IT TAKES ALL TYPESI met this fellow, Ralph (that's not his real name) on Saturday at Randwick.As is my wont, I was meandering around looking for an angle and for somebody to chat with. I'm given so many good ideas over a coffee and biscuit at the track.Ralph loves the excitement of the track, yet he doesn't bet there.He bets before he leaves home, which is only a matter of a few blocks down Alison Road and around a few corners. He doesn't take his wallet, just a few notes in his trousers pocket.
IT TAKES ALL TYPES
I met this fellow, Ralph (that's not his real name) on Saturday at Randwick.
As is my wont, I was meandering around looking for an angle and for somebody to chat with. I'm given so many good ideas over a coffee and biscuit at the track.
Ralph loves the excitement of the track, yet he doesn't bet there.
He bets before he leaves home, which is only a matter of a few blocks down Alison Road and around a few corners. He doesn't take his wallet, just a few notes in his trousers pocket.
He nearly always has ONE bet for the day. Occasionally, just rarely, he has two.
Being at the racetrack and having just one bet is strong. You know that, I know that.
But this is some bet. It isn't small.
He only attends Randwick, because it's his "home" track. Being retired, it gives him all the racing he needs, both midweek and weekend.
Yesterday was a TWO horse bet, the first for five months. I felt privileged.
He looks for a horse with impeccable first-up form and he backs it to PLACE, using a bookmaker who offers the "best TAB dividend" option.
The horse he seeks must have tremendously powerful first-up form and (that's right) be racing first-up after a full spell.
No "fresheners", for example.
His first choice was COUNTERPANE, which had a record of three first-up starts for a win and two other placings. Three from three placed, in fact.
This mare was nicely placed by Peter Snowden and nicely drawn on a track she liked (two runs for two placings, both at this distance).
The other horse was down in the final event, the Gai Waterhouse-trained FUSAKEO. This one had a record of two wins from three first-ups, with the other being "a forgiveable run" (Ralph's term) at Canterbury.
He'd had two runs at this distance and won them both. He'd won a trial over this distance, putting a gap in the field, and he was to be ridden by Nash Rawiller.
All this was enough for Ralph.
Are you ready for this?
He'd had $500 to place on each of them.
He told me he averages seventy to eighty such bets per year, and that he had started with $50 bets and worked up as his bank (5% of the highest point) rose.
Counterpane managed third, getting into that spot quite late. Fusakeo was backed heavily from around $15 in the ring down to $10 and won in a canter.
Counterpane paid $2.30 best TAB, and Fusakeo paid $3.50 best.
For his $1000 he collected $1150 and $1750, a total of $2900, for a profit of $1900.
Either horse would have put him in credit, but the two paid richly.
It's a different approach, and he researches it to the nth degree... but I have to admit I was impressed.
Of course the BIG question is, could YOU be that restrained?