Bank or Tank?

Grasshopper

Grasshopper

Senior Jockey
Joined
Nov 14, 2006
Messages
16,050
There appears to be quite a bit of action on the "action" threads, with a few of the horse-heads knocking in winners, and Slim showing his expertise in some of the more opaque Winter Olympic sports (distaff ice-skating appearing to be something of a speciality - always had my suspicions about that boy :ninja:).

Anyway, it got me to thinking.

Apart from some faff-about bets on the Arrers and F1 (and a handful on the horses last weekend), I've pretty-much shut-up shop until the Festival. I'll have a look at the handicaps over the weekend, and have a few tilts in those, but otherwise, I'm done with my ante-post book and ready for battle.

Thereafter, the next time I have a bet on a horse is likely to be in the Imperial Cup. I never try and 'build a tank' in the 2-3 week run-up to the Festival, as it pretty-much takes care of itself (a resounding victory for luck over judgment in all matters), but was wondering how others approached it.

Are you already tooled-up for the skirmish* or are you actively compiling a war-chest?

* I know you can never have too much gold for the Festival, but you know what I mean
 
Last edited:
I think you can overplan betting. I would never go into a festival thinking "i will bet this amount"

I will be at kempton tomorrow for a good card and may have two bets and may have five. Much as i love cheltenham if the sort of bet i want isnt on offer ill happily just watch. Its served me well over past few years

dont bet much anyway frankly. its not that important
 
Last edited:
I don't worry about the festival. There are opportunities every week of the year not just the second week of March.
 
Fully tooled up here and nothing I like more than punting cash with the Fez bookies

Whoever says a 5/1 winner at Market Rasen is the same as a 5/1 Cheltenham winner is clearly mental :lol:

My only concession is some of the high st offers are too good, so a little cash gets diverted that way early doors

 
SlimChance said:
I don't worry about the festival. There are opportunities every week of the year not just the second week of March.
Click to expand...

Consciously, I tell myself the better horses have, in the main, been put away, and I don't bet in lower class races.

Sub-consciously, I suspect I don't want to 'burn my luck' beforehand.

I go with a set amount of cash, clivex.....a notional figure in folding a day, which I ordinarily expect to complement over the course of the four days. But the online accounts are loaded, and ooen to reloading too......as well as withdrawal.

It all depends.

I agree, you need to be flexible. I was just interested to know what people did during this traditional 'build a tank' window, because I don't really do it myself. I try to build my tank between October and February, and basically stop at the point that some others are really starting in earnest.
 
I get more excited about finding a bet others won't than backing a winner at Cheltenham. I've not had any bets at the festival except having Sirene DAinay (mares hurdle) in loads of e/w accas. If she places then it will be a good Cheltenham for me.
 
Grasshopper and Slim. Seeing as you both seem to be on the same thread at the same time, tell us whats the story behind the doppelganger signatures?
 
I'm tooled up. My ante-post book is pretty complete now with the exception of the odd topping up, like Grassy I tend to build it during the winter but this time of year you may as well take a point under the current odds on the day than back something now.

As a consequence of a large part of my book being with Victor Chandler I'll also have a few free bets during the week.

I can understand Slim's viewpoint but I never bother with lower grade stuff over the sticks and so the Festival is critical for my P/L figure.
 
I just let my betting accounts build up over time so that when punting goes into overdrive, eg at Cheltenham or Aintree, I don't have to worry about it.

I wouldn't want to have to rely on my festival punts for my betting survival but I generally come out ahead because the cream does rise but I have built up decent tanks with a number of bookies that allow me to pay for holidays like the one I've just had and other extravagances.

I tend not to bet any more per horse at the festivals than on Saturdays but I'm more likely to back more than one in a race so outgoing on any one day can be pretty substantial.
 
Double Handful said:
Grasshopper and Slim. Seeing as you both seem to be on the same thread at the same time, tell us whats the story behind the doppelganger signatures?
Click to expand...

SlimChance said:
http://www.talkinghorses.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?p=548783&highlight=buried+price+year#post548783
Click to expand...

