Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Do me a favour rook's go to WPB on the weekend and try out the monkey club on Clematis, so much fun! In fact anywhere on Clematis is a laugh

WPB = West Palm Beach ? Right around the corner...

Monkey Club, wtf is that ?

[Royal Flush]

Do me a favour rook's go to WPB on the weekend and try out the monkey club on Clematis, so much fun! In fact anywhere on Clematis is a laugh

WPB = West Palm Beach ? Right around the corner...

Monkey Club, wtf is that ?

Yeah west palm beach.

Monkey club is this rather bizarre club/bar has to be experienced!

There is a v good comedy club at city place as well, worth a look.

[Rookie (Rodney)]

Do me a favour rook's go to WPB on the weekend and try out the monkey club on Clematis, so much fun! In fact anywhere on Clematis is a laugh

WPB = West Palm Beach ? Right around the corner...

Monkey Club, wtf is that ?

Yeah west palm beach.

Monkey club is this rather bizarre club/bar has to be experienced!

There is a v good comedy club at city place as well, worth a look.

Cheers mate, will try and get round to it

[tikay]

In response to a Thread elsewhere on blonde, I wrote the piece below, & I wanted to put it in my Diary. So I have......

I need time to think about Lee's questions, & these things are totally subjective, &, given the nature of Horse-Racing (or Greyhounds) nobody can ever know for sure.

But as to the best Flat Race horse - ever, ever, ever - there surely can only be one nominee - Sceptre.

Sceptre was owned by a delinquent & crooked gambler, Bob Sievier, & I have an original signed copy of his autobiography - worth a few bob! - plus several other books about the extraordinary life & times of the Turf's greatest ever character.

Sievier came to own Sceptre by foul & odd means, and as he had a bad gambling problem, he ran the Filly almost non-stop, as a gambling medium. He paid 10,000 guineas for her.

As a 2yo, she won the Woocote Stakes,  July Stakes & Champagne Stakes.

As a 3yo - just try & imgaine this record - it's never been equalled, & never will, but she  - yes, SHE - won FOUR Classics in a single year; 2,000 Guineas, 2 days later the 1,000 Guineas, she then had a problem in the Epsom Derby (4th) before winning the Oaks two days later, followed by the St Leger. In the SAME season, she also won the St James Palace Stakes, & the Nassau Stakes. And - horserace followers, prepare to gasp - this 4 time Classic Winner ran her first race of the Season in what race? Don't even try guessing - it was the season opener, in March, the Lincolnshire Handicap, in which she finished 2nd. I'm not at home, so don't have my reference books to hand, but I believe she ran 23 times as a 3 year-old. And Sievier removed her from the yard of the Trainer Morton, because he felt she was not being galloped sufficiently........

She ran TWICE at the Newmarket July Meeting, twice at the Derby Meeting, twice at the Goodwood meeting, twice at the St Leger Meeting, & twice at Royal Ascot. All in her 3 year-old season. Oh, & just to keep her interested, she went across to Paris - also as a 3yo - to run in the Grand Prix de Paris, & remember getting a horse to & from Paris (from Newmarket) in those days was pretty gruelling.

She was bred by the Duke of Westminster, & her breeding says it all. Her sire was Persimmon, by the great St Simon, & although her Dam - "Ornament" - was of no great merit, not even any black-type, her damsire was none other than Bend Or.

Get a book about Bob Seivier, &/or Sceptre, & sit down & enjoy a stonking read. It don't get any better.

Sievier died a pauper, & was in & out of prison most of his life, was charged with murder in South Africa, & spent his last years in prison in Australia, after a betting scandal. His courtroom appearances in the UK, usually v a member of the Aristocracy, after gambling disputes, often associated with billiards, are legendary.

I put Sceptre ebove even the legendary Eclipse, after whom the expression "Eclipse - First, the rest - nowhere" was coined.

[tikay]

Amazingly, I wrote the piece completely from memory, suggesting that although my memory is, from time to time, selective, it continues to hoard much useless trivia.

Someone asked if they could get a book about Bob Sievier, & I suggested they should try, it'd be well worth it.

The guys correct & full name - which I HAD forgotten, but which came to me as I lay in bed last night, having a little ponder, was "Robert Standish Sievier".

I've looked around quickly, & original copies of his Autobiography, (though, unlike mine, not signed I assume) are available at around £100.

Oh, and it's a RED CARD to the first to try a double intendre on my "little ponder".

