Up or down?

[Middle_Of_March]

I like to have a Cheltenham/betting break of at least a month after Cheltenham so I'll give some quick immediate thoughts now.

I've had my worst festival in a fair few years despite 8 winners. Benie falling cost me in singles but moreso in the multiples - one of which was an antepost yankee of Altior, Tiger Roll, Paisley Park and Benie Des Dieux. Would've returned a fair chunk of the amount I'm down. Pic D'Orhy was also one of my biggest bets I have placed. Commander of Fleet at 14/1 and Delta Work 16/1 both getting beat was sour too. Particularly with the latter as I'd covered him (so I thought) antepost with Santini at 10/1.


Six questions for you all whilst it's raw:
1) Are you up or down?
Down. Very bad year.


2) What was your highlight racing wise?
Probably Tiger Roll or Altior doing what they did. I stood just past the last for Tiger Roll's win and seeing him powering past me in complete isolation had me a little bit teary. No idea why. Just did.


3) What was your lowlight racing wise?
Sir Erec (RIP) breaking down today was awful. But the lowlight for me was the National Hunt Chase. I thought it was awful. Visibility wasn't great but to have three jockeys done for something that 'is contrary to the welfare of the horse' is not good to see. That, and Ballyward (RIP) sadly taking a fatal fall in the race, means the antis have been handed ammunition in one swoop. I expect the race to be significantly changed for next season or removed. RIP to Invitation Only today too.

4) What was your highlight betting wise? Best race?
It should be the Mares Hurdle. Instead, perhaps surprisingly it's the County Hurdle. Of my three each way pokes, Sternrubin held on for 6th at 33/1 and Ch'tibello won at 12/1.


5) What was your lowlight betting wise?
Benie falling. Has to be. Stunned silence across the stands. Gutting. She was my NAP of the week and on the snaff when coming down. Gutting.


6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?
I wish I hadn't backed a couple of hype horses as I did. With the benefit of hindsight, I went in far too hard on Magic Saint after the comments from connections. That was very disappointing. I also regret not covering Topofthegame at 7/1 when seeing that price for him a while back when having the front two in the market at 16s and 10s. What was I thinking not covering the other of the main three? Stupidity.

[SeanRock]

Up. Best festival profit Iv ever had by a long stretch.

Wednesday was the only day I backed winners, but I had 5 winning singles, a double & an each way treble winner! I’ll never forget that first hour of racing...my two biggest antepost stakes coming in at 33/1 & 28/1! Won’t be getting as involved next year will be more selective on certain races & probably increase stakes.

Just like to say thanks to all the FJ contributors for the great debates, discussion & disagreements on here. It certainly helped me form a better consensus on a lot of races. Plenty of intelligent & informed info was to be had! & to the mods for keeping the peace (on too many occasions)! Hope everyone had a few nice winners & enjoyed the week

[Faugheen_Machine]

Just got home, will put more detail on tomorrow:

1. Up. A healthy profit.

2. Close between Altior and Tiger Roll, love them both even though I didn't have a cent on the first

3. Easily the fatalities.

4. Best result was Sire Du Berlais

5. Had to be presenting Percy, even though I had the winner

6. Not a lot. plenty of bad luck but a few that hung on.

Right, I need to sleep for at least 12 hours!

[Big Chac]

I was a little bit up at the end of the festival but not much. This was my first year of proper ante-post punting so I've learned plenty and will hopefully take these lessons into next year. I invested far too much in CE probably about a 5th of my overall stakes so I went into the festival already struggling. Will probably not invest so much in one horse next year.


1) Are you up or down?
Up, only slightly though


2) What was your highlight racing wise?
It has to be Tiger roll for me, winning on the absolute snaff it was electric.


3) What was your lowlight racing wise?
Sir erec, it was just awful what happened today. He had so much potential and we'll never see what he was capable of. From our sports point of view, for it to happen in the first race live on itv, the red-hot fav, on gold cup day....it couldn't have done us any favours. Gutted for connections as well.

4) What was your highlight betting wise? Best race?
I had a good Tuesday but my Wednesday and thursday wasnt great. In the spud race I tend to wait for the day and back the outsiders so got the winner as 50/1 today, this method also worked well for me last year. Also the grand annual I tend to back horses that have run well in the race from the previous years and backed 4 today with one of them being the winner at 66/1. Both races have been really good to me over the years.