Cheers. Good read. You lads certainly don't mess around with some of the figures being mentioned along the thread there!

So when Norris lost the final 2 days later was that a good or a bad thing or irrelevant at that point?
 
Double Handful said:
Cheers. Good read. You lads certainly don't mess around with some of the figures being mentioned along the thread there!

So when Norris lost the final 2 days later was that a good or a bad thing or irrelevant at that point?
Click to expand...

I'd have won a grand had he won which I'd have appreciated given my run at the time. Anyway I don't dwell on past glories/failures. You've got to keep spinning up your tank whether it be big or small.

.
 
Last edited:
Won't be having a bet from now until the Festival, got the war chest for each day like you say Grasshopper and have the online accounts at the ready too.

Can't fecking wait
 
Last edited:
I don't bet during the week and have a few interest bets for fun to keep my hand in most w/ends. Don't seem to do to badly and scrape a profit.
The last time I really 'had a go' was Champions Day at Ascot and did very well.
As far as I am concerned the NH racing to date has just been used to gather info for Chelters .
My 45 years of betting knowledge-and that given to me by my Dad and Grandpa re the key races and pattern have been a Goldmine .
I will top my bets up to cover all angles as there's still value to be had e/w multis. I love betting and winning at it-it's in my blood
 
Last edited:
Probably little or no more ante post for me either but will keep a close eye on the markets just in case. With the way the fez is priced up nowadays finding value seems to be quite hard work.

I do wonder if I have enough on the Fly however.

Built up my bank for the fez by farming summer jumps last year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
viking said:
With the way the fez is priced up nowadays finding value seems to be quite hard work.
Click to expand...

I believe the opposite to be true. On the mornings of Cheltenham bookmakers will be betting to the Betfair line and offering extra places. If you can get on you can make money with out knowing one horse from the other.
 
the fez is great for value. bookies fight hard for your business and have plenty of offers (admittedly to low stakes for big punters) on the go leading up to and throughout the week.

i always tend to have a mix of antepost and 'day if the race' betting. id say i stake slightly more overall on antepost.
 
Only if you've selected the extended placed horses. I've not backed a horse simply on value unless I think it can out perform it's odds. Form vs. Betting formulas.
 
Just some examples of the value available on the opening day of Cheltenham 2013

1.30 Champagne Fever 5/1
12 horses ran. William Hill paid the first 5 places from the 5 day stage. They done their brains on the race. Champagne Fever was sent off 2.12 and Jezki was 2.1 to finish in the first 3. This was an insane offer that will NEVER be repeated.

2.05 Simonsig 8/15
Only 7 ran. Smart punters took the 3 places e/w in the weeks leading up to the race. Avrika Ligeonniere for example was 2.92 to finish in the first two on the day but was 8/1 1/4 1,2,3 in the week leading up to the race.

2.40 Golden Chieftain 28/1
5 places on offer here with most books. The winner was 33/1 in the morning.

3.20 Hurricane Fly 13/8
The winner was available at 2/1 and 15/8 in the morning for as much as you liked and Paddy Power refunded all losers up to £100 because HF won

4.40 Quevega 8/11
More bad e/w although the thieves got badly burnt here. The second and third were 9.17 and 7.73 to place at the off. Ante post e/w gamble Kentford Grey Lady 12/1 (3.0 to place) could only finish 7th while 11/2 shot Une Artiste (2.07 to place) caused punters a lot of pain by finishing 9th
 
Grasshopper said:
Consciously, I tell myself the better horses have, in the main, been put away, and I don't bet in lower class races.

Sub-consciously, I suspect I don't want to 'burn my luck' beforehand.

I go with a set amount of cash, clivex.....a notional figure in folding a day, which I ordinarily expect to complement over the course of the four days. But the online accounts are loaded, and ooen to reloading too......as well as withdrawal.

It all depends.

I agree, you need to be flexible. I was just interested to know what people did during this traditional 'build a tank' window, because I don't really do it myself. I try to build my tank between October and February, and basically stop at the point that some others are really starting in earnest.
Click to expand...

Perhaps because of where I live, I go jumping to good fixtures 4/5 times a month
 
Back
Top