After the busiest day of the Scottish calendar we were back to normality. Or so we thought. Another desperately quiet meeting which was a real shame given the field sizes, though we did run into a semi final with Hearts playing. We also expected a bar on the lawn given the additional pitches on the lawn being available but there were only a couple of outlets (gin and Pimms) looking rather wet in the constant drizzle so we pitched up in the next to last spot in the main ring and hoped for the best.
As always with these types of meetings please read the betting reports in the context of taking about 400 quid a race when we're discussing maxes etc.
1) Normal book alert as we stand the top 2 for our max (actually slightly enhance max given it was a wee bit over the "half of what we take" system) The flat is back and results were just around the corner so, of course, the jolly wins at a canter and we lose in similar fashion.
2) 5 runners and the bottom two in the market finished 1st and 2nd - we had a normal looking book so a reasonable win was chalked up before wondering why the p&l didn't reflect the same. Inconceivably we'd laid the forecast. In our current run of form, of course we did.
3) Bingo book back as losers dotted throughout at various price intervals and we steered them as Kelpie Grey got us into the black beating one of bogeys Pallas Lord. We didn't put the forecast on the board...
4) "Lost on a rag" alert as we can't win as two losing rags go to the line. Loss doubled by a horrific place book as well. Yeah, I know, free 50p bet to whoever first messages me to tell me we shouldn't be losing on rags.
5) 4 losers out of 8 but we got them all beaten to get back to covering expenses with the winner, 2nd favourite Ice Max.
6) Normal book again. We'll be getting a reputation. Top 3 of 11 losers. Didn't do us any good as favourite Liarmaty Dreams knocked us back into "losing after expenses" territory.
7) 3 losers, Silky Wilkie, JM Jungle and Michaelas Boy and we win on the favourite Equality with a skinned place book to finally get us expenses and a few quid for our trouble. But it was only a few quid.
I think it's only the 2nd year of this fixture, the date moved and Hearts were playing Rangers in the semi final so we think we'll try it again next year and hope that circumstances are more in our favour.
Finally we are joined by our friend Pinno for a few days' golf combined with a pizza and beer fest. My daughter has been brimming with excitement at the arrival of the moustachioed legend, obviously our 16 year old son met the news with a grunt. Steve will be joining us, new car tyre permitting.
Perth on Friday next up for us though you're all only really interested in the results of the Pinno v CairnBet golf bonanza aren't you? Until then...