I only met Her Majesty The Queen once. It was many years ago in my then-role as a journalist on a national newspaper. I was one of a privileged group of hacks invited to see her at Windsor Castle.
Like anyone else who is due to meet the reigning monarch for a brief one-to-one introduction, I faced the dilemma of what to say to her.
I suspected the Queen had a distinctly limited interest in journalism and journalists. I therefore resisted the temptation to tell her that she was meeting none other than the journalist who had written the last “splash” (the major front-page story) ever printed in Fleet Street. I hear you, dear reader, such modesty indeed.
Perhaps I should tell her a short joke? One liners such as, “Multi-storey car park crime: wrong on every level,” still makes me chuckle. But it would be a shame for anyone to blow their only 30 seconds with the Queen on a joke that fell horribly flat. That was a definite no-no.
What did the Queen and I have in common? Nothing, I reflected, other than… a heartfelt passion for horse racing and that the first paper we turned to each day over our respective breakfasts was the Racing Post.
But still there was a problem: what the Queen didn’t know about horses and horse racing could be written on the back of a postage stamp.
What I didn’t (and still don’t) know about horses and horse racing couldn’t be written on the side of a NASA space rocket because there is not enough room.
Finally, I came up with a Baldrick-style cunning plan. So, as the hand-shake was ending, I stooped down – I was more than a foot taller than Her Majesty – and asked her a question. I simply inquired about the welfare of a couple of her two-year-olds who had won on their racecourse debuts and, to show a semblance of racing knowledge, I referred to each horse by its name.
Her Majesty’s eyes lit up as if held open by matches. Her hugely enthusiastic response took a lot longer than my allotted 30 seconds. I discovered what I suspected already: the Queen loves talking about her horses. Job done.
Racing is not known as “the sport of kings” (and queens) for nothing. It has, sadly, now lost its figurehead. We will not see her like again in terms of a monarch so supportive of and informed about racing.
I digress. Ante post betting on horse racing is always a bumpy ride, as highlighted in particular over the past seven days.
Island Brave did us a huge favour in landing the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup last Saturday, after I tipped him at 33-1 just four days earlier.
That puts this newsletter comfortably in profit for the season, on top of the huge winnings from the 2021-2 jumps season.
Happy days, although I would like to say a public and insincere “thank you” to Betfair for effectively closing my friend’s sportsbook account for having the temerity to put £30 each way on Island Brave at 33-1 – and then see the horse win.
Yes, my pal can still bet on the Betfair exchange but can a major bookmaker really not afford to lose slightly north of a grand without immediately restricting someone’s ability to bet with them? It is, frankly, pathetic.
Jubilation at landing a winner at huge odds rarely lasts long. Zechariah, my ante-post tip for the Cazoo St Leger, worked well in mid-week only to pick up an injury on the gallops that put him out of the race, with our bets down the pan.
Furthermore, Fresh, one of my two tips for the Virgin Bet Ayr Gold Cup, took his chances at Ascot last weekend. Benefitting from the rain-softened ground, he won the National Racehorse Week Handicap at 11/2.
But in doing so he picked up a 5 lbs penalty for the Ayr Gold Cup next Saturday, which I fear makes him a big doubt for the big Scottish handicap. Still, a 33-1 winner that goes off at odds of 15/2 on the day, more than makes up for the occasional ante-post non-runner. Onwards and upwards.
Just one tip to put up this week. Unusually, it’s for a sprint handicap in Ireland on Sunday.
Regular readers will know that I think GULLIVER is a well-handicapped horse. Unfortunately, I have put him up already this season when the ground was not to his liking – he is much better on soft ground.
David O’Meara’s gelding should finally get his preferred terrain at the Curragh this weekend with more rain forecast. Take the 16-1 with bet365 each, paying six places, on the first race on the card on Sunday (1.15pm).
Last season Gulliver ran well in this race before taking his chances just a week later in the Ayr Gold Cup. I am hoping he will do the same again this month as I have already put him up for the Scottish handicap too.
I will end where I started, with an anecdote about the Queen. “Does the Queen bet on horse racing?”, I once asked someone close to her. I was reliably informed that she did not but Her Majesty did enjoy an annual “flutter”, if you can call it that.
Each year, guests to the royal box at Epsom on Derby Day were invited to join in a sweepstake on the big race. The cost per “ticket”, or horse, remained exactly the same throughout the Queen’s 70-year-reign, taking in no account of inflation.
It was…£1. Over the years the Queen, one of the world’s wealthiest women, inevitably won her own Derby sweepstake a few times, including in 1991 with Generous when she won the princely sum of £13.
Judging from recently published video footage, she took as much delight winning £13 as you or I would if we won the lottery.
As Paul Newman says while playing Eddie Felson in the film, The Color of Money, “Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.” And that clearly applies as much to monarchs as the rest of us.