[celtic]

Amazingly, I wrote the piece completely from memory, suggesting that although my memory is, from time to time, selective, it continues to hoard much useless trivia.

Someone asked if they could get a book about Bob Sievier, & I suggested they should try, it'd be well worth it.

The guys correct & full name - which I HAD forgotten, but which came to me as I lay in bed last night, having a little ponder fumble was "Robert Standish Sievier".

I've looked around quickly, & original copies of his Autobiography, (though, unlike mine, not signed I assume) are available at around £100.

Oh, and it's £50 into their blonde account to the first to try a double intendre on my "little ponder".

ship it!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tikay]

Amazingly, I wrote the piece completely from memory, suggesting that although my memory is, from time to time, selective, it continues to hoard much useless trivia.

Someone asked if they could get a book about Bob Sievier, & I suggested they should try, it'd be well worth it.

The guys correct & full name - which I HAD forgotten, but which came to me as I lay in bed last night, having a little ponder fumble was "Robert Standish Sievier".

I've looked around quickly, & original copies of his Autobiography, (though, unlike mine, not signed I assume) are available at around £100.

Oh, and it's £50 into their blonde account to the first to try a double intendre on my "little ponder".

ship it!!!!!!!!!!!!

There's always one......

[tikay]

And so, with this week almost run already, to last week's Poker.

With Shows on Tuesday & Sunday, & all day in the Studio on Wednesday, and a London meeting on Friday, I barely had time to play last week, except......

Luton, Wednesday, £50 + £50 - Went deep, but made a judgement of character error - moved (with Eights) against the wrong fella. Lesson learned.

Broadway, Thursday, £500, See below

Luton, Friday, £100, Cashed, 2nd, £1,500.

Blackpool Saturday, £200. See below.

Luton, Monday, £50 + £50 + £50 - cashed, £450.

Luton, Wednesday - £50 + £50 - tried for the three-in-a-row "steamer", but busted 3 tables out. From a 4 table field. Nicked £200 in the Cash, most of it in a £250 Pot (£1 £2 Texas) with 10 high.....he had 6 high. How do these things happen?

[tikay]

I met a most interesting couple at Luton last week, on Friday.

They came for the Friday Comp, thinking it was £75 (each), only to find it was £100 each. They told me they had a gambling problem, so never bring their credit cards or spare cash to casinos, to avoid temptation. So he punted £50 on Roulette, to fund the extra cost, only to find out that the Reg Fees had increased, & he was still short.

So he punted another tenner, that won too, & so he (Big Geezer) & she (a rather beautiful young individual, female I believe) could both play. Rather Beautiful Young Individual busted early, Big Geezer cashed for £1,500, happy days.

They have upped the Reg Fees at Luton-G - I assume at all Grosvenors, in fact - so that a £50 comp now costs the odd sum of £55.50 to enter, & everyone scrambles for change.

[bobby1]

In response to a Thread elsewhere on blonde, I wrote the piece below, & I wanted to put it in my Diary. So I have......

I need time to think about Lee's questions, & these things are totally subjective, &, given the nature of Horse-Racing (or Greyhounds) nobody can ever know for sure.

But as to the best Flat Race horse - ever, ever, ever - there surely can only be one nominee - Sceptre.

Sceptre was owned by a delinquent & crooked gambler, Bob Sievier, & I have an original signed copy of his autobiography - worth a few bob! - plus several other books about the extraordinary life & times of the Turf's greatest ever character.

Sievier came to own Sceptre by foul & odd means, and as he had a bad gambling problem, he ran the Filly almost non-stop, as a gambling medium. He paid 10,000 guineas for her.

As a 2yo, she won the Woocote Stakes,  July Stakes & Champagne Stakes.

As a 3yo - just try & imgaine this record - it's never been equalled, & never will, but she  - yes, SHE - won FOUR Classics in a single year; 2,000 Guineas, 2 days later the 1,000 Guineas, she then had a problem in the Epsom Derby (4th) before winning the Oaks two days later, followed by the St Leger. In the SAME season, she also won the St James Palace Stakes, & the Nassau Stakes. And - horserace followers, prepare to gasp - this 4 time Classic Winner ran her first race of the Season in what race? Don't even try guessing - it was the season opener, in March, the Lincolnshire Handicap, in which she finished 2nd. I'm not at home, so don't have my reference books to hand, but I believe she ran 23 times as a 3 year-old. And Sievier removed her from the yard of the Trainer Morton, because he felt she was not being galloped sufficiently........

