Setting up this morning, the AK Bets betting shop team had just about recovered from the maelstrom of yesterday. Personnel were slightly changed today, relative novice Daithi had been drafted in to relace the Ryder Cup bound AK. I was under the impression that Kerry Grand National Day was the busiest of the week, but no, I'm told things are only going to get busier so young Daithi was apparently in for a baptism of fire, at least that's what Joe said, several times. Things started fairly steady with punters betting on the dogs and early racing away, the team told me they'd try and call me any interesting bets as and when they could. A chap came to the counter and said that he couldn't understand what my old pal from Cork Donal, mentioned in yesterday's blog says either, and he's a local, so it's not just me. Blow me down if a minute later I bumped into Cork's finest, it's almost as if you mention his name and he appears, it's always nice to see his happy face though.
Ronan brought me up a interesting bet, a €300 double Carrigmoornaspruce in the first at Listowel The Buckley Agri New Holland Irish EBF Mares' Maiden Hurdle if successful going on to Heads Up in the second heat here both at SP. When I went out to have a look around the betting ring, which of course I missed, the first leg of the double was a 4/6 chance. On my return the shop had laid another €250 double the same two horses. So far, the business was noticeably thinner than it had been yesterday as was the crowd outside though of course the first often looks that way. It's outside where I watched the jolly make short work of her rivals and land the first leg of the popular double with some ease at returned odds of 8/13.
It was 13/8 that the punter wielding €2000 had on Live Your Dream in the 4.10 at Newmarket, a listed race so the team were more than happy to lob that one in the hod, or should I say till and hope for the best. Meanwhile, betting got underway on the second heat here, the The Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle where Head's Up was around 8/11 out in the ring where things appeared to have picked up a bit. We had a surprise visit from Niall who used to work for the on-course Power team down here but was just on a visit today, a lovely chap who it's always a pleasure to talk to. I gabbled on a bit too much because before we knew it we realised that the race was off, Niall dashed off to watch it, Head's Up won the race as easily as the previous jolly and returned 8/13, doubles landed. I looking forward to seeing you at Exeter Races in the new year Niall.
At this point my guess was that the shop was losing plus the team were busy paying out, translating bets and taking them so despite my curiosity and job in writing this blog to asked, deemed it prudent to delay the question of how they were doing until a little later. I saw a familiar face from the UK at the counter, my brain for names has gone, sorry but he seemed amused that I had it in his words cushy sitting down on the job in the corner of the betting shop, cheeky bugger. The next home was The Listowel Races Supporters Club Lartigue Handicap Hurdle In Memory Of John Molyneaux the ring bet 4/1 the field so this didn't look quite so easy for those punters who were on the front foot. The race was won by JP McManus' 15/2 chance Last Kingdom beating home another of JP's horses, Puturhandstogether which returned at 13/2. Just as the market got which one wrong it appears, understandably, that the majority of the punters did too. 'It was good for us, it knocked out some multiples' was Joe's breathless too busy to talk really but was good enough to anyway summing up. Good news then.
The part of my brain for names retention let me down again when I was introduced to a man as 'The last independent betting shop bookmaker in Munster' between races. We had a quick chat and he seemed a very nice chap, if you are reading this, it was a pleasure to meet you sir. Next up here was The Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle, as betting got underway Kevin Myles came to say hello, at least I assumed that's what he said as a huge roar went up when Upfordebate the 15/8 favourite at Perth won, that didn't sound good. 'Sounds like every man and his dog was on that' observed Kev, with just a hint of a smile, rascal. Judging by the queues that started to form it appeared that he was right. Meanwhile, five betting shop tills working at pretty much full pelt later, Fast Felix won the fourth race at the home meeting. Aptly named he bolted up rewarding SP backers at 7/1, sorry no fractions in the betting shop.
I asked Tidler how things were looking, he was under the cosh and mentioned something about patience, I got the message but he still flicked up the figure, plus €9500 glowing green. As yesterday with the very strong caveat that there were a shed load of bets yet to settle and be settled. Meanwhile, there was the matter of the 4.10 at Newmarket and the money including £2000 on Live Your Dream, Joe took time out of the grind enough to tell me 'We need this beaten', it must have been serious. Beaten it was, that would surely have turned some of that hypothetical €9500 green into actual, at least I hope so.
