small bets today If you get a chance please read the "race read" on Shufoog yesterday (Sandown 505). It was 6/1 in the morning and fancied by Mark usher (he even gave it a great chance on the Lambourn link on this site). They couldnt see it being out of the 1st 3 and had good form for the lowly grade....wind the clock forward 2 hours and it was 25/1 and 33/1 in some places (I took 22/1)....now I know Mark is straight and his jock Ellie MacKenzie even straighter (plus they both are desperate for winners) but the race felt odd before hand and worse after i watched it. the RP noted......."Held up and soon in last, ridden 2f out, some progress over 1f out, kept on steadily final furlong and never nearer (op 18/1 tchd 12/1)".....so how did the bookies know that would happen? Would you lay a horse who was runner up last twice (hurdles and flat), was fancied and talked up by a trainer who needs the winners and ridden by a promising 7lb claimer who is dead in form? I used to make a few quid by noting "never nearer" horses but they were usually O Meara, Easterby, Akehurst and the band of cheats known to us! What did the bookies know about this horse? Bizzarely the winner drifted on course from 5/1 to 10/1 and also ran a strange race " Tracked leading pair, ridden and lost place 2f out and others went for home, driven and stayed on 1f out, burst between rivals to lead final 75yds 10/1 (op 6/1 tchd 11/2)" The hot Fav Seascape was backed from 9/2 in the morning to 2/1 and ran no sort of race last "Tracked leaders, shaken up over 2f out, lost place well over 1f out, soon weakened 2/1 (op 10/3 tchd 7/2). Note it was also heavily backed on course when there was no value left.
Strange one and ive noted all the horses as i think the whole race was suspect.....maybe the way it was raced ...fairly slow time for the ground and i know they are not the best of horses.
No doubt the BHA were in the bar by this time!