ploughing through it OK. At the last the race had become a match between the absolute bogie Coole Cherry which lost nearly €3000 in the book and Donkey Years which copped a carpet. I’m happy to report the book copped a carpet, which was double result because the book didn’t lose and the guys could crack on with betting on the feature with less people to pay.
Next up and the feature, the Kerry National. Now, despite not being here in person, the boss AK still looms large. He has a horse that he just loves to lay, Flooring Porter, not only running in the feature but second-in to win it. The team were in a certain state of trepidation wondering what sized telephone number liability they’d have the gelding red for in their book today. They’d not be expecting to take huge money on the race but were going to be top priced AK’s favourite to lay come what may. The 7/1 they offered did tempt in a €300 each-way at the price but found the jolly Perceval Legallois and The Real Whacker popular with the public too, all three were losers at the off along with Duffle Coat bad for a round of drinks. I think the guys were quite relieved that despite being the worst in the book Flooring Porter losing plenty at the off was a more manageable liability than on previous outings. It’s weird how you can spin things around to have gone your way even when the bogie and favourite horse to lay wins unchallenged as Flooring Porter did at 6/1, not only the absolute bogie in the win book but also the places. I’m assured by the team that despite doing €4930 on the race, had there been more money for the winner AK would have stood it for plenty more. There’s always a silver lining though that is a very tenuous one, mind you, the rain had stopped, properly. Aye Aye.
In contrast to most of the card, the penultimate Mares’ Novice Chase boasted just five runners where Shecouldbeanything headed the market at 6/5 before that was snapped up so evens it was. I don’t where it was snapped up though, it wasn’t with the AK team. Business dropped right off, despite Des and Dave Googlebox O’Reilly putting in the charm, the book struggled to hold a grand. At the off Sainte Dona was the €1346 bogie by default. Shecouldbeanything the even money favourite won the race winning the book €200.