She ran TWICE at the Newmarket July Meeting, twice at the Derby Meeting, twice at the Goodwood meeting, twice at the St Leger Meeting, & twice at Royal Ascot. All in her 3 year-old season. Oh, & just to keep her interested, she went across to Paris - also as a 3yo - to run in the Grand Prix de Paris, & remember getting a horse to & from Paris (from Newmarket) in those days was pretty gruelling.

She was bred by the Duke of Westminster, & her breeding says it all. Her sire was Persimmon, by the great St Simon, & although her Dam - "Ornament" - was of no great merit, not even any black-type, her damsire was none other than Bend Or.

Get a book about Bob Seivier, &/or Sceptre, & sit down & enjoy a stonking read. It don't get any better.

Sievier died a pauper, & was in & out of prison most of his life, was charged with murder in South Africa, & spent his last years in prison in Australia, after a betting scandal. His courtroom appearances in the UK, usually v a member of the Aristocracy, after gambling disputes, often associated with billiards, are legendary.

I put Sceptre ebove even the legendary Eclipse, after whom the expression "Eclipse - First, the rest - nowhere" was coined.

Tony, that is a most amazing big race roll of honour, I mean how many horses have run in the Lincoln and the St Leger in the same season and taken in the big mile races too. What year was this?

[tikay]

The £500 at The Broadway was a corker, with a decent field, most of the expected names present, including another coach-load from Blackpool.

One interesting runner was an old friend, Mark Blandford, a terrific guy, who used to own, or part own, Sporting Odds. He has a few Racehorses now, he & his lovely Lady Wife are both racing enthusiasts, dogs & gee-gees, & a lovely couple.

My opening (only, in fact...) table had me sat next to Lynne Beaumont, who's the rather delicious, refined, & charming, partner of James Browning, who's due to start on Sky Poker in March. I worked with James on PNL, & he's quite a character. Never done a days "work" in his life, but he just gets by with Sports Betting - real Sports Betting - & Poker, & some Media work. Does not borrow, sits there smiling, & I've rather grown to like him muchly, he's a sort of older version of Paul Parker in some ways - grinds it out year after year, one of poker's great survivors.  I bet 5% of the poker circuit never last half as long in the game as James has, & he mixes it up - I've played £100-ers with him in Newcastle & Brighton, & €1,000-ers with him in Vienna & $5,000-ers on the Poker Cruise. It all comes alike to James, he cuts his cloth as to how he's running.

Des Bling Bling & Ali Mallu had a bit of a ding-dong - Des was just being his usual self, & once you know him, you can't take offence. And deffo don't mess with him. "Don't mess with the black geezer" is his mantra. He ain't wrong.

There was another barney, too, some guy was playing Backgmmon at the same time as the Comp, & it sorta went off, threats & all sorts.

In fact, the whole place seemed fractious - it's a sort of infectious thing - & there was pleny of hooting & hollering going off, but nobody intervened, it was allowed to run it's course, & it kinda soured the atmo. It's really tough to understand why Venues don't control these situations. And then offer Ladies Comps, "to attract them into the game". Try controlling the argy-bargy, & they'd come of their own accord. DTD's Zero-Tolerance policy gets my total respect, and as a result, the vibes there are always good.

Playing at Luton, Broadway & Blackpool last week, after a little sustained run at DTD, bought home to me the pain of playing 10 to a table. DTD play 9 to a Table - it's so much better, & I believe should be, where possible, the default.

 

[tikay]

In response to a Thread elsewhere on blonde, I wrote the piece below, & I wanted to put it in my Diary. So I have......

I need time to think about Lee's questions, & these things are totally subjective, &, given the nature of Horse-Racing (or Greyhounds) nobody can ever know for sure.

But as to the best Flat Race horse - ever, ever, ever - there surely can only be one nominee - Sceptre.

Sceptre was owned by a delinquent & crooked gambler, Bob Sievier, & I have an original signed copy of his autobiography - worth a few bob! - plus several other books about the extraordinary life & times of the Turf's greatest ever character.

Sievier came to own Sceptre by foul & odd means, and as he had a bad gambling problem, he ran the Filly almost non-stop, as a gambling medium. He paid 10,000 guineas for her.

As a 2yo, she won the Woocote Stakes,  July Stakes & Champagne Stakes.

