Blog Archives - A Portfolio Life

A Portfolio Life

£1000 Challenge - Manic Saturday

27/5/2017

I bet on 19 races yesterday. Yikes. That might be a record - one I intend to break today!
And considering the first ten were losers I was remarkably composed and the tide did indeed turn, with Cosgrave finally winning, Ryan Moore helping out in Ireland and Rebecca Curtis landing one at Worcester. By the end I was pretty much back where I started.

Five meetings on Racing UK today and I'll play all of them.

Haggas has runners all over the place, with Cosgrave dashing between tracks to take advantage.
Roger Varian eschews Haydock for Goodwood.
Haydock is a happy hunting ground for some other trainers also.

So - something like
£3 fivefold Varian's runners at Goodwood
£3 tbl Charlton at Haydock
£3 tble Cosgrave/Haggas at Haydock
£3 tbl Gosden at Haydock
£3 tbl FA Cup and two play-off finals all to end in penalties.

Fund £670

£1000 Challenge - Goodwood/Haydock

26/5/2017

Forgot to post on here yesterday. A boost to the theoretical fund that, although in the real world I nailed a Cosgrave 22/1 shot and three Ryan Moore winners, no treble sadly.

Today - Haggas and Cosgrave - with some overlap.

Haggas four runners - two Goodwood, two Haydock
4 x £1 trebles and a £1 fourfold.

Cosgrave - Goodwood five runners in racecard order abcde.
£1 dbl ab
£1 tbl abc
£1 tbl abe
£1 fourfold abcd
£1 fivefold abcde

Fund - £680 - maybe, or something. No idea. Call it that.
My fund - £1710

£1000 Challenge - Daly Double!

22/5/2017

So, I decided to have a few days off on here - taking £10 off the total every day is a bit disillusioning, no matter how well you might be doing in reality. Where's the bragging rights?!

Still, in the real world, I couldn't resist a Daly double at Towcester. Daly's current form and course form seemed to merit the utmost respect. And now I'm really kicking myself...!

Of course, I realise I sound like a total fraudster...

£1000 Challenge - Lockinge day

20/5/2017

Should have been pretty poor yesterday at York and elsewhere. I was pressing them buttons again. But this time I stumbled upon Blaine at 25/1 and Coolfitch at 20s, so my idiocy paid off, again.
That can't and won't last.

Today I shall mostly be playing Bangor but for here how about:

Hugo Palmer Newbury - bit worried about his stable form and whether these are ready to roll.
But he meets my profile for these bets.
4 x £1 trebles and £1 fourfold

Jamie Spencer
£5 treble Visonary, Glorious Forever and Aclaim
(the latter would be my tentative pick for the Lockinge against a sold fave).

Harry Cobden
£5 treble Cru an Vent at Bangor and his two rides at Uttoxeter.

And finally, the football play-offs this week and next (sadly without the mighty Fulham)
£5 treble all draws.

Poor day. A Spencer winner and I saved on Ribchester. Will be avoiding Hugo Palmer's horses for a while. Harry gave the two horses at Uttoxeter smashing rides, both collared late on. He's going to (need to) strengthen up over time. And a late Millwall winner. Plus a scattering of betfair button pushing. Surprised I ended up still in ok shape, just poorer than I was on Friday! Take a break now - probably back Thursday for Goodwood/Sandown.

£1000 Challenge - York Dante day 3

19/5/2017

Rubbish day at York yesterday. I started pressing Betfair buttons whenever Racing UK took me to Perth and Sailsbury. This is usually a prelude to disaster - the sort where I have to go upstairs for a lie-down before coming back downstairs a nicer person. Strangely, though, I kept winning, and on horses thrusting late after I'd given up on them. Mustn't grumble.

Ryan Moore today.
Especially first three rides, Haggas/Stoute/King.

£6 tbl first three rides
3 x £1 four folds with those three and each of the other three runners
£1 accumulator.

