29jan11 great last day event

Feel sorry for all you not in the fantastic 'on the win line' box that we got for the day on Saturday.

Well done Kevin Dighton for sorting this out and helping to keep the costs down for us all. I think most of us there want this to be a regular thing - we'll see.

A month off from admin for me so watch out for details of the next comp coming out from Vince (recruitment and credit control) probably looking at an early March start to end on Derby Day.

We will be doing a bit of a rule review during the closed season around things like Irish racing, last day bets, and reserve selections after late non runners.

#27 comp stats

3599 bets 754 forced losers so taking them out 2845 bets with a loss to a level stake of 333.91 which is pretty good considering how many of us have been picking ridiculous long shots at the end.

Total of 579 winners from those 2845 bets

Best win % Stuart Bentham with 34 winners 55% but still not good enough for him to cash in the plate he finished on the bubble - too many 3 point winners. Stuart also had the best 'in the first 4' % at 86% only 8 of his selections didn't finish in the first 4.

29jan11 its over

That's it folks we are done and congratulations to Pete Long - just 2 winners on the final day, Mark Orlando 8-1 and Helen Gillies 5-1 which won her an extra GBP100 by lifting her above Vernon Tremble into 3rd place.

Plate finished as in yesterday's blog and the top 13 in the main comp (all those who finished up) are as below:


1ST 1300 Pete Long +95.22
2ND 500 Dave Fifield +38.75 -56.47 back
3RD 300 Helen Gillies +33.98 -61.24
4TH 200 Vernon Tremble +31.83 -63.39
5TH 150 Vince Paige +19.09 -76.13
6TH 100 James Foley +18.34 -76.88
7TH 50 Martin Long +14.81 -80.41
**********END OF CASH*********
8TH Stuart Bentham +7.27 -87.95
9TH Howard Kelly +4.20 -91.02
10TH Rod Brown +3.72 -91.50
11TH Kevin Wood +3.68 -91.54
12TH Geoff Dighton +3.16 -92.06
13TH Steve Walton +1.83 -93.39

Top 19 with 1 to go

With one bet to go the latrest standings are below. This is a list of all players who can reach the last cash position with a 20-1 winner:

Pete Long +96.22 - GBP1300
Dave Fifield +39.75 - GBP500
Vernon Tremble +32.83 - GBP300
Helen Gillies +28.98 - GBP200
Vince Paige +20.09 - GBP150
James Foley +19.34 - GBP100
Martin Long +15.81 - GBP50
Stuart Bentham +8.27
Howard Kelly +5.20
Rod Brown +4.72
Kevin Wood +4.68
Geoff Dighton +4.16
Steve Walton +2.83
Justin Sercombe-1.33
Joanne Hutson -1.75
Pat Quinn Snr -2.25
Andy Quinn -2.77
Craig Connolly -4.25
Roger Dore -4.50

28jan11 and then there was 1

Only 2 winners again today Dave Fifield and Jimmy McGarrity, i suppose the only significance of those winners was that Vernon Tremble in 3rd now needs a 7-1 winner to overtake Dave Fifield rather than a 5-1 winner if Dave's had missed.

Plate is settled except for the finishing order for 3rd and 4th but as the prize for those places are the same all that is left is pride
1st Justin Sercombe 223 wins GBP150
2nd Rod Brown 200 wins GBP100
3rd or 4th Kevin Wood 178 GBP50
3rd or 4th Martin Long 173 GBP50

27jan11 too two go!

Only 2 winners and nothing of note affecting the leaders Helen Gillies 1-2 winner made little difference

All player who are positive are:- (1 or 2 indicates number of bets remaining)


Pete Long 1 +96.22
Dave Fifield 2 +38.50
Vernon Tremble 2 +33.83
Helen Gillies 2 +29.98
James Foley 2 +20.34
Vince Paige 1 +20.09
Martin Long 2 +16.81
Stuart Bentham 1 +8.27
Howard Kelly 2 +6.20
Rod Brown 2 +5.72
Kevin Wood 2 +5.68
Geoff Dighton 2 +5.16
Steve Walton 2 +3.83

26jan11 three again

Just 3 winners again today (and only 4 yesterday). Todays winners were Joanne Hutson, Pat Quinn Snr. and Stuart Bentham - yes Martin Long missed today, maybe he just does quite get the trip and is starting to fade but he remains in the cash in both competitions.

Exciting round at the Steve Walton/Joanne Hutson house - no not that!! but after her winner today there is only 8p between them on level bets, I did suggest when we were all at Kempton 10 days ago that they should have who drives back from Cheltenham riding on it or maybe a years worth of washing up!

