Diary of a professional punter

[adnmdv]

Gareth Barry is big value for FG today. He's on the pens.

erm, Balotelli?

edit: is there a source for Barry being on pens?

[redarmi]

After the shambles against LA Galaxy???  really???

[ACE2M]

Gareth Barry is big value for FG today. He's on the pens.

Thanks.  Been trying to figure that out.

£8 barry fgs @ 18/1 Lads

well, thats if previous heirachy holds up, balotelli is 2nd in line for them.

gl us.

[redarmi]

£15 e/w Dancing Rain @ 11/2 next race Ascot

It is fair to say I am absolutely knackered........thank god it is 3pm

[Horneris]

£15 e/w Dancing Rain @ 11/2 next race Ascot

It is fair to say I am absolutely knackered........thank god it is 3pm

oi oi, well done

[Nico29]

VC rival Betfair for the worst savaging of a potentially amazing brand in recent years.

I remember when I went for an interview with them when i was working for Ladbrokes.  I went down to their offices in Linhope Street and it was a Georgian terrace and there was none of the gaudy branding of a Ladbrokes, Hills or a Corals there was a simple, classy brass plague on the wall.  I went up to the reception area and felt massively underdressed in my Next suit.  Everyone I saw walking around had on cufflinks and monogramed shirts etc.  It was all just amazingly classy.  I was interviewed at first by the manager of the Gibraltar office who then was suitably enough impressed to take me upstairs to see Victor.  If the other offices had seemed impressive then Victors office blew me away.  There was a painting by Lucien Freud on the wall and formbooks in a bookcase and Victor who I had always admired from afar on my visits to racecourses just seemed impossibly glamourous and impressive.  Even though I wanted the job more than anything else I had ever wanted I was also just satisfied to have met Victor and spoken to him.  Before that day i had wanted to be a poltical lobbyist or researcher and had worked in the House of Commons briefly and Victor was far more impressive than anyone I had met there.  From that day onwards all I really wanted to do was work in this industry and for Victor in particular.  I must have impressed that day because they hired me and it was off to Gibraltar and for a year or so 15-20 of us layed some of the biggest bets in the world to a mixture of the shrewd and incredibly rich men.  We were laying huge bets on football to the Asian bookies and big racing bets to owners, bookies and some real whales.  It was amazing and for a group of guys largely under 30 we did amazingly well too.  That summer was the 1998 world cup and was when i first met Tony Bloom who never had the personal charm or presence of Victor but over time I grew to respect even more.  

I will write more on this later but 2pm-5pm saturday is about as busy as it gets for me so better concentrate.....

Really enjoyed reading this, more please!

[redarmi]

Racing fans......at what price is Frankel a bet here?  i am thinking 1/2 and t might get there

[Nico29]

Racing fans......at what price is Frankel a bet here?  i am thinking 1/2 and t might get there

As you can imagine i'm on everything bar the fav to varying degrees each way, perfect race for it.

Therefore expect frankel to walk it and the rest somehow not to finish.

[redarmi]

I can't get out to bet anything else each way but i wouldn't put anyone off any other horse each way.

[Nico29]

I can't get out to bet anything else each way but i wouldn't put anyone off any other horse each way.

Dick turpin@28s from last night is my best result, was gutted i missed the 33s but now it's 14s i feel reasonably happy with what i got on it.

[redarmi]

That said I am a backer of Frankel of 1/2.  I think books these days understand the fact that theyb are going to lay a lot of horses each way against it so are a bit reluctant to let the big jollies get too short.  I doubt Frankel to win is a -EV play tbh which means that the win portion of the others is pretty big -EV but the place elements probably out run that.  Also I think this is one of those cases where Frankels chances of placing are not reflected in its place price.....it is a much bigger to place than 1/10 because something going wrong is likliest reason for not winnign I think.  does that make sense?

[Nico29]

Really don't mind taking a small loss on that race, great performance, what a horse.

[Nico29]

That said I am a backer of Frankel of 1/2.  I think books these days understand the fact that theyb are going to lay a lot of horses each way against it so are a bit reluctant to let the big jollies get too short.  I doubt Frankel to win is a -EV play tbh which means that the win portion of the others is pretty big -EV but the place elements probably out run that.  Also I think this is one of those cases where Frankels chances of placing are not reflected in its place price.....it is a much bigger to place than 1/10 because something going wrong is likliest reason for not winnign I think.  does that make sense?

Yep all makes sense.

[redarmi]

£15 e/w Border Flora @ 8/1 540 Kelso

[redarmi]

Favourite def too short in this race.  Going to fire a couple of bullets:

£10 Snow fairy @12.0
£5 Green Destiny @ 25.0
£10 Midday @ 10.5