Thursday 30th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12000 - £200 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Poor day at Ascot, Perfect Stride not well named based on that photo either!

Low-key racing today. The two (in everyone's) notebook horses Topolski and Thomas Baines would be bets at the Racing Post's tissue price of Evens – which isn't much help!

6:30 Yarmouth – Hyades – people may be critical of his run as losing favourite at Newbury and look to oppose. I hope so, because I have a feeling that was a pretty hot maiden, and one with a draw/pace bais that didn't exactly help him.We'll see.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2405 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Played a couple at Ascot, which helped make up for a disappointing day in the above fund.

5:40 Folkestone possible but watch the market in case Cluny is well backed.

Wednesday 29th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12360 - £200 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Chelsea did us a favour last night, but I was surprised Hiddink parked the bus – I thought he'd press far higher up the pitch. 0-0 makes it very tricky for them next week. Still, qualification still possible -let's see how Arsenal fare tonight - a score draw would suit me ideally!

Ascot has a nice card today.

2:45 – I wouldn't be in a hurry to back Rose Diamond at 7/4. Hopefully the dead eight turn up to give Vitoria a solid each way chