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Saturday 19th July 2025

Y

yorick

Journeyman
Joined
Mar 2, 2018
Messages
1,573
I thought I'd write something here more to share my grumpiness, in the hope that publication will provide some relief to my horseracing woes, or at least, discomfort.

Do you know, it's just as well I've cut down on my betting activity over the last couple of months because, believe you me, if I hadn't I'd have lost too much money for comfort. Don't get me wrong, You know I bet small anyway but, in relation to that, I'm in a horse-backing purgatory, let me assure you.

To be fair, many of the horse compiled in my, by now, substantial portfolio, have yet to run or, at least have run only once so I can hope that things will improve. As a committed Palace fan of many years, I can also assure you that it's the hope that kills you.

So, I publish today's woeful collection but, as becomes the norm during such times, I do so fully expecting them to add to the pile of bones that constitutes my season so far. If just one were to win, I'd be cock-a-hoop; dancing in the aisles, so to speak.

So, check out this sorry show, if you will lol:

Ceanndana - Market Rasen 3.12 12/1 Ew

I think this one is lurking ominously at the foot of the weights and I feel that there are hints that he may be well handicapped. Certainly the booking of Jordan Gainford, who crosses the sea for his only ride of the day, does burnish my hopes somewhat. Watch him come down at the first lol.

Giovanni Change - Market Rasen 5.10 15/2

This, on some form lines, looks to be quite competitive off his current mark, in my opinion.

2 x Ew singles
Ew Double


A couple more:

Bhaloo - Market Rasen 3.12.

The profile of his form does look good and his price is excellent but I'm not sure Mr Henderson is in the best of form. However, the price is too tempting so I make him my second Ew in the race.

Spring Bloom - Newmarket 7.05 9/1
This may be a run too soon but, as you say, Outsider, he loves the course and isn't far off, I'd say.

2 x Ew Singles
Ew Double

Good luck with whatever you do today.
 
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Don’t give up, things will change in time. Maybe you are saving your luck up for one day, when they all go in and you win big 😁
 
I'm kind of in the same boat this season, Yorick, though I know why and have reduced stakes to around 25%.

Racing 2023 made around 50K. I think I looked at just 1 replay between late May and late Sept. Just old-school intense form study looking for trends with older horses. Only looked at 4yo+ class 4, 3 and 2 HCPs (Mid July started lookign at 3yo+ too) on good ground or faster. Kept the workload down, had a good few months. A cafe caught my eye (actually a condemned shack in the rainforest overlooking a park area). Took that on using profits and set to work between Oct and May making it look very nice for customers. Behind the scenes had to then fork out for all new kitchen equipment. Opened may 2024.

Racing 2024, I didn't have time to study, so took notes using the same races as above. Made around 50K again (which covered the new equipment etc). Only very brief study, as in, ground and CD look OK for noted runner. Losing runs were longer, but the prices were bigger. I'd actually have been much better off just backing them blindly NTO, rather than trying to pick and choose, which was frustrating quite a few times.

This year I thought I'd follow the same method as last year, but I feel burnt out already. Season started well, then up and down, now could do with a win to get back on track. I'll never make much this year, as put less to oneside for betting (fortunatley). I guess things might take a upward surge, you never know.

Now my 11am - 5pm Coffee shop/ice cream parlor is about to become a restaurant on a few evenings per week. So I'm flat out again. The whole thing was a bit of a silly idea at my age, I was happy in early retirement to some extent. Coffee, cakes and ice cream, with all the compliments is great and not to tiring, but this restaurant thing, maybe not so wise. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, don't pay too much attention to my thoughts and reviews on the racing. I'm having fingers crossed small stake punts this year (and next). 2027 I'll be able to focus on the racing a lot more again, as I'll be handing over the reigns or sellign up, as by then my knees will be creakign a bit too much to continue.

I think you and Outsider might be smiling at 7:07.
 
Wow, DB, that's a wonderful tale of enterprise. Really good.

Thanks for the input, mate.

I'd like to think I'll be smiling before 7pm, mind.

Fat chance ha.
 
yorick said:
I'd like to think I'll be smiling before 7pm, mind.
Click to expand...
I hope so, but I haven't a clue when it comes to jumps. Hard to imagine SB running a bad one over the CD off 73 with a 7lb claimer.
A stone swing with Another Abbott for 3.5L and was a bit short of room.

All this rain at Ripon has me doubtful that it's going to be Roundhay Parks grand finale in the last.
 
Good runs from both mine in the Summer Plate there. Bhaloo gave a game old show and I think Ceanndara was running a fierce old race before a mistake at the last down the far side. I'll be keeping my eye on that one.
 
Dingo Bingo said:
I'm kind of in the same boat this season, Yorick, though I know why and have reduced stakes to around 25%.

Racing 2023 made around 50K. I think I looked at just 1 replay between late May and late Sept. Just old-school intense form study looking for trends with older horses. Only looked at 4yo+ class 4, 3 and 2 HCPs (Mid July started lookign at 3yo+ too) on good ground or faster. Kept the workload down, had a good few months. A cafe caught my eye (actually a condemned shack in the rainforest overlooking a park area). Took that on using profits and set to work between Oct and May making it look very nice for customers. Behind the scenes had to then fork out for all new kitchen equipment. Opened may 2024.

