Going to the dogs!

Well not literally (though Hull was quite tempting tonight for possibly their last ever meeting before enforced closure), but easily the worst week I've had on the greyhounds since I started punting on them in earnest perhaps about a year ago.
Thankfully in the same period the cricket betting has taken an upturn helped by Pakistan lifting the Twenty20 World Cup at 17/2, though if I had waited until after their unimpressive warm up campaign I believe I could have got 10s.
That said, perhaps I wouldn't have fancied them then, though it was always likely they would improve as the event wore on due to their stark lack of cricket caused by external reasons prior to the competition.
Unbeknown to me, one of their star performers in both the semi and final, Shahid Afridi had an unproductive spell at Derbyshire early in his career according to the local newspaper but he certainly showed his worth last weekend as Pakistan upset favourites Sri Lanka in an absorbing final.
I've carried that success into the domestic Twenty20 markets with four more successful bets, mostly opposing my own team Derbyshire who have gone from bad to worse in recent outings though I think I shall keep my powder dry for their final game at injury ravaged Yorkshire who are now out of contention themselves.
At least Lancashire and Sussex have made it through to the quarter finals so still something to shout about in the outrights, despite the non-qualification of the Tykes and Gloucestershire - though the latter are giving me a good run at big odds in the Friends Provident Trophy.
Went to Trent Bridge for the first time in ages last night and despite the hammering the Phantoms took in the field after setting an initially respectable total, must say I was really impressed with the venue, it certainly puts the County Ground into perspective thats for sure!
Back to the greyhounds and unfortunately it seems to have been a week when little went right with some sizeable losses totted up from various ante post markets.
After reporting a good Friday afternoon win in last weeks blog, the good fortune didnt carry on into the evening when Magna Venturer my remaining ante post representative could only managed second behind Derby finalist Ballymac Ruso who I opposed mainly because of the extended trip but he had the race well in the bag long before the final stages as it transpired.
Then came the Sky TV meeting at Newcastle which proved an absolute graveyard for the inside boxes with the first bend appearing far too sharp to take at any kind of momentum and with the outside dogs cutting back across practically all the red jacketed dogs were having to check or be baulked at this stage.
This put paid to my biggest stake on Farloe Reason as he came out of the dreaded one box and to make matters worse I fancied the winner Ardkill Tunoco on the day quite strongly with two slow starting dogs inside but for some reason didnt back him as it would have eroded any winnings on my original ante post picks.
I should really have supported my later inklings with hard cash if only to break even rather than sit and hope like a rabbit caught in the headlights in the middle of the road on a dark country road.
In the Angel of the North Oaks, Was Not Me one of my picks was bowled over at the bend while the other Plan lost about five lengths when checking yet was only beaten about a neck into third place which shows how unlucky he was.
And in the TV Trophy, Bubbly Eagle showed nothing like the sparkle of his semi final win when arriving on the final bend with every chance but despite not really getting the clearest of passages, he made very little headway on all the way winner Midway Skipper who was discovering her best form again after a spell off the track when in season.
At least I landed a 5/4 winner when Brimardon Star took the stayers event on the night but things took a downturn again when Ferdia Bound had his legs taken away from him on the last bend in the big event at Harolds Cross when challenging for second place and ended up dropping back to last before rallying to only miss out on qualification by a couple of necks. Not much use to me though.
I did have a couple of savers last week on Corporate Attack and Hello Hippy but will still come out of the event with a loss now and an even bigger one if neither of those two win it.
Adding in the ill fated single bets on the first round and it has been a very costly competition for me indeed!
A couple of competitions are still ongoing as I speak, in tonight's Irish Oaks at Shelbourne I'm hoping for a Skywalker Queen or Lady Glenard win though have a saver on favourite Maireads Fantasy to cut my losses should things go wrong.
And in the Cesarewich at Oxford (on Sky next Tuesday) I'm represented by Romeo Turbo and Melodys Comet but kicking myself a bit for missing He Went Whoosh who I almost included originally but due to doubts about his stamina decided to leave him out - needless to say he is now trading at odds on in most places after two impressive wins in the heats.
In other sports, the Essendon/Mayo double on the aussie rules and gaelic football markets romped home at around 8/15 though Derry as I half expected couldn't overcome their injury and suspension woes against Tyrone despite having alot of the possession but still felt it worth a dabble at the odds.
Tipperary, a 7/4 outright pick, scraped through into the Munster hurling final with a rather unimpressive win over outsiders Clare but at least it keeps me in with the chance of a payout when they meet Waterford next month.
Thats it for now
Catch you later
Rick