There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
Here's a story for you ...
Many years ago, over 40 years ago in fact - I always used to attend this Friday Evening meeting at Chester.
It was the last Friday of my local town's annual fortnight Holidays, and going to this meeting became something of an annual ritual - as we all do with something repeatedly, but do not know really why, or how it all started.
Even in my youthful enthusiasm for Horse Racing, I always had the instinct for looking for an edge - honed when wagging off school to go to the races as a 15-year-old, to try and get the 5/-Tote Treble dividend up.
The first race on the Chester card, therefore, came onto my radar in abundance.
In those days it was a 7f Apprentice Handicap, and all Apprentices then were nowhere near as polished as the young riders are nowadays.
7f around Chester - No Rails movement or Cutaway into the straight, then - Inexperienced Apprentices ...
What a recipe for 'a Result' - a 'Turn up for the books'
My mission became - Find a good Outsider, two if available, for a Single bet(s) -
Perm those Outsiders with a couple, or three, other runners for the Forecast (which was a Dual (Either Order) Forecast on the Tote, giving the scope for a larger Perm (restricted by youthful finances, mind you) -
- and have a small Perm Tricast on them - if further finances permitted.
I managed to find the Winner a couple, or so, times over the years - and get the Forecast a few times, too - albeit never 2 Outsiders together, and just money back when a couple of the other shorter-priced make-weight selections finished 1st and 2nd
Circumstances change, and I was unable to attend Chester from 1984 to 1997 due to another racing commitment, and I have been about 3 times since, and not for the past 10 years or so.
Even so - I have still always had a good look at this race every year since, no matter -
- although in quite a number of the more recent years had No bet as I had Not seen anything that appealed, or 'qualified' due to the tighter betting of many of those years, along with the fact that it was no longer an Apprentice affair.
However - 'Old habits die hard'
My this year's appraisal came up with 4 horses, although one would not be suited by the changed softer ground, so I left that one out - and Backed the other 3 horses for 'fun stakes' - and 'old times sake'
Horse Racing > Chester 14th Jul : 7f Hcap
Devasboy
*16.33 18.00 Back
Mabre
*35.60 15.00 Back
Mabre
*2.37 22.00 Lay
Spioradalta
*7.07 15.00 Back
91.00
Spioradalta
*1.69 15.00 Lay
-10.40
Back subtotal: 58.00
Lay subtotal: 11.60
Market subtotal: 69.60
Commission @ 2.00%: 1.39
Net Market Total: 68.21
But, of course - The Aim was always to get the FORECAST up ...
14 Jul 2023 17:44:47 Chester R1 17:45 Exacta
1st Place: 6,8,9 2nd Place: 6,8,9 6 2.00 12.00
Bet settled 242.60
- and - How could I let the TRIFECTA 'run loose' ...
14 Jul 2023 17:45:08 Chester R1 17:45 Trifecta 1st Place: 6,8,9 2nd Place: 6,8,9 3rd Place: 6,8,9 6 1.00 6.00
Bet settled 1383.50
1st - 2nd and 3rd - Short-Head, Neck
If the Short-Head 2nd had Won - It would have been another £444 Win on the Single - and, presumably, even bigger Forecast and Trifecta Dividends.
But - Let's not get greedy - and just thank ...
A long memory - tenacity -and perseverance ....
- which go a long way in this game.
Many years ago, over 40 years ago in fact - I always used to attend this Friday Evening meeting at Chester.
It was the last Friday of my local town's annual fortnight Holidays, and going to this meeting became something of an annual ritual - as we all do with something repeatedly, but do not know really why, or how it all started.
Even in my youthful enthusiasm for Horse Racing, I always had the instinct for looking for an edge - honed when wagging off school to go to the races as a 15-year-old, to try and get the 5/-Tote Treble dividend up.
The first race on the Chester card, therefore, came onto my radar in abundance.
In those days it was a 7f Apprentice Handicap, and all Apprentices then were nowhere near as polished as the young riders are nowadays.
7f around Chester - No Rails movement or Cutaway into the straight, then - Inexperienced Apprentices ...
What a recipe for 'a Result' - a 'Turn up for the books'
My mission became - Find a good Outsider, two if available, for a Single bet(s) -
Perm those Outsiders with a couple, or three, other runners for the Forecast (which was a Dual (Either Order) Forecast on the Tote, giving the scope for a larger Perm (restricted by youthful finances, mind you) -
- and have a small Perm Tricast on them - if further finances permitted.