As a 3yo - just try & imgaine this record - it's never been equalled, & never will, but she  - yes, SHE - won FOUR Classics in a single year; 2,000 Guineas, 2 days later the 1,000 Guineas, she then had a problem in the Epsom Derby (4th) before winning the Oaks two days later, followed by the St Leger. In the SAME season, she also won the St James Palace Stakes, & the Nassau Stakes. And - horserace followers, prepare to gasp - this 4 time Classic Winner ran her first race of the Season in what race? Don't even try guessing - it was the season opener, in March, the Lincolnshire Handicap, in which she finished 2nd. I'm not at home, so don't have my reference books to hand, but I believe she ran 23 times as a 3 year-old. And Sievier removed her from the yard of the Trainer Morton, because he felt she was not being galloped sufficiently........

She ran TWICE at the Newmarket July Meeting, twice at the Derby Meeting, twice at the Goodwood meeting, twice at the St Leger Meeting, & twice at Royal Ascot. All in her 3 year-old season. Oh, & just to keep her interested, she went across to Paris - also as a 3yo - to run in the Grand Prix de Paris, & remember getting a horse to & from Paris (from Newmarket) in those days was pretty gruelling.

She was bred by the Duke of Westminster, & her breeding says it all. Her sire was Persimmon, by the great St Simon, & although her Dam - "Ornament" - was of no great merit, not even any black-type, her damsire was none other than Bend Or.

Get a book about Bob Seivier, &/or Sceptre, & sit down & enjoy a stonking read. It don't get any better.

Sievier died a pauper, & was in & out of prison most of his life, was charged with murder in South Africa, & spent his last years in prison in Australia, after a betting scandal. His courtroom appearances in the UK, usually v a member of the Aristocracy, after gambling disputes, often associated with billiards, are legendary.

I put Sceptre ebove even the legendary Eclipse, after whom the expression "Eclipse - First, the rest - nowhere" was coined.

Tony, that is a most amazing big race roll of honour, I mean how many horses have run in the Lincoln and the St Leger in the same season and taken in the big mile races too. What year was this?

1902 Phil, & just imagine the difficulty of travelling to all those places in those days, before the motor-car was in general use, the horse must have had the constitution of iron. It's hard to imagine any horse running in the Lincoln AND the Leger in the same season, let alone the other 4 Classics, & plenty of what are, these days, called "Group One" races. Sievier also trained her himself for much of the Season, as he reckoned the Trainer - who may have been Morton, I can't recall - did not give her enough work. When Sievier trained her, he made her gallop 5 miles - every day!

You should try getting hold of "Men & Horses I Have Known" by George Lambton (a disgraced & dis-inherited member of the Earl of Derby dynasty I think), it's a stonking read of horses, gambling, & betting, 10,000 & 20,000 guineas at a time, almost 100 years ago - that's serious money now, never mind then.

[bobby1]

cheers, I will buy a copy.

[tikay]

I've played 5 Comps in the last 10 days at which all agreed - Management incuded - the Comps wound benefit from a better structure, but time did not permit that. Fair enough.

Except.....

On average, they started 17 minutes late.

The scheduled break durations were almost 90% longer than the Plasma indicated.

On one occasion, we returned after 22 minutes of a 10 minute break, only to find they had not "coloured up". No big deal, but there's always an awkward bugger who reckons the world will end if they don't colour up immediately - hen-pecked at home, one assumes - & so we waited another 12 minutes for the colouring up to be sorted.

Are these things really that difficult to run?

After 20 minutes of a 10 minute break at one Venue, I wandered back to my seat, fed up of waiting. TD fella says "you can't come in the Cardroom yet mate, we are on break, chip security, see?"

"But the plasma said 10 minute break - 20 minutes ago".

"OK, we'll announce the re-start".

"Why do you have to announce it - just start, they'll soon return".

"Because we always do".

"Ahh, I see".

So he announces it, & another 8 minutes passes, & most of us are now sitting there, waiting.

"Ahem, can we start now fella?

"No, there are still 3 people not returned to their seats".

I mean, ffs.......

At another venue, a bunch of players missed the restart, "we never heard the PA say it was starting". And then they moaned at the Manager, because it was his fault they'd missed a few hands. The blame culture gets worse.

Look, it's this simple. Start the comps when the Plasma says they are due to start - on the second. The Players soon get the hang of it. And if they don't, well, that's their problem.

Start on time, stick to advertised break durations, & we'd all get better structrures just by using the time saved. Or get home earlier.

[RED-DOG]

And relax...