For the first time in years we chose to give the Friday of the National meeting a miss. We have a very good number at Ayr on the jumps but we looked at last year's figures and it simply isn't workable for us. The original Tatts enclosure is dead on the Friday, we don't have the option of the paddock so the only option is the bar with a substantial "upgrade" fee attached. We passed. Frankly we'll take more at Perth on Wednesday at about 1/3 the cost.
So on to the Saturday. Another ridiculously early alarm call for me, an hour earlier for Steve. I wasn't expected much conversation on the way down, though I was around 1/4 there'd be snoring by Stirling. Hopefully not by me as I was driving.
I was convinced we'd bet in the old silver ring/usual car park/bongos to its friends but the rain satellite of doom was inching ever closer with every refresh of the phone. I checked out the bar. I had no intention of checking out the bar, but there I was. Checking out the bar. The stage stuck out like a massive jetty- I half expected to find a CalMac at the end. There appeared to be little or no room left for 8 bookies unless you were very good friends with next door and were 100% up to date with your morning wash routine. I remembered how much I hated betting in the bar. Hot, stuffy and the last time I bet in there I had to chuck the waterproofs due to a liberal coating of spew. Getting soaked was infinitely preferable. We were off to the bongos.
1) We stood 3 of them for at least the half max, the two at the top of the market (Frere Darmes and Pay The Piper) plus Elixir De Nutz and we got our absolute full reward with the best result in the book, Malystic. In fact our best single race result since Cheltenham. I treated myself to a small fist pump. I felt we probably deserved it.
2) Back to reality as we stood a couple who were the only ones who had an in running price for the last mile. The slightly less smelly one won (Sail Away) who led all and just kept finding. We were still well ahead after the dream result in the first though.
3) 3 losers here, Colonel Mustard, In The Dining Room and With The Dagger. Or as the punters chose to call them "Anna Bunina" and "Soaring Glory". The favourite, Rubaud, gave us a small win but enough to cover the losses in the 2nd. Bogeys second and third made the modest win feel a touch better. Joyously we had a chap asking if this was the 7 furlong race or the one miler. I had visions of Colin Jackson in horse form.
4) 6 runners, 2 losers and the bigger one had fallen before we'd even looked at pricing up the next race. That just left Unexpected Party which ran unexpectedly well given the price and we were looking down the barrel of a patented Cairn Bet loss on a rag. It duly faded and we were left with another dream result with Datsalrightgino beating 2nd favourite, and small winner, Thunder Rock. We were well ahead now, assuming we'd be praying for a 50/1 shot in the National.
5) Honestly, I'd been crying in/out Kitty's Light all week. About 40 stone well in I said to anyone who'd listen, hoping I was mistaken. 5 late- ish non runners including the jolly Monbeg Genius and Elvis Mail who'd left the building. You're welcome. Down to 18 runners and I was back to crying about Kitty. 18 runners though? What's all that about? We had no idea what it was about though as the tannoy had broken down, never to be fixed. And then, miraculously, we couldn't lay Kitty. Just couldn't. We got plenty for Your Own Story, vying for favouritism, Manothepeople, Malina Girl and Flash Collonges. Plenty. But Kitty remained unsullied by all but the smallest of punters. Massively onside and massively relieved as it won well. Another great result for us, with a psychological multiplier as we'd been convinced it would be a loser. Places were rubbish but we were too gobsmacked to care. Apropos of nothing, in the last 6 major NH races (from a betting perspective) we've bet (2 x National, 2 x Scottish National and 2 x Gold Cup) five favourites have won. The end of the "anyone can win" era or a short term anomaly?
I think there may also have been a protest. But with continued radio silence from the Ayr sound system we were guessing. Maybe they'd glued themselves to the perimeter fences again, instead of the actual fences like they did at Aintree.
6) And then they all stopped betting. They usually do post National but the betting really was a cliff edge drop. Serious Operator and Hunters Call the bogeys. Hunters Call was a massive bogey after the off which was somewhat unexpected (the off not the bogey) as, of course, we still couldn't hear anything and had no idea they were running. Got it down to an acceptable liability in running but the 2 bogeys were the only ones in it and we were planning for the next half way round. We managed to lose in the places as well- some mean feat in a 7 runner.
7) Betting continued to drop. And drop. Leading Force and Restandbethankful the losers at either end of the book price wise. Voix Du Reve a decent winner but places killed us again. In a 7 runner again. Man, we're bad at this each way betting stuff.
8) A slightly busier heat to finish and we stood Impatient and Luckie Seven. There was a healthy buzz around Bumble Bee Bet off course as the price halved in the blink of an eye. Again, you're welcome. Fortunately for us it didn't translate on course and we had an unexpectedly good winner to end the day.
Cracking day for us. We were on the right side of most things all day and it was our best win since the Gold Cup and our 2nd best meeting of the year so far.
Royal Perth from Wednesday for us. Until then...
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