The weather didn’t look great again today, but hey ho there was a day of fantastic racing in Ireland in store. What more could you want? OK a splash of sunshine or even staying dry would have been nice but the team, unchanged from yesterday, The Daves, Tidler and O’Reilly, Graham and Des, were keen to get stuck in and kick on. Fuelled up with rolls and coffee procured by Des the guys were up and betting nice and early, the bonus being it was only drizzling.
The ex Paddy Power guys on the AK team had a surprise greeting from ex Paddy Power colleague Paddy Desmond who made a point of coming over to say hello to them, he was evidently well thought of by the lads who seemed very pleased to see him. The opening Mares Maiden Hurdle boasted a short one in Born In Purple. Racegoers who like to back hotpots would have been pleasantly surprised to see ‘bottle-on’ available in some parts of the ring which was topping the machine as opposed to the more prohibitive odds quoted in most of their morning papers’ probable SP’s. Those that did get involved backing the jolly got some value as she won nicely copping €152 for the AK team in a very quiet opener. The SP was 2/5 but you could have had plenty on at bigger and enjoyed a small arb in the odd place in the ring. Come racing.
The second heat on the card, a maiden hurdle, was a much tighter betting race which would hopefully tempt the punters out of the dry and into the drizzle for a bet. A Tipp For Gold opened the 5/2 favourite for the race, then the drizzle morphed into proper rain, Niall from the Daragh Fitzpatrick joint was to the rescue again with some new and improved waterproofs, the pair he lent me today were top notch. A gentleman named Bill Walsh came over to say that he enjoyed the blog posts but more importantly welcomed me to ‘The Kingdom of Kerry’ which was very nice of him, thanks Bill. Meanwhile, back on the pitch, Des and Gogglebox Dave were doing their best to charm punters into getting involved, but it was proving hard work, there was just about a grand tendered as the race started. The favourite A Tipp For Gold won but was just a winner in book. The fly in the ointment was third placed Herbies Rover which had been popular with each-way punters so resulted in a pretty straight across book, no damage done. The jolly returned 15/8 so it appears there’d been money for it somewhere but missed the AK joint.
One of the first bets in the book for the third, a listed handicap hurdle run in memory of Liam Healy was shrewd trade money €2000 - €160 each-way Oh So Charming, that’s 12/1 with the fractions, come racing, get your fractions. The rain relented so punters seized their chance to wield some readies and get involved. OK, business picked up a bit. Meanwhile, the team continued graft offering bets on the UK racing priced on the ‘aways’ board as well as the home fare. Pinot Gris was the steady favourite at around the 11/4 mark. A punter came in with €100 each-way Jeaniemacaroney at 9/1, the fact I’m mentioning it gives you a level of the business, but it had got better. Things livened up late on when a frantic trade bet of €2000 - €180 was called in over Struck By Churchil which made that one a loser. At the off the hod held €2515 with some of the pressure off when Oh So Charming one of the bogies came down at the first. The race went to 6/1 chance Eagles Reign which beat the 9/4 jolly Pinot Gris into second place. Sadly for the firm the winner lost €400 in the win book while the runner-up would have copped over a grand. The blow was eased slightly by the places which went the way of the book which ultimately copped €100.
Next up, the air was briefly precipitation free and Des’ legs were shaking like Presley’s as ‘Walking On Sunshine’ was blasted out over the sound system, yes it had brightened up. Livened up too, early bets included €2500 - €100 each-way Mattie’s Mountain and €2100 - €300 Baltinglass Hill. While the race remained busy the rain made an unwelcome reappearance which didn’t help. Ultimately the field money totalled just shy of €2000 with the two bets above responsible for those horses bogies in the book. Ifitwasme won at 10/1 and was a €1300 winner for the firm. If you backed the winner at SP you’ll be chuffed but you could have had 12/1 still on the board with AK at the off. Come racing for value.
The race before the penultimate was a handicap hurdle sponsored by the Behans Horseshoe Bar. Once again, a brace of decent bets got the ball rolling, €3500 - €500 Win Some Lose Some and €1350 - €300 Millstream Lady. Between wagers, Dave O’Reilly talking about food and showers, blog reader Diarmuid came over to say hello. He’d previously introduced himself in Dublin, it’s very flattering when someone takes the time to say that they enjoy your work, thanks Diarmuid it was nice to meet you again and most appreciated. Meanwhile, word around the racecourse was that somebody had collapsed and died in the parade ring. An announcement was made that racing would be delayed and that was the last anyone heard. Then happier news spread around the racecourse that the gent hadn’t died but was waiting for the air ambulance which came in to land at around 5.10. Meanwhile, happier word got around that a bookmaker’s member of staff had a touch, they’d already copped €5000 on a multiple, the last leg of which, Cozone in the next would bag them a cool €100,000. The air ambulance took off at 5.33 so proceedings could continue and as went on its way we were all wishing the patient a speedy recovery. The horses went to post shortly afterwards starting the race in front of the stands, while prices had been displayed all this time, very little betting had taken place, as the field set off the book held €2000. Cozone ran an excellent race up in the vanguard for most of it, the dream of €100,000 was only shattered when he capitulated approaching the last. The race went to 4/1 chance Pray Tell which was worth waiting an hour for, the book copped €1400 which was a welcome win over one of the fancied horses. In other news, I made the most unwelcome discovery that my right boot lets in water. Nasty.
There was no messing about getting the sixth race off in an attempt to make up time. The horses in the penultimate were at the post by 6pm, only six ran of which Yeats Star was sent off even money favourite. They were off and running before the bookmakers really had chance to take many bets. The AK book held just €640, the bogie was Sportinthepark losing €1117. The lads had a sweat on, the bogie led and was going well for most of the race and was only overhauled by the jolly Yeats Star at the last, the book won €400 over the favourite which was very fortuitous in the circumstances.
It was a similar speedy build up to the lucky last, a bumper sponsored by bookie Kevin McManus, the horses were on their way to post at 6.15, no messing about. They were off at 6.17 which left hardly any time for the ring to get to work, the race was another non-event as a betting heat with just €495 in the hod but the firm were €3300 up going into it but with a couple of nasty losers in the book. Luckily the 11/1 winner Friary Road wasn’t one of them, he was green for €240 in the win book. Things might have been different had the favourite Rural Link run out when still in contention unshipping Patrick Mullins who took a tumble but was hopefully OK. It was a damp old conclusion to the day’s racing as fair as betting went and weather to match, it was cold and tipping it down as the teams packed up the gear. The lads have another two days of their festival left, mine ends today, I’m heading back home tomorrow, when I’m told the weather is set fair. I must be the weather bock!
Thanks for reading, if you’ve not been to Listowel, come, it’s packed with atmosphere and the racing is a treat.
Si