Firstly I'd like to pass on my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Desiree Gill who was tragically taken doing the thing she loved. I'm sure the racing industry will rally around the Gill's at this sad time.
For a few years now, I've put up my tips on a Saturday. I'm in for the fun but if I can help someone find a winner or 2 then all the better. Anyway, I've never really reviewed the previous day's racing so I thought it was about time I did. However this won't be your typical review. So many sources provide a more professional run down than I could. To be honest I find that boring. There will be no who we should be following or who was unlucky. This will be a review of my day on the punt as a S Team member.
Many of you will know me from twitter and facebook. You may also know The Snorkel, Wayne McGrath. Over the past year or so, Snorkel and I have used facebook chat on a Saturday to discuss our bets, to encourage each other to "smack 'em" and generally just having a laugh. The S Team and a virtual pub TAB was formed! This has been a godsend for me as I'm stuck working all day and to be honest, it keeps me from going mad.
As a rule the S Team start slowly and come home like a train. Not sure why that is but I have a feeling that it has something to do with the Snork's beer consumption. The more he drinks, the more confidence he gets which leads him to egging me on. Anyway yesterday we both got off to a winning start. The Snork backed his old mate Don's favourite horse Capital Commander who was expertly ridden by Kathy O'hara. Nice early get Snork! I then took the $2.50 on offer for Contact at Geelong. Money for jam and we were away.
As you may or may not know, I'm a newsagent so I'm getting up at 3am each day and working through to 6pm. I go for a kip between 12 and 2 so on a Saturday I'll put on my bets to cover that time frame. Before I go for my sleep, I put an Eagle Farm Quadrella on for 100%, a Flemington Quadrella on for 20%, a few placecards, a win multi on Borehole, Setfire To Therain, Stradon, Tail And All and Better Than Ready. I also put a place multi on all my Eagle Farm Silk top picks. I'm feeling pretty good about my Eagle Farm picks so I smack a couple using the Best Fluctuation option.
I awake to find Borehole $3.31 (some of these prices seem weird because i've used Sportingbet's best tote +5%), Setfire To Therain $1.63, Foreign Prince $4.78 (Snork's Sydney mail) and Shiraz Attack $3.80 have won. Unfortunately my Flemington bets are duds. That was the theme all day! I'm also devastated to find that Stradon has failed and as it will turn out, a massive collect will go begging.
I'm back in the saddle so it's S Team time now and Snork's about 8 stubbies in so things are starting to get moving. First bet after the spell, I see an easy target at Newcastle and smack the quinella in race 5. Sure it only pays $2.50 but it was as close a thing to a certainty as you'll find. It duly salutes and the punting juices are flowing.
It's time for Better Than Ready to resume and Snork and I discuss whether this is a smack opportunity. Snork's keen but I'm a little wary. When doing the form I was worried that the weight might get him and/or they'd be too nippy for him 1st up. With Bargearse Hanson's words ringing in my ears about class and Snork's enthusiasm, I decide to bite the bullet and go hard at BTR. What was I worried about? He wins nicely and I get $3.10 for him. I'm thinking that's a spoil until I hear Snork got $3.50. The first mention of a Vodka Vomit comes from Snork. For those that don't know, when Snork's winning on the punt he picks up his drinking (changing from beer to vodka) to the point he ends up in Coma City. It's a magical thing haha.
After a few dud bets around the traps, Flemington race 8 comes up. I tip Let's Make A Deal but am worried about Precedence. I decide to box up 4 horses (Precedence, Forgotten Voice, Sertorius and Let's Make A Deal) in a trifecta. Collect! Except I quickly realise they run the 1st 4 and after a few dud 1st 4 attempts earlier, I'm kicking myself I didn't stick with it. Oh well, I tell myself a collect is a collect.
Involvement is picking up and we're betting everywhere. The metros and also Newcastle, Gold Coast and Geelong now. It doesn't take long for the next winner to come up. I don't mind Absalon at Randwick and have a bit of a nibble. It gets up at $6.25 and I couldn't be happier. Although Snork doesn't give it a chance, he's pleased that I had a collect.
It's time for Tail and All to go around in race 6 at Eagle Farm. This is 1 of my best bets of the day and the inevitable call comes from Snork "Let's smack it!" I inform him that I already have but seeing the $5.20 on offer, I give it some more stick. I really don't know why it was this price. I would have thought it would have been around $3.50 but I'm not complaining. Then just to make sure of things, I go hard again. This could be the end of the day for me or I could be choking on my own vomit. You little beauty! Tail And All finishes off well to salute. It's party time for the S Team and grave concerns are held for the Snork's health!
The last race at Flemington comes around and I'm on Limes. More importantly I'm alive in the quad with 5 horses. Although Limes does nothing, Longport wins and I've got it! I give out a "Nash 4 Cash" (as you do) and then think gee, I wish I had a bit more cash to throw around when I put the quadrella bet on.
We go a few bets without a win and I really like the look of one in race 7 at the Gold Coast. Top weight Simply Smart gets up for the team, paying $4.36. Again a surprising price but one I'll gratefully accept. I probably should say that we do not do form on these non-metro meetings. Generally what happens is that when we're in heavy involvement mode, I'll quickly scan over the form about 5-10 minutes before the race, come up with one and then ask Snork what he likes. If we both like the same horse then we smack it. If different then we go the quinella as well. We'll never make a living from the punt with this method but by god we have fun!
By this stage Snork is full of piss and bad manners. Well mainly piss. He's out of control and just smacking everything. He gives Terravista an absolute hiding in the last at Randwick. It gets up and I'm kicking myself as to why I didn't listen and support my mate.
I'm in a bit of a dry spell of some 8 bets when Ascot race 4 comes around. Celebrity Miss and King Of The Palace look the 2 so I go the quinella. Turns out I'm correct and it pays $5.60. I'll take that any day of the week. Snork also hammers Celebrity Miss. He can do no wrong at the moment.
Straight after Ascot we're into the last at Morphettville. I ask Snork what he likes and he quickly replies with confidence, Get Pronto. Right we're going the smack again. It easily gets up and we're laughing all the way to the bank. Snork jokingly requests an ambulance or someone to give him a gut pump but I suspect there was an element of seriousness to it haha.
The days drawing to a close and we just have the last at Eagle Farm to come. I've got Theft here and the Go Tegs chant starts up between me and Snork. We're massive Tegan Harrison fans. I'm alive in the quad with 5 horses running. When De Dozen Stars gets up to win I give an almighty fist pump. I've jagged the quaddie. $700 odd bucks sounds like a bloody good way to finish the day. However it gets better. Being new to Sportingbet, I didn't realise you get to choose which tote you put your quad on. Turns out I was on the Victorian TAB and got an extra $200. Winning!
Feeling confident after a profitable day on the punt, I decide to quickly put down a quaddie in Perth. Shouldn't have bothered as I'm out first leg. A couple other interest bets at Sunny Coast and Ascot result in nothing so I decide it's time to call it a day. My old mate Snork is by this stage paraletic. He's talking all sorts of gibberish and praising me for my 5 from 8 effort at Eagle Farm (we both forget how bad Flemington was!). I last heard from him around 7.30pm at which time I believe he was in Coma City with Vodka dribbling down his chin!
Well there you go. A day in the punting life of the S Team. Although we've had a great day on the punt yesterday, we're reminded this morning about the dangers of the sport we love. RIP Desiree Gill. The courage and risks jockeys take every time they mount a horse should never be forgotten.
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