Day two of the Westcountry Weekend and we all landed at Wincanton nice and early in anticipation of another excellent day's racing. The betting ring was packed, any bookie that had a pitch would have been here today, given it's the course's flagship meeting of the year. The first race, the BetMGM EBF 'National Hunt' Novices' Hurdle wasn't the ideal betting heat to kick off with. Paul Nicholls' Sorceleur in the race made a quick reappearance after winning at Exeter yesterday. He was sent off at 2/9 to win again and duly did so under a confident ride from Harry Cobden. The gelding's second victory in as many days surely a vindication of yesterday's going at Exeter. Despite not being a hugely busy betting heat here was some value to be had on course, one front row bookmaker laid a £1000 - £3000 to a punter evidently adept at spotting and snapping up a bit of value.
Next up and the BetMGM Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Chase punters with balls of steel strode purposefully towards the braced ranks of bookies and unloaded on them. One was arguably a little premature, betting £1500 - £1800 Tedley. If he'd hung on a bit longer there was plenty of evens available in the ring soon after, bets of £4000 - £4000, £2000 - £2000, £1000 - £1000 and £600 - £600 were struck before white flags were raised and tips-on was the best backers could hope for. There was a further £1000 struck at 10/11 at the off in a race where the only serious money was for the jolly, leaning one horse books were in evidence all around the ring. This time, the punters got it badly wrong, it was, brace yourselves, phrases you rarely hear at Wincanton, Paul Nicholls to the rescue. His 9/2 charge Beau Balko did the business for the yard under Ben Bromley with 5/6 jolly Tedley a well beaten second.
The punters still had lead in their punting pencils in the next, the BetMGM Richard Barber Memorial Mares' Handicap Hurdle. There were some decent bets given to me by the bookmakers, and thanks to them for letting me know their business week in week out. Bets struck included £10,000 - £500 each-way Sabrina, £2000 - £500 each-way, £1400 - £400 and £3500 - £1000 Pretending, £4500 - £600 All The Glory, £2400 - £200 each-way Greyval, £2150 - £150 each-way The Height Of Fame and £700 - £200, £3333 - £1000 and £1000 - £400 Larchmont Lass. Punters who assumed that Paul Nicholls would be sending a strong team to win the race in memory of Paul Barber were right, Larchmont Lass did the business for Nicholls, three out of three for the yard and a double for Harry Cobden.
Next up and only five runners for the Boodles Rising Stars Novices' Chase where I had chance to have a chat with Mike Smith and his son Alex, Mike lost his dad Chris yesterday. As I mentioned in my Exeter blog Chris bet for on-course many years under the 'Dick Reynolds' moniker. Mike, also best turned out bookie on the day for sure was proud to be keeping his dad's name alive in the betting ring. There were some decent bets struck too, £2000 - £1000 and £1000 at 13/8 x2 Handstands and £500 at 15/8 Insurrection to make it a four-timer for Paul Nicholls. It was not to be though, Soul Icon took the race by the scruff of the neck, kicked on two out and looked all over the winner until Dan Skelton's Boombawn found another gear to overhaul the long-time leader close home to win going away under Harry Skelton. I was in a box full of Soul Icon fans prior to racing, my plans of revisiting them with an 'Aye Aye' through the door were scuppered along with the luckless horse. Surely a mental premature Aye Aye doesn't count does it?
The race before the penultimate the BetMGM Elite Hurdle boasted three runners but the punters only wanted to be on one of them, Paul Nicholls' Rubaud. Early birds got 5/4, 'Biggest bet we laid at the price was £100' confided Paul Metcalfe of Jack Bevan and Co (est 1897) though £750 - £600 was laid further along the line. Further business was done to the tune of £1200 - £1000 and £1100 - £1000 with plenty of carpets and bottles at tips-against. Punters were treated to a decent race despite the lack of runners, then to top it off those that waded in to the jolly were rewarded with a victory, asserting after the last. That was four on the day for Paul Nicholls and a treble for Harry Cobden matching yesterday's total with a couple races, including the feature, to go.
The penultimate heat was the feature, the 63rd running of the Badger Beer Handicap Chase which was set to boast a field of 10 in which Lord Accord was opened favourite at around the 3/1 mark. Paul Nicholls' Mofasa was priced at 6/1 early to make it a five-timer at the meeting. Down in the ring there were still decent bets flying about, they included £3000 - £500 each-way and £2500 - £500 each-way Forward Plan, £3500 - £1000, £700 - £200, £900 - £300 and £1400 - £400 The Changing Man, £1667 - £500 and £1000 - £300 Lord Accord and £4000 - £250 each-way Gustavian. Nobody much backed Sam Thomas' Al Dancer the 25/1 which made most, leading from the second to win under an inspired Callum Pritchard. My good pal Andrew Mount put the winner up as one of two selections in the race in his Free GG.co.uk Column he's a genuine judge that Andrew, aye aye mate, a tonic after a tough week I'm sure. The betting ring would have enjoyed the result as well as Mounty's followers, though the layer that ran into the £4000 - £250 each-way Gustavian might have been ruing his luck.
Talking of enjoyment, the concluding bumper would have enjoyed a double-figure field in the old days, today's renewal of the BetMGM Open NH Flat Race just had four runners in which Sergeant Fury was opened 5/4 favourite. Word on the track was that Lock Stock might be worth backing but the market didn't follow that up he was an easy to back 8/1 chance on course, in fact apart from a bet of £120 at 8/1 over The Sainted Canary, no, the punter didn't ask for the fractions thus get a bet of £1000 - £120 instead of £960 - £120, there wasn't a denar in decent money bet on the race. Lockstock just got beaten a neck by Paul Nicholls' Swinging Safari the 11/8 favourite concluding a wonderful five-timer for the yard a four-timer for the pilot Harry Cobden and a terrific day on the turf for the rest of us.
Thanks for reading. My next betting ring reports will be for Star Sports at Cheltenham next Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Simon Nott
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