Next up here, the race before the penultimate The Behans Horseshoe Bar, Restaurant & Townhouse Handicap Hurdle, 'We got that Newmarket one beat' grinned Tidler and he rushed past me. They must have had it for a nice few quid, an air of busy but quiet optimism ensued, though the cosh had hardly been spared. I had the important job of fetching Cokes, chocolate and vanilla lattes as the bets came rolling in, got them back to the team as the horses were sent on their way and watched the race outside live next to the rails bookies. You didn't have to be the lovechild of Miss Marple and Ironside to work out that the 9/2 favourite Shadow Paddy winning wouldn't have been any good for the majority of our friends in the ring. I asked how we got on in the shop and Ronan just said we'll soon see, a tidal wave of betting slip wielding punters would be bad news, no bugger, better.
The penultimate The Thorn Plant Hire Beginners Steeplechase due to be run at 5.10 was on us before we knew it, OK I'd not been grafting but the busy atmosphere must work the same time flying magic. Spinning Mick came over to say hello, clutching what has over the last two days been an omnipresent lager. Things hadn't been going well, he needed a phone charger but sadly still uses an obsolete phone so couldn't be helped, missed laying a loser at Newmarket and hadn't had a sniff of a winner here. He was still smiling though and appeared to be enjoying his Listowel experience pointing out that AK's betting shop had been so far unlucky with the weather, it hadn't been raining. I imagine the team here thought that was just as well, meanwhile some punters in the vicinity hollered home 1/7 shot away, a winner's a winner I suppose. The business remained steady on the run up to the the off here where Oscars Brother was the 13/8 favourite out in the ring. Once again I watched the race by the rails bookies, it was a good race too, going into the last it looked as if 25/1 chance Hitak might do the layers a favour but it was not to be, he was overhauled by both Oscar's Brother and Mossy Fen Park, the latter getting home first. The winner returned 11/4 so was hopefully better for the shop than the runner-up, but who knows, at this stage, nobody. The running total was still green but at €6800 had dwindled a bit but at this stage of the day was looking on target to be profitable again.
The lucky last, the 5.45 was The Kevin McManus Bookmaker Flat Race and time for a fiver run into the ring by me. I feared the worst, most of the books were busy and the ones that weren't didn't appear to have any to spare. Paul from Tracksports was able to save the day with a carpet's worth, many thanks to them. On my return Ronan came over to me with a tale of two winners. The cheer that I heard for the 1/7 chance was apparently from a punter who'd drawn €450 over a previous bet and had it all on Mukhtalif at Newcastle taking the show price of 1/9 to nick fifty easy quid. Well, they talk about value in this game, he may have taken under the odds but got a lot more excitement for his four and a half than I imagine he anticipated, he did cop, his fancy won by a neck but I bet his ring was twitching as it scrambled home. Value. The next winner wasn't so much fun and a little more costly for AK and his team. A punter was successful with a €50 four horse accumulator which was landed when Mossy Fen Park won the previous race getting the intrepid backer 'The guts of a grand'. Joe topped the double of winner woe into a treble when he reported a successful €660 forecast cop here too, I was wondering how that €6800 green was looking now but thought I better hang about a bit before asking. I don't like to be negative but Mr Pessimistic the 11/4 favourite winning the last here didn't look a good result to me. Certainly not for the on-course books, but the shop may have got away with it, we'd have to see how that particular mop flopped. After some time translating bets there was a guestimate figure but a winning day was assured and it looked as is the final figure was green for around €4000. Aye Aye. The AK Bets Betting Shop team are back tomorrow, it's going to be manic, lovely to me as they are I'm pretty sure they'll be quite pleased I'm not going to be here pestering them.
The lucky last here for the team was my lucky last race for the week and for the foreseeable as far Irish racing goes, which is a shame because I love coming over here. If you've not been, you won't regret making the effort, if you do, wherever you chose look out for the orange and black branding of AK Bets. Thanks for reading, it's been a very enjoyable couple of days at Listowel. incidentally some UK racecourses could learn a lot from the course regarding their superb public wi-fi enjoyed here. One final request, if you enjoy my work please tell your mates and share. Many thanks for reading.
So, that's it, job done, I've got a date with a bus back to Dublin Airport
Simon Nott
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