BORDERS - non essential travel

[Quevega]

Just done a summary on supreme, and I mentioned the potential issue with borders.

If you look at China, and the fact they have no new cases at home, but they are flying in every day.
There's a very good chance that non-essential travel across borders is a long term issue that the Pandemic is going to leave us with.

Countries around the world will all be recovering (hopefully) at different rates, and the last thing to come back to normal I believe will be freedom of movement across borders for Non-essential stuff.

With this in mind, and Bookmakers profits seriously affected (so concessions less likely)

I'd be very wary of betting antepost for next years festival.
Or at the very least, I'd be only betting on UK based horses. Which could be a very big edge if the worse were to happen and it was a UK only festival.

You'd like to think that we would be in a good enough place to at least allow the horses and trainers over (even if not the fans), but it has to be a concern.

Not wanting to be a mardy arse, but just my thoughts as we stand right now.

[Istabraq]

You'd like to think that the current turmoil will have subsided over the next 50 weeks, there will be economic pressure for a return to normality ASAP and that includes worldwide travel but it wouldn't be a huge shock if tighter restrictions (health checks ?) were placed on people travelling.
All for the future.

I'm guilty of leaving of leaving funds in accounts but, and this is something archie touched on the other day, your point re bookmakers having profits seriously affected is a worry and I'd be inclined to withdraw most/all.
The trouble there is any rush on cash withdrawals could accelerate the demise of any bookmaker, you have to make a call.

I had a very large balance in Betfred for around two years until I saw a note on their website saying that funds aren't protected, this came at a time when they were announcing mass shop closure and screaming financial ruin, it was a no brainer to empty that account.
The government appear keen to bail out anyone and everyone but I'd be surprised if bookmakers were at the top of the pile, basic risk assessment tells me to it makes sense to withdraw your funds...

[Quevega]

Yep.
I had well in excess of 5 figures across several accounts and have reduced this to less than 20% of that.
It would be nil if Irish racing wasn’t still on

[Kevloaf]

I always, always withdraw.

It's a little tedious having to deposit every time I want to make a bet, but keeps me disciplined too, as I feel I'd back more if the money just sat 'there'.


Between Brexit and Covid-19, we'll never see an Irish horse again

[Istabraq]

I always left my money in accs because I thought the bookie might be less inclined to restrict/close the account.
I lost so many accounts I was looking at all ways to keep the few I had left and thought if I left everything in there the bookies would think I’d be using the balance to bet with and not withdraw.
I still have two live accounts so maybe it worked, but the current situation is different, if bookies go to the wall so does our money so the priority has to be in getting your hands on those funds...

[mayo]

I think we will know better in two weeks.

[Borisfox]

I think we will know better in two weeks.

I think Isty's "You'd like to think that the current turmoil will have subsided over the next 50 weeks" is a far more realistic assessment.
Kev's comment "Between Brexit and Covid-19, we'll never see an Irish horse again" while not disagreeing - Brexit? that won't be happening - hardly likely that even this government will want trade barriers after this between the UK and anyone else especially Europe.
On the punting front it's most likely we will end up with nothing other than some sort of Tote - we need Bet365 at least to survive to offer a degree of competition but have a nasty feeling that you ante post experts might have your wings severely clipped.
I have cleaned out all of my accounts and would strongly advise all to do the same if you haven't done so already.

[Kevloaf]

It was a joke.

[mayo]

I am not denying this thing but there are definitely different factors at work in Itsly than everywhere else.

https://youtu.be/mNMdg4morQs

Hug a Chinese. Longer incubation than thought and double cheek kissing are a fairly toxic combination.

The Northwick Park stuff is the one that spooks me.

I hope the blogger is fine but according to median incubation date he would only have been sick on Friday if he had it long before the festival.

So yes I do think we will know better in two weeks.

[Middle_Of_March]

I always, always withdraw.

It's a little tedious having to deposit every time I want to make a bet, but keeps me disciplined too, as I feel I'd back more if the money just sat 'there'.


Between Brexit and Covid-19, we'll never see an Irish horse again

I’m the same as you. Always withdraw and then re-deposit.

I tried the theory for 2 months of leaving the money in there vs 2 months of withdrawing and re-depositing and found the former made me bet slightly higher stakes and more of the stupid bets. More footy Canadians and Yankees on first goalscorers and the like. So my scientific research therefore proves that the withdrawal and re-deposit method is best.

[FaugheenTheMachine]

I’ve a few antepost bets on in Hills shops already; it is a worry that those shops won’t reopen basically

[BigChaang]

I’ve a few antepost bets on in Hills shops already; it is a worry that those shops won’t reopen basically

You will be able to collect them Faugheen , from another shop .
if the one you bet in is closed , Just done this on Monday for this years festival bets.

[fitzy78]

You will be able to collect them Faugheen , from another shop .
if the one you bet in is closed , Just done this on Monday for this years festival bets.

I couldn't collect a bet as the shop I done it in was closed so they couldn't phone it through. You just end up arguing with the lazy useless staff!

[FaugheenTheMachine]

You will be able to collect them Faugheen , from another shop .
if the one you bet in is closed , Just done this on Monday for this years festival bets.

The full company is my worry not individual shops! The share price had crashed even before all this really kicked in

[Quevega]

Anyone placing antepost bets needs to be absolutely certain they can afford to lose the money.
Things will not be the same in 11 months time.
It’s obvious.