5) What was your lowlight betting wise?
The Ryan air, after getting stuck into min and monalee ante post. Nearer to the race I had some on footpad and road to respect and thought I had the winner. I even included all 3 in multiples on the day. Given frodon's performance from the previous year he probably would have been the last horse I would have backed......not matter how much money I chucked at it, it was never going to end well.


6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?
I wish I hadn't backed anything in the handicaps until the actual day, in the build up you tend to forget how hard they actually are to get right. It was also my first proper year ante-post punting and I really messed up some of the races, I got the stake's all wrong in some of them. Next year il be setting out my points system from the start so hopefully it should go better.

[charlie]

1. Up. Came so close to being up big it kind of feels like down, but can't complain
2. Tiger Roll. I just love that horse
3. Today on course was beyond shite. Rammed, full of idiots and just not enjoyable. Will stick to Tue, Wed and Thu from now on
4. Envoi Allen 33/1, Defi Du Seuil 20/1, Al Boum Photo 20/1, Tiger Roll 5/1 Any race
5. I had a deluge of seconds. Commander of fleet at 75/1 losing to a rank outsider was tough to take
6. L15 every AP multiple so as not to lose legs on NR. Waiting for a horses wellbeing to be declared before second guessing

[Kevloaf]

I'll do thise quickly too before I have a weekend break from you all

1) Are you up or down?
Up +231 pts, second best festival (previous best 2018)



2) What was your highlight racing wise?
Tiger Roll gave me a real buzz, that popped into my head first BUT on a little bit deeper though, the RSA with 'the big 3' all taking the last in contention... at different stages I thought Delta Work, Santini and Topofthegame had it won.... it was a great race, and they'll be big players in next years Gold Cup hopefully.


3) What was your lowlight racing wise?
Triumph. For obvious reasons.

4) What was your highlight betting wise? Best race?
Probably the Martin Pipe to end the week. I've had a number of 1-2-3's through the week (which is not unusual as I have some races well covered) BUT I "only backed 4" in the Martin Pipe, and had the 1-2-3-6 (6th paying top 6) so that was a nice end.


5) What was your lowlight betting wise?
29 pts down in the Albert Bartlett, despite a 40/1 and a 13/1 place!



6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?
Needs more time than I'm willing to give it....
Multiples though... I think. Need to analyse this properly though

[kinloch brae]

Good thread.

Hugely frustrating week although without a very fortunate winner in Roksana, it would have been even worse. Top of the frustration pile was JP. Backed eight of his and no winners.

(1) Started well down, managed to claw a little back, but not enough.

(2) Altior. There is something extra special about a horse who has both class and a massive will to win.

(3) Champion Hurdle. The winner might be good but as a race it was a damp squib.

(4) Not exactly spoilt for choice, it has to be Paisley Park.

(5) Plenty of candidates but Epatante is the obvious one. I really thought she was a potential Champion Hurdle horse. Bubbling under would be Delta Work who didn't jump well and got there too soon. Commander Of Fleet also didn't jump well and ruined any possible winning chance by bungling the second last.

(6) I tell myself every year not to bother with the Supreme. Perhaps one day I will listen. Need to reassess whether it is worth cutting down on the long range ante-post. We have now had two successive soft ground Festivals, is that going to be the norm?

[Don Cossack]

Down but not by a lot fortunately

Tiger Roll for the horse, Paisley Park for the story.

Sir Eric even tho I was on Pentland Hills.

A Plus Tard, the one race I was really confident about. Tricast in the Martin Pipe, nice way to finish the festival even though it was only a small bet.

EW Super Yankee with 2 decent price winners and two fallers at the last fence 8(

Not taking more notice of the replies here when I put up Aramon, if I'd replaced it in my Super with Klassical Dream I'd be up rather than down. Gut feeling it would be a draw in the Prestbury Cup and not acting on it.

[mayo]

Up. Doubled stake money.

Defi de Seuil

Fatalities

Hell’s Kitchen w/o - had it in so many lines

Cashing out too soon cost me a holiday

Not cashed out

[Voy Por Ustedes]

My best ever year - delighted

Paisley Park / Tiger Roll.