Finally just to confirm for those still wondering Kevin Dighton can no longer make the cash in the plate. But better news for him and his fans mathematically he still can make the cash in the next comp.

24jan11 treble

Only 3 winners again Howard Kelly 2-1, Martin Long 2-1, and Steve Walton 17-2 from a total of 53 bets

Martin Long's winner was the only one among the top 5 in the plate so really consolidated his cash spot there and brought him closer to the three more valuable spots above him in the main comp - this guy hasn't finished his beautifully timed finishing run yet, 13 winners from the last 18 runners.

Howard Kelly's winner lifts him to 8th and on the "bubble" less than 9.00 behind Martin Long in 7th.

Steve Walton's winner the best of the day lifted him to 13th still a way off cash but +2.33 another player who has finished well after being bottom for most of the first half.

5 to go

23jan11 six to go

Very quiet with only 11 winners over the past three days from 163 bets!!

Of note is Helen Gillies' 8-1 winner today, to place her in a very strong 4th place 7.39 clear of Vince Paige so she is looking good for 200.00 and not out of the running for catching those above her. Martin Long had 2 of those 11 winners to continue his great run, and he now sits in the cash in both comps.

In the plate 1st thru 3rd are looking pretty fixed unless something dramatic happens but all to play for for the last spot between Martin Long, Stuart Bentham, & James Foley, who are only separated by 2 points though Martin has 2 bets in hand.

Just a little reminder that the last bet must be at Cheltenham on Saturday so those who are not yet dormy will need to use up their spare days this week.

Excel has been sent

20jan11 and again

Just 4 winners again today from 53 bets. Same old, same old, the 4 were Martin Long, Justin Sercombe, Stuart Bentham, and Helen Gillies. Of most significance was Helen Gillies who moved from 6th to 4th above both Vince Paige and James Foley with her 6-4 winner. Martin Long continued his inexorable progress and now sits just 26p from the cash in the main comp and 10 points with 3 bets in hand away from cash in the plate.

19jan11 tough

Only 4 winners from 55 bets and the best priced was 11-8. Winners were Stuart Bentham, Rod Brown, Martin Long, and Jimmy McGarrity. A clear sign of the rest of us are all deserately picking outsiders in a attempt to fluke a big winner (a technique now known as a "Pete") and them all running to their form.

Justin Sercombe now only 17 points ahead of Rod Brown and Rod has 3 bets in hand so, as Vince Paige pointed out earlier today, calling that yesterday may have been a bit premature.

Some have been asking about the advertising I have permitted onto this blog - I have created an account for us so this can be monetorised if anyone clicks on these links we earn cash so far we have amassed 50p!

18jan11 3000!!

that's the 3000th bet passed today and with 544 winners between us that's 18% - take out the 511 forced losers so far and that rises to over 25% - not bad.

This is ridiculous Peter Long is among the 9 winners again today to go 58.72 clear and over 100 up (best ever is Lee Constable +118), please don't let him get that as well!

Dave F. +44.50 and clear 2nd with Vernon +37.83 clear 3rd - but much tighter after that. Martin Long (yes Pete's brother) is putting in a fine effort in the past 21 bets has had 13 winners, since going dormy in fact, and sits on +9.32 only now 5.16 away from cash.

Can't see past Justin Sercombe for 1st in the plate and Rod Brown for 2nd a bit of a scrabble for the minor prizes

17jan11 piles it on

5 winners today including 11-2 for Peter Long so he piles on the pain and I'm sure he will hardly mention it at Cheltenham next week humble, gracious, reserved, magnanamous in victory all spring to mind - mainly because they will be completely absent from our box!

I'm not expecting anything over the top a few TV cameras, smattering of press and a short 10 minute acceptance speech that will probably bring a lump to our throats.

Certainly going to change the value of our tickets for the box - anyone want mine for a tenner!

Other stuff happened today as well - but no time to write about it I need to get the instructions done for Kevin Dighton so he can practise the presentation ceremony.

16jan11 kerpow!

A tough weekend only two winners Saturday from 55 bets (Rod Brown & Steve Walton) and then the Sunday bombshell of Pete Long's 66-1 winner. Followed by the personal disaster of seeing Kevin Dighton zoom past me after he hits a 25-1 winner.

So we either are playing for the 2nd prize of 500.00 (not to be sniffed at) or everyone lower down than 6th needs a 100-1 winner at least and more than half the field would still not go top even with a 100-1 winner :-(

Plate sees Justin Sercombe reach 200 points and is 21 clear of Rod Brown who has 3 bets in hand - Rod's nice 10 point winner on Saturday certainly helped his cause.