One for the horse tracker
Charging Thunder, like the winner Island Brave, benefitted from both the ground staying fast and the large number of defectors in the Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup last Saturday. But he ran a huge race at Haydock to come from off the pace and be second, beaten less than a length by the winner. Provided the ground stays on the fast side of good, David O’Meara’s four-year-old gelding can go one better after being raised just 1 lb in the ratings for that fine effort. If he continues to improve, he might just be an Ebor horse next season.
Pending:
1 point win Gulliver at 16-1 for the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Bold Lad Sprint at the Curragh, 1/5 odds, 6 places.
2 points Fresh at 14-1 for the Ayr Gold Cup.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 for the Ayr Gold Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places.
Settled:
1 point each way Arcadian Sunrise Cup at 16-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. 4th. + 3 points.
1 point each way Morph Speed at 25-1 in the Chester Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Auditor at 16-1 in the TRU7 Handicap, 1/4 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Moss Gill at 12-1 in the Temple Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Caradoc at 11-1 the Cazoo Handicap, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Westover at 20-1 in the Cazoo Derby,, 1/5 odds, 3 places. 3rd. + 3 points.
1 point each way Changingoftheguard at 9-1 in the Cazoo Derby, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each Moneista at 16-1 in the King’s Stand Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rock Eagle at 20-1 in the Ascot Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Raymond Tusk at 33-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 14-1 in the Copper Horse Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. 1st. + 16.8 points.
1 point each way Aratus at 40-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Symbolize at 18-1 in the Royal Hunt Cup, 1/5 odds, 8 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rosemary and Thyme at 40-1 in the Kensington Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Princess Zoe at 13/2 for the Ascot Gold Cup, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 25-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. .Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Dance Fever at 20-1 in the Buckingham Palace Stakes, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Stay Well at 16-1 in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Minzaal at 14-1 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Double or Bubble at 14-1 in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Popmaster at 33-1 in the Wokingham Handicap, 1/5 odds, 7 places. 2nd. + 5.6 points.
1 point each way Calling the Wind at 14-1 in the Queen Alexandra Stakes, 1/5 odds, 4 places. 3rd but Rule 4 deduction. + 0.81 points.
1 point each way Onesmoothoperator at 13/2 for the Northumberland Plate, 1/5 odds, 7 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Primo Bacio at 33-1 for the Falmouth Stakes, 1/5 odds, 3 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Star of Orion at 16-1 for the Bunbury Cup 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ropey Guest at 25-1 for the Bunbury Cup, 1/4 odds, 4 places. 2nd. + 5.25 points.
2 points win Intellogent at 8-1 for the John Smith’s Cup. 3rd. – 2 points.
2 points win Tactical at 12-1 for the International Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 points.
2 points win Air to Air at 20-1 for the International Stakes. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ropey Guest at 16-1 for the International Stakes, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Caradoc at 12-1 for the Coral Chesterfield Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Hydroplane at 10-1 for the Coral Goodwood Handicap, 1/4 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Montassib at 10-1 for the Coral Golden Mile, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Non Runner. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ouzo at 16-1 for the Coral Golden Mile, 1/5 odds, 6 places. 4th + 2.2 points
1 point each way Acklam Express at 15/2 for the Qatar King George Stakes, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Inver Park at 16-1 for the Coral Stewards Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Summerghand at 20-1 for the Coral Stewards Cup, 1/5 odds, 5 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Mokaatil at 11-1 for the Stewards Cup Sprint, 1/5 odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Copper Knight at 25-1 for the Sky Bet and Symphony Group Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Cruyff Turn at 16-1 for the Clipper Logistics handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Blue for You at 14-1 for the Clipper Logistics handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. 1st. + 17.5 points.
2 points win Titan Rock at 17/2 for the Abacus Securities 20-Year Anniversary Handicap. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Get Shirty at 18-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each Euchen Glen at 16-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Ever Present at 16-1 for the Sky Bet Ebor, 1/5 odds, 5 places with Sky Bet, NRNB. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Gulliver at 33-1 for the Sky Bet Constantine Handicap, with bet365, 1/5 odds, 6 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Aratus at 12-1 for the National Racehorse Week Handicap, ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Island Brave at 33-1 for the Old Borough Cup, ¼ odds, 4 places. 1st. + 41.25 points.
1 point each way Zechariah at 12-1 for the St Leger, 1/5th odds, 3 places. Non runner. – 2 points.
2022 Flat season running total: + 14.41 points
2021-2 jumps season + 77.95 points.
My gambling record for the seven years: I have made a profit in 12 of the past 13 seasons. To a 1 point level stake over this period, I have made a profit of 460 points. All bets are either 1 point each way or 2 points win (a "point" is your chosen regular stake).