I managed to find the Winner a couple, or so, times over the years - and get the Forecast a few times, too - albeit never 2 Outsiders together, and just money back when a couple of the other shorter-priced make-weight selections finished 1st and 2nd
Circumstances change, and I was unable to attend Chester from 1984 to 1997 due to another racing commitment, and I have been about 3 times since, and not for the past 10 years or so.
Even so - I have still always had a good look at this race every year since, no matter -
- although in quite a number of the more recent years had No bet as I had Not seen anything that appealed, or 'qualified' due to the tighter betting of many of those years, along with the fact that it was no longer an Apprentice affair.
However - 'Old habits die hard'
My this year's appraisal came up with 4 horses, although one would not be suited by the changed softer ground, so I left that one out - and Backed the other 3 horses for 'fun stakes' - and 'old times sake'
Horse Racing > Chester 14th Jul : 7f Hcap
Devasboy
*16.33 18.00 Back
Mabre
*35.60 15.00 Back
Mabre
*2.37 22.00 Lay
Spioradalta
*7.07 15.00 Back
91.00
Spioradalta
*1.69 15.00 Lay
-10.40
Back subtotal: 58.00
Lay subtotal: 11.60
Market subtotal: 69.60
Commission @ 2.00%: 1.39
Net Market Total: 68.21
But, of course - The Aim was always to get the FORECAST up ...
14 Jul 2023 17:44:47 Chester R1 17:45 Exacta
1st Place: 6,8,9 2nd Place: 6,8,9 6 2.00 12.00
Bet settled 242.60
- and - How could I let the TRIFECTA 'run loose' ...
14 Jul 2023 17:45:08 Chester R1 17:45 Trifecta 1st Place: 6,8,9 2nd Place: 6,8,9 3rd Place: 6,8,9 6 1.00 6.00
Bet settled 1383.50
1st - 2nd and 3rd - Short-Head, Neck
If the Short-Head 2nd had Won - It would have been another £444 Win on the Single - and, presumably, even bigger Forecast and Trifecta Dividends.
But - Let's not get greedy - and just thank ...
A long memory - tenacity -and perseverance ....
- which go a long way in this game.
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 28
|
By:
But you have always said how much you dislike Chester comparing it to a greyhound track.
|
|
By:
Great story onlooker , well done
|
|
By:
That is why I only bet on ONE race a year, there.
- and, surely - all the above is 'playing the place' 'at it's own game' ... |
|
By:
Fair enough, onlooker.
|
|
By:
lovely story - congratulations
|
|
By:
nice story, well done
|
|
By:
Congratulations onlooker
|
|
By:
Well done onlooker.
|
|
By:
Well done onlooker.
|
|
By:
have a seat at the aftertimers arms
|
|
By:
That is rich
 WD Onlooker. |
|
By:
Well done onlooker
|
|
By:
Well done Onlooker. Patience is a virtue
 |
|
By:
Brilliant , was that ' Wakes Week ' , was near Warrington for a few years and sort of remember town holidays .
|
|
By:
Powerful stuff Onlooker and a huge well done fully deserved...Lovely story as well...
|
|
By:
WD onlooker
|
|
By:
A bit unlucky with Mabre, would have won only for ducking right to avoid a bump from another horse on the run in.
Had an interest myself as the jockeys great grandfather lives near by and is a very good friend of mine. Always worth a second look when riding for David Evans. Well done all the same. |
|
By:
That jockey Lewis looks very useful with his 7lb claim.
|
|
By:
Agree sparrow, he was a very good pony rider, had spells with Teal and Hills but not given the rides. Using his whip much better now and has got a lot stronger this season. Will have some decent priced winners for sure.
|
|
By:
I did wonder where he had been recently after a promising start so fair play to David Evans.
|
|
By:
Hopefully go well in the first there today.
|
|
By:
gaze says he had the same numbas and wd on the aftertime.
|
|
By:
barstool 15 Jul 23 13:26
Hopefully go well in the first there today. Ground conditions might be a worry though. |
|
By:
Well done Onlooker, as they say, if at 1st you don't succeed try, try and try again, can't beat getting a tricast up.
|
|
By:
Got the place somehow, barstool.
|
|
By:
Thankfully, could have done with a better start.
|
|
By:
Riveting aftertime, keep up the good work
|
|
By:
Riveting aftertime, keep up the good work
|