Well another week gone by and looks like the weather is beginning to pick up as I sit in the sun drenched conservatory this Friday afternoon as we bid goodbye to the winter for another year.
Have been taking stock a bit this week and although quite a few things could have gone better over the last few months, the betting has certainly picked up just recently so hoping I can continue in that vein for the future.
One regret is that I didnt capitalise on 9k worth of investments in the world of stocks and shares, scattered here there and everywhere by my bank who take a cut for their expertise but these I see are now worth only 7.5k when I could have cashed them in for another 5k just over a year ago. I could cry but I'll try not to think about it instead!!
The good thing is I can leave the money where it is at present and no damage is done, I'll certainly want a minimum of my initial investment back so as soon as it reaches that figure again (assuming things eventually do pick up!) I will be withdrawing it and depositing it into a normal account from then on. I much prefer the betting markets as I understand them far better, and even if I dont I still feel as though I've had a run for my money half of the time!
Suppose its a good time to invest more but sick of hearing about how the market is dropping like a stone every day of the week so a normal bank account will do for me in the future along with any betting profits that may come along. At least I'm the architect of my own downfall if things go pear shaped which is some consolation lol.
For once there was no snooker betting to fall back on this week so it was mainly down to the greyhounds and the gaelic football to bring home the bacon and thankfully the upward trend has continued for now.
The last time I published the blog I had three contenders in the Tote Gold Cup semi finals at Shelbourne and although Slip The Lark and Ballymac Bondi both failed to make it, at least I have a live chance with the current favourite Swords Prince who was an ante post pick at 33/1 and won his semi final in impressive fashion. If he can come out of the traps in such style again, he will surely take some beating if in the same kind of form.
Monmore held the final of the Puppy Derby on Thursday night and two of my ante post picks fought out the finish as Bandicoot Tipoki at 4/1 fought off my other contender Kinda Ready (8/1) by three quarters of length despite once again not coming away to the best of his ability by all accounts.
And in the Pall Mall semi finals at Oxford on the same day, although Soviet Maldini was found wanting and Bandit Blue had a nightmare run in only finishing fourth (despite perhaps looking the best dog in the race) my second round addition Brickfield Class at 10/1 came home first in his heat so goes into the final from trap five live on Sky on Tuesday night.
Also had a few "on the night" winners which kept things ticking over with the aforementioned Swords Prince (5/2), Tyrur Louis (6/4), Dundrum Minor (17/10), Hello Hippy (5/4), Faypoint Man (4/5), Youghal Rebel (1/2) and Capel Wilson (4/5) all obliging though there were of course a few losers too.
Had originally intended the dog betting to be a bit of a stopgap while I caught up on the horse form but so successful has it been, will almost certainly be continuing with it now, especially the ante post markets which seem well worth a flutter. Of course the more sports you take on, its harder to keep up with them all and hence still a bit behind with the nags though the focus will be firmly on Aintree in a fortnight for the Grand National as I attempt to pick the winner for the fourth year in a row!! (OK I admit I usually pick four or five selections but still not a bad record I think after having a barren time of it since Freddie Starr's Minnehoma in 1994).
Looks like my biggest priced winner Silver Birch could be back again this year, he did the business at 50/1 a couple of years ago which was a great thrill, I'd also backed the second that year in the fast finishing but ultimately ill fated McKelvey at 20/1, so it was a win win situation as they came towards the line.
The gaelic football bets surpassed themselves last week too as managed to get five bets out of five up including my banker Galway/Kerry double and the midweek win for Kilmacud Crokes at 15/8 in the All Ireland Club championship final against Crossmaglen Rangers at Croke Park.
Perhaps should have had more faith in England's only NFL outfit London, who I backed on the +7 handicap against Waterford in the Division 4 encounter at Ruislip, yet they surpassed most peoples expectations by actually winning the match 0-09 to 0-08 at odds of 6/1.
Snooker returns next week in the form of Matchroom's Championship League with Group 7 and the final winners event Group 8 taking place at Crondon Park to find out the Premier League qualifier for next year. Priced most of the matches up for those today and also finally got around to doing the World Championship first round games, though with the League and the China Open still to take place before then, will probably keep my powder dry and wait for more clues in the meantime.
Hoping Ryan Day can rediscover some form soon as he was an early season pick for the Crucible at 40/1 but he has been struggling to win any kind of match since before the turn of the year so would be nice if he could have a bit of a run as he does have a reasonable draw at Sheffield if he could find his A game.
On the local snooker front, as I mentioned last week I had the re-match with the promising youngster in our second semi final clash in a matter of days and once again it went his way though this time he didnt play anywhere near the standard he reached the previous week. Unfortunately though after building a 2-0 lead I fell away rather miserably to a 3-2 defeat with a worrying implosion that I found impossible to arrest as the match progressed. It hadnt helped that I was playing with a new tip which seemed far too spongy for my liking and all the confidence seemed to drain out of me the more I messed things up, anyway no excuses, half of the game is in the head and on this occasion I just didnt seem relaxed enough to play to my best.
Looking back to the days when beta blockers were banned from the sport, a few of the prominent players of the time had very rapid declines thereafter which certainly points to the fact that keeping control of the emotions is a massive part in being able to play the game well in pressure situations and on this occasion I failed the test for whatever reason.
Anyway onwards and upwards
All the best Rick
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