Excel sent out - just 2 weeks left

13jan11 two big ones

A couple of very nice winners today among the rather light number today only 6 from 54 bets. Craig with a 22-1 shot that rocketed him up the table to 8th and 'on the bubble' only 2.95 behind cash. Andy Q. also popped in with a 20-1 shot he was nuch further off the lead - you know down in the Kevin Dighton area :-) so he only moves into the top half.

Lead is now back with Dave F. who moves 92p ahead of Vernon but he has had 3 less bets so probably advantage Vernon still. Pete L. keeps near missing with 3 2nd places in a row! still its keeping Vince & I amused

In the plate Rod now has only 3 bets in hand but is still 27 points behind despite recording two winners in the last two days to nil from Justin, the plain fact is that 3 point winners are not good enough.

Need to give a mention to Stuart B. fab performance 50 bets so far 92% in the frame that's only 4 that have missed and 29 winners. Goes to show the quality at the top though, he doesn't sit in a cash position in either table.

11jan11 tight

54 bets 7 winners plenty of short winners in those but many of them of some signifcance none the less.

1. Dave F. 8-11 takes him to within 33p of the leader.
2. Rod B. 2-5 takes him 2nd in the plate.
3. Justin 2-5 his 25th winner and maybe the the one that secures the plate now 35 points clear.
4. Howard 6-5 moves him from 10th to 7th and in the money.
5. Martin L. 2-5 keeps alive his faint last minute rally to capture a cash place in the plate.

10jan11 I'm back

By popular demand - well Vince actually

After a tough weekend of only 9 winners from 106 bets today saw a little bit of an improvement, recording 8 winners from 53. Best was Neil with 10-1 winner after that the rest were either 4-1 or worse. Leader Vernon popped in a 2-1 winner to recreate the small gap between himself and Dave F. who has been sitting out and allowing Vernon to drift back towards him.

Plate sees Justin in a very strong position 34 points clear of Kevin W. in 2nd. The slight worry for him is Rod, a good late finisher in the plate, who has 4 bets in hand and is 35 points behind in 3rd, so not quite out of it especially with 10 point winners in play now.

05jan10 busy day

Lots of winners today 13 winners from 55 bets including 16 forced losers. Mostly short priced but a couple of 7-1 winners one was for Joanne which pushed her back into the cash in 7th. The best winner was 10-1 for Roger D. who brought up a treble to go +11.75 and into 9th place.

In the plate Justin has continued to forge ahead while Kevin W. sits out and is now on 176 points v 157 and still with one bet in hand.

A final bit of info from the holiday period where I took a bit of a break from this blog was to report the longest price horse ever selected and that was 250-1 for Pat Quinn Jnr and it finished 3rd, unlucky. Remember however that the maximum price rule applies for the first 40 bets of 33-1 - that rule will effectively ends on Sunday this week.

RULE CLARIFICATION 04jan11

A very difficult issue has arisen, because we have had so much bad weather and so many cancelled meetings with completely blank days, loads of players have with a month to go gone dormy. There are always a few that drop out a bit early for whatever reason but this time we have over 50% already in this position.

So recently one or two players have been sending in, in a single text message, a main nap with a follow on selection in case their first selection is a non-runner.

Clearly we have not had this situation before and so we don't have a precedent or rule to cover this circumstance.

The general principal that we have always adopted is that we can't change the rules half way through a competition everyone who enters must know the rules before they start. So as this circumstance complies with all the current rules and to make sure we are sticking with our main principle of 'not making up new rules as we go along' we have, in principal, to accept this is valid and that in general a reserve submitted in this manner should count as a valid selection should the first selection be a non-runner.

However the rules do say that 'in the event of a non-runner any replacement nap must be submitted before the 1.30pm cut off' and so on that basis if the first nap selected is still scheduled to run at the 1.30 cut off it would not have been possible to submit a replacement and so our interpretation is that it is therefore not possible to submit a reserve and comply with this rule.

So if the first selection is declared to run at the 1.30 cut off and subsequently fails to run (e.g. withdrawn at the post) then the reserve selection cannot be valid and will not count.

Clearly this interpretation needs to be communicated to everyone so we have and maintain a level playing field for all so I will be sending out a text to summarise all this.

Please note that we intend to (subject to final approval) introduce a new rule ready for the next competition making it clear that in future a second selection will only be a valid nap if it is submitted in the period after the first selection has been declared a non-runner and before 1.30pm.

Hope everyone understands, it is probable that the above interpretation is what we really meant but as it doesn't actually say that we think this solution is fairest for all and will allow those accidently caught dormy because of the weather to protect against wasted bets.