Fatalities

City island and band of outlaws on Wednesday & any second now on Thursday.

Epatante, Pic DHory & Meticolus on last leg of separate mulitples done me out of a years salary on each line.

Should have had more on paisley park and tiger roll

[Big Bucks]

Six questions for you all whilst it's raw:
1) Are you up or down?*
Slightly down, first time I can remember not walking away with a profit. May be down to change of tactics, or just alot of unpredictable results! Or something I will touch in the last question, Drink in wit out...


2) What was your highlight racing wise?*
Tiger Roll. What a horse. Followed by Altior, nearly up there with Sprinter Sacre!

3) What was your lowlight racing wise?
Not nice to lose any horses, but we lost some really good ones this year! And who knows how good Sir Erec could have been!

4) What was your highlight betting wise? Best race?
My biggest wins came in the handicaps.SIRE DU BERLAIS, BAND IF OUTLAWS, A PLUS TARD and CHTIBELLO.

Best race would be close between Ryan Air and RSA. Didnt make a penny in either but full of class and superstars. Next year GC winner will come from these, Hopefully Santini!


5) What was your lowlight betting wise?
First day I had a stinker! I really fancied APPLES JADE to do it. Then Benie in the mares just rounded it off!


6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?
Touched on it at the start, do it every year on Gold Cup Day, go overboard with the drink in, if I let my bets roll I probably would of had a small profit. But went in hard on Mahic Saint and Dallas De Pictons and doubled up basically on every other selection of the day! With some of the prices who won it was the hardest day of the week and someone please remind me that next year!

I changed tactics this year, where I joined the party late due to personal reasons, so my ante post portfollio wasnt as stromg as previous years.

Also gutted I underestimated PAISLEY PARK! I just tend to have faith in the Irish!

So open the book early this year, and dont get pissed and go overboard on the friday!

[Old Vic]

Six questions for you all whilst it's raw:

1) Are you up or down?*

Up


2) What was your highlight racing wise?*

JLT

3) What was your lowlight racing wise?

Sir Erec

4) What was your highlight betting wise? Best race?

SIRE DU BERLAIS, DDS



5) What was your lowlight betting wise?

Angels Breath


6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?

Traded more eg OK Corral - had the prices but should have laid out

[somer1]

1.Up by about £300
2.Gotta be Tiger Roll,was never a fan but what a horse.
3.Sir Erec gutted and for the others we lost
4.Gold cup deffo.Had a free £5 on @ 33/1
5.Seeing most of my trixies and multis go down before racing even started
6.Gunna try and not listen to trainers that say "hes well in","best chance of a winner" and the like but i wont!!!

[Innoko]

1/ UP. 82pts invested, 138pts returned. Higher stake and less bets seems to have paid off.

2/ Tiger Roll, absolute superstar.

3/ Sir Erec so very sad.

4/ RSA and Martin Pipe, first three in both.

5/ Having the 2nd,3rd,4th,5th and 6th in the AB and making a loss.

6/ Possibly be a little less hasty with the Cash Out. Envoi Allen the only one which hurt but I think I could of let that one run rather than taking Gordon's word. I did however save myself a fair few pounds by using this option so swings and roundabouts I guess. Also, not jump on the Any Race market so quick. Quite a few didn't even make the track, will wait for entries in future.

[Scooby91]

1) Are you up or down?*
UP a life changing ammount.


2) What was your highlight racing wise?*
Alboum photo, Iv always had huge faith in him, and genuinely believed he wasn't done with in the RSA. Started to get worried about Willie not running him, but Justified my belief and Won the gold cup in some style.

3) What was your lowlight racing wise?
Sir Erec (RIP)


4) What was your highlight betting wise?
ABP. I was always hugely in profit before him. But you start to doubt yourself again going 3 races without a winner. The way he went through the race left me on the edge of my seat. And delighted with the financial return.

5) What was your lowlight betting wise?

Nothing. Iv backed what I believed would win. Regardless of the result. Can never be dissapointed backing your own judgement.


6) Anything you wish you'd done differently?
Not cashed envoi allen when Gordon said he wouldn't run.. Should have just cashed stake only. But that's fine. Same for vinndication even though it wouldn't have returned anything id have liked him ew at that price