Scattergun Saturday - phew

I tend to adopt a scattergun approach to my Saturday betting, with a focus on the ITV races, where the best bookies' offers also tend to be. Although this may reduce the chances of getting restricted (see yesterday's post), it can be expensive if the shots fired miss their target. Yesterday proved to be a close run thing.

My horse racing bets were as follows-

Doncaster 

12.55 Lemon T

1.30 Est Iilic and Eldorado Allen

2.05 Irish Roe

2.40 Fern Hill and Pats Fancy

3.15 Aye Right

3.50 Who's In the Box - (non runner)

Lingfield

1.10 Give 'Em the Slip

Fairyhouse

1.58 Castra Vetera (meeting abandoned).

Give 'Em the Slip ran with promise and just ran out of steam having looked the likely winner 2 furlongs out. In her only previous run at Newmarket back in the summer she came 2nd in a 9-runner race, and all the other runners in that race (except the 3rd) have won since. She is well capable of winning before long, and will be tracked for her next 3 outings.

Aye Right ran really well and may have won had his jockey not dropped his whip before the 3rd last. He tries in every race he runs, which unfortunately means his weight gets raised even though he has not won. If entered I think he has a fair chance in the Grand National.

So as of 4pm yesterday it was 7 losers, 1 small each way return and 2 non-runners. I decided to go for a walk, listening to Big Sam's West Brom v Fulham on the radio and watch the remaining race I'd fired at on catch up.

My football bets were all with Bet365 (the Pinnacle odds are in brackets) and as follows-

Draw W/Brom/Fulham at 3.25 (3.28)

Draw Arsenal/Man Utd at 3.52 (3.47)

Aston Villa to beat Southampton at 2.4 (2.36)

I like backing the draw in Premiership games, where the teams are evenly matched. Most punters back teams to win so the draw can be overpriced. I am most tempted when you can beat the Pinnacle price. With no crowds I think the may also be slightly more chance of a draw. Teams seem happier to settle for one without the pressure of the supporters urging them on.

Villa to beat Southampton was an exception because Pinnacle were long on Southampton and the draw.

Amazingly all 3 football bets came in - albeit the Villa win was lucky. I then settled down to watch the replay of the 4.05 at Lingfield, where I had backed a 'tracker' horse Vina Bay at 5/1. I oy oooyed him home for a cosy victory and then found he had returned at SP 10/1. Fortunately it was a best odds guaranteed wager and a small profit was made on the day - phew.

Incidentally Vina Bay won with a bit in hand, having been held up and hampered. Provided the handicapper is not too harsh he could well win at least once more. He stays in the tracker for 2 more races.