Fund £720

£1000 Challenge - York Dante day 2

18/5/2017

Terrific day yesterday. Thought we were going to land the Haggas treble for a minute, but 16/1 and 6/1 (rule4) and the double - mustn't grumble. Also landed the 33/1 O'Meara handicap debutant, for good measure. So the fund may look poor on here, but it's now in a nice wee profit.

Today - let's go for Stoute.
£4 treble with Queen's Trust.
£2 treble with Smart Call.

Plus I can't resist a fling at Havre de Paix £2ew at 66/1.
(And obviously keep the Haggas runner onside)

Fund £730

£1000 Challenge - York Dante - day 1

17/5/2017

Rubbish day Monday.

Yesterday just had the single win on Heskin/George at Southwell.
Which funds today:

£4 Haggas/Moore double
Battered at 6/1
Theydon Bois at 11/2

£2.50 Haggas treble
adding Tasleet at 16/1

£2.50 Moore treble
adding Speed Company at 12/1

£1 Moore six fold. Now that'll do the trick.

Fund £740

£1000 Challenge

15/5/2017

Oh - close on the football, thought I'd landed the prize there.
Still, three doubles and a small treble.

A nice Frankie double on the horses as well.
Just as well I didn't post Saturday - poor day.

Today's tickle
£5 treble
Magic Bullet 3:35 Kempton
Mach One 7:50 Windsor
Delatite 8:30 Towcester

and a £2 Ryan Moore fivefold Windsor and £3 fourfold taking out Vantage Point.

Fund £750

£1000 Challenge - Chester day 3

12/5/2017

Another good day yesterday. Even looked like we might land the Ryan Moore treble - until the gates opened anyway. Still, the two singles and another nice forecast helped the day along.

Sadly, the rains have come and probably scuppered the draw/pace bias.
So a quiet day.

Let's say a £5 treble
Mirage Dancer 5/1
Western Hymn 8/1
Gymnaste 15/8

And a £5 acca on the four first leg football league play-offs being draws.
(Though obviously the mighty Fulham win easily!)

That'll do - no bets this weekend.

Fund £760

£1000 Challenge - Chester day 2

11/5/2017

I had a really good day yesterday playing the old-fashiooned draw bias on fast ground at Chester.

Three out of three forecasts and a nicely permed placepot.
Then Harry Cobden strolled home on our 6/1 shot at 9/4.
Mustn't grumble, though our challenge total lost another tenner!

Today, I'll be doing something similar, but yesterday was the day.

For here:

Ryan Moore treble £4
Frankie Dettori treble £3
Frannie Norton Masham Star and Auntie Pam £2 double and £1 treble adding Poets Society.

Bank £770

£1000 Challenge

10/5/2017

I'll be playing Chester today, juggling a load of old trainer and draw stats.

For here.

Newton Abbot - £5 Cobden/Tizzard double
Gentleman John 10/1
Muffins for Tea 6/1

For Chester - £5 Ryan Moore treble
Alluringly 11/8
Golden Spear 9/1
Whips Na Nae 7/1

Fund £780

£1000 Challenge - day 8

9/5/2017

I like yesterday's bet - two horses in each of two uncompetitive races, in four doubles (and singles). Get the first one, as happened yesterday and you are in good shape to hedge if need be, which I did on the Skelton plunge horse. So a small profit, unlike the challenge.

It also showed me the best way to use this challenge so that it lasts a while!
I'll skip the singles on here and go for the glory.

Today
Harry Cobden £5 double
3:10 Fakenham Trevisiani 7/2
3:40 Fakenham Queen Spud 10/3

The Skeltons £4 treble
2:20 Fos Llas Bostpn de La Roche 3/1
5:45 Exeter Protest 8/1
6:45 Exeter Abricot de L'Oasis 5/2

and a sneaky £1 fivefold...

Fund £790

£1000 Challenge - day 7

8/5/2017

An awful lot of the horses included here this week have drifted to double their odds on betfair pre-race. Almost certainly would have known that had I picked up a form book beforehand!

