The Libertines make there long overdue CairnBet bow today in appropriate and, when you get to race 3, highly disappointing fashion. It may be the first and last Libertines song as, unless me and Steve have a hitherto unforecast meltdown, "Can't Stand Me Now" will likely stay on the virtual song shelf.
Early decision to make as the 2 paddock pitches, which have been notable by their absence for the last 3-4 seasons, were reinstated by Rosie Bistro and Owners and Trainers marquee. A delegation from CairnBet (me) and Sam Black (2 of them going mob handed) were dispatched to make a full assessment. The paddock area has been extensively renovated and looks fantastic but the pitches were a good 10 yards further away than previously due to the re-siting of the restaurant marquees. 10 yards doesn't seem a lot but, in bookmaking terms, can be the difference of £50k pitch value at some courses. The Tote had also set up with their ubiquitous "Look at us, we look like we're on course bookmakers too, even though we're not" stand which further dampened our previously high spirits. At least it wasn't Chester Bet. We felt a full, rather than cursory, investigation was warranted and hopes were raised again when the restaurant reported 250 covers and owners and trainers were expecting more than 300. Further sleuthing (well, we counted the tables) revealed that these numbers were expected over 2-3 seatings and a prospective ongoing crowd of nearer 150 meant that both Cairnies and Sammies passed and trudged back to the ring.
I've been meaning to take 2 on the 2nd line for a few meetings now and today was the day I wasn't going to be swayed so in we went, next to our investigative buddy Sam and our friend Billy on the other side. Billy is never short of some on course banter, frequently at decibels that would make a jumbo jet blush, and I immediately cancelled my routine ear syringing appointment- why pay for the same job twice?
1 ) High Dancer for the max, Tommy's Law close to max and the inevitable bogey down the bottom "Nae Bother At All" and we started with a great result on Lucinda's 2nd string Bold Light which was very weak on course. We were mildly encouraged by the late off course money which proved to be right as it beat our other 2 bogeys at the top of the market. 1-0 to the good guys (insert own gag/insult here)
2) The first part of our Heartbreak Double Header as our jackpot, MeetMeInTheMorning was going well and looked the likely winner until running out of room, switching and going down by 1/2 length to favourite Similar Story which was a 0-0 draw for us. For completeness Raceview Road for the max and couple of smaller bogeys in Edgewell and Blow The budget. Teeth gnashed.
3) And the 2nd leg was to follow on immediately. Augharue for the absolute jackpot kept finding and smashed up favourite (and max liability), Walk On Quest, looked beaten turning in. But the sun can be cruel sometimes. It's all very well for the bookie's paradise in Tenerife for an October getaway but it's unlikely appearance at Kelso in the same month meant the fences in the home straight were omitted and Walk on Quest ate up the ground to snag ours late on. The general consensus being that an overcast race and ours wins. Though that might just be bookmakers bumping their gums. Either way, the difference was massive and decisively not in our favour. Teeth ground to a stump. Places eased some of the pain but the result left a cloud over the ring, in the absence of the real thing we actually wanted.
4) Funny old book. 15 runners, untouched from a hedging point of view and liabilities on Heart Above, Fosters Fortune, TheirSheGoes and Bashful in the patented bingo book. Lucinda's Old Gregorian did us a favour beating 2 of the bogeys but Lucinda is rarely a jackpot for us at Kelso and a smallish win on a genuine outsider left us both grateful and frustrated all at the same time.
5) They only wanted the two at the top of the market and we shoved them both in for the max and got full reward on Elvis Mail to give us the necessary shot in the arm we'd been waiting for since race 1. Places not great and there were bigger jackpots at similar prices but gift horse not looked in mouth. Added to that I was able to tell each and every winner we couldn't pay them as Elvis had already left the building. Only one of them actually believed us and only when I started counting out the cash did they realise. I even tipped them 25p for their trouble.
6) The shot in the arm was followed swiftly by the shot in the foot. Goose cooked super early here. Pay The Piper the only tune in town as the cash rained in incessantly. It looked the winner from the first furlong and we were pricing up the next a mile out. The stands shook and the payout queue stretched to Lauder. Someone requested a forecast which we didn't have priced up but we're nice like that so we duly obliged his request for 1-6. 1-5 was called on track so at least we ducked that. We weren't the only ones to get it wrong as the correction came through as 1-6 and we tossed another ton away. We couldn't get a break. Kelso is hard. Rats.
7) So we'd played hokey cokey all day and had modest wages on the table going into the last. Top 3 in the market all duly stood and the bottom 3 all monsters. Our friend Pinno will, inevitably, be super proud of us as he reads these words. We also indulged in industrial level "crying it in" as the top 3 in the market shortened in running and our jackpots were all steadfastly drifting to double, and in the case of Guernesey, treble figures. And then a minor miracle occurred as Maura Jeanne recovered from an early error and gave us a last to first jackpot in the final event of the day. Massive.
So, in the end, a cracking day for us delivered on the last in unlikely fashion and the drive home was easier by a factor of 10.
Kelso again next up for us in a couple of weeks. Usually a great meeting but has fallen victim to Premierisation (still not a word) and is, effectively, The Red Eye Stakes. All day. Be interesting to see what effect the early start has on the crowd. We live in hope. Until then...
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