Racing 2024, I didn't have time to study, so took notes using the same races as above. Made around 50K again (which covered the new equipment etc). Only very brief study, as in, ground and CD look OK for noted runner. Losing runs were longer, but the prices were bigger. I'd actually have been much better off just backing them blindly NTO, rather than trying to pick and choose, which was frustrating quite a few times.

This year I thought I'd follow the same method as last year, but I feel burnt out already. Season started well, then up and down, now could do with a win to get back on track. I'll never make much this year, as put less to oneside for betting (fortunatley). I guess things might take a upward surge, you never know.

Now my 11am - 5pm Coffee shop/ice cream parlor is about to become a restaurant on a few evenings per week. So I'm flat out again. The whole thing was a bit of a silly idea at my age, I was happy in early retirement to some extent. Coffee, cakes and ice cream, with all the compliments is great and not to tiring, but this restaurant thing, maybe not so wise. Time will tell.

Meanwhile, don't pay too much attention to my thoughts and reviews on the racing. I'm having fingers crossed small stake punts this year (and next). 2027 I'll be able to focus on the racing a lot more again, as I'll be handing over the reigns or sellign up, as by then my knees will be creakign a bit too much to continue.

I think you and Outsider might be smiling at 7:07.
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking you must of changed your staking strategy from years gone by if I recall you used to punt 5% of your bankroll per bet didn't you. I always thought that extremely high but then your strike rate was obviously high enough to cope.

I'm taking it it's a much different approach these days ?

Either way congrats on Roundhay park.
 
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Dingo Bingo said:
I hope so, but I haven't a clue when it comes to jumps. Hard to imagine SB running a bad one over the CD off 73 with a 7lb claimer.
A stone swing with Another Abbott for 3.5L and was a bit short of room.

All this rain at Ripon has me doubtful that it's going to be Roundhay Parks grand finale in the last.
Click to expand...
You needn’t have worried, Roundhay Park (a place I’ve spent plenty of time in) gets the send off he deserves. Well done.
 
Nice EW double and singles, Yorick. Well done.

I didn't know Rounday Park was actually a place, Mr W. Just looked online, it looks stunning.

Danny, I did stake 5%, you're right. I still do (more or less). I have always had these psychological barriers with staking though. It's also strange that it seems to have always been in even numbers. Years ago (in the 90's), I'd set 1000 to one side, that's in theory as I was broke at the start of each year. I probably had 300 or something, but I'd stake like i had a grand and hope some wins would get me there. So 50 minimum stake. Once I got beyond 4K, I felt very uncomfortable staking more than 200. I'd then go and party like a lunatic, having endured some time of scraping by. Once I was down to my last 500, I'd get back to it. That went on for a few years, young and daft (in my early 20's), seeing friends at Uni partying every weekend and midweek, I just could resist joining in. If only I'd knuckled down. It seemed a lot easier back then too, so was always another day or next year to 'get it together'. Don't know if my mind was fresher/sharper, or the rewards were better back then for putting the hours in.

Once friends all got jobs, most moving away, I started with 100 minimum and took things a little more seriously, not really dipping in unless I needed to. I also got more serious work in Pub management, but still found time for the racing, placing less bets but no stress as always had a wage. I hit a new staking barrier in my mind which was 400, for some reason I was fine at 400, but would question myself putting 500 on, I felt really uneasy.

Moved to Australia, had to leave racing for a little while. My Mum would post Raceform to me, I even got her to set up a little server, so she could record the racing onto DVD (which she'd also post), but upload them to her computer, then I would log in and download the videos. used to take hours, as i think they were coming through at 16kb. Raceform would arrive on average a month after publication, had been 2 weeks, but Raceform started putting glossy advertising slips inside, which then had customs setting them to one side for inspection. Was basically a no go for a while.

I then set up an Air Conditioning business, and with a bit of bribery, became fully booked for 6 months of the year (Sept - Feb), which fitted in nicely with the UK flat racing when the whole online thing became possible. After 6 years of Air Conditioning, I went back to the horses.

I posted what's happened since earlier, but I still have this thing about going over 800 quid. 750, fine, 800, fine, 900 - 1000, very on edge. So yeah, Danny, last couple of years bouncing up to 50K, didn't see me trying to get 2.5K on a 10/1 shot. I felt fine with 800 going on though. Maybe nothing's really changed when you factor in inflation. I'm not spending it on partying anymore, but still spend it, just a bit more wisely (sometimes).
My aim this year has been (if I end up beefing the betting money up), is to treat myself to a 1973 E-Type Roadster. So yeah, not a lot has changed has it.

My life summed up in about 9 paragraphs. Hardly legendry, but it's been fun so far.
 
Always appreciated you honest no bullshit approach back then mate as said before glad you're back around always a great read your posts.
 
Robicheaux said:
Used to live in Harehills. Naturally we didn't pay for them. Climbed over the fences. Lax security in them days 🤣
Click to expand...
Me too!! Stones concert walked round & saw there was a fence not fully secured Canal Gardens way. Police + dog patrolling so I said to Mrs when I say go just go though the fence as I push it, I'll be right behind you. "Go" & she did as she was told till we got to fence as I was moving it for her to squeeze through. "Oy" said the cop, she stopped & said "err, err" but a good kick & she was through:thumbsup:

(Lived Harehills myself, Ellers Road)
 

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