Which makes me think I should downshift here - stick to the get rich doubles and play the singles as they lie, once the market's properly in motion.

Also, Ballydoyle's Guineas double reminded why I fell out of love with flat racing in the first place...

So, to Stratford...

1:50 Kings Tempest 4/1 and Zipple Back 15/8
3:20 Little Chunk 7/2 and Avispa 7/1
(Greatrex and King).
4 x £2.50 doubles.

Bank after Day 6 - £800

£1000 Challenge - Day 6

7/5/2017

No fun so far! By the end of today the will probably be down to £800. Not sure I'll continue much beyond £700! (Did OK at Uttoxeter, should have included it, wouldn't make that much difference though.)

Three goes at the 1000 Guineas and the perfect mug punter doubles today.

1000 Guineas
Daban £15 at 15/2
Fair Eva £12.50 at 15/2
Talayeb £7.50 at 14/1

And Ryan Moore doubles
a) Mainstream 7/1
b) Somehow 9/4
c) Rhodedendron 6/4
d) De Bruyne Horse 9/2
e) Miss Integrity 7/1
f) Mister Meadow 9/4
15 x £2 doubles
abc £1 treble
abcd £1 fourfold
abcde £1 fivefold
abcdef £2 accumulator.

Positions after Day 5
Out £157
In £27
Bank £870

£1000 Challenge - Day 5

6/5/2017

Another second yesterday. Hopeless.

Today, I will mostly be playing Uttoexter. On reflection I think I'll keep this as a flat challenge, until I change my mind. Which means the Guineas. I like the two drifters this morning.

Al Wukair £15 at 11/2
Eminent £11 at 15/2
a Frankel £1 reverse forecast Eminent and Dream Castle
and a Frankel double
£2 Eminent and Fair Eva (1000 Guineas) - call it 58/1 or higher.

Position after day 4:
Out £127
In £27
Bank £900

£1000 Challenge - Day 4

5/5/2017

Well, a winner yesterday.
(And several horses for whom the market spoke - badly.)
Just need to find some profit form somewhere and we're in business!

On the other hand, should I lose today,
I'll have managed to have blown 10% of the fund in four days.
Could be bankrupt by the Derby!

Today's bet - Alan King.
Chepstow 3:20 War Chief £12 win at 9/4

Position after day 3:
Out £115
In £27
Bank £912

£1000 Challenge - Day 3

4/5/2017

Could be a quick challenge this one! Always nice to get off to a flyer, rather than being gubbed on the line in a photo, as we were yesterday.

Jamie Spencer at Redcar (and Charlie Hills):
2:30 Waitomo £10 at 15/2
3:00 Wonder of Dubai £15 at 7/4
4:30 Gilgamesh £10 at 13/8
£3 treble
4:30 Tai Singh Yah £10 at 5/1
£2 treble

And a small play Bass/Bailey at Towcester:
2:20 Billy Elliott £4 at 11/1
3:20 Champion Chase £9 at 3/1
5:25 You're a Lady £4 at 11/1
£3 treble.

After Day 2:
Out £45
In £0
Bank £955

£1000 Challenge. Day 2

3/5/2017

Always frustrating to start a challenge on a losing day - even a fun one!

Ascot today - Frankie and Gosden and Khalid Abdullah.

Icespire £15 at 11/10
Seven Heavens £10 at 15/2

Running Total after day 1:
Out £20
In £0
Bank £980

£1000 Challenge. Ten minutes a day...

2/5/2017

This page is dead.
And I'm out of love with flat racing.
But I do have a few quid sitting in a couple of betting accounts.
So, let's play a game for the summer.
Or until I get bored. Or whatever.

Let's see how I do
with minimal time to study,
no real form study,
focusing instead on trainers and jockeys.
Small stake doubles and similar.
Keeping it simple.
For fun.

Starting today:

Haggas/Cosgrave at Yarmouth.
Validator £8 win at 3/1
Across Dubai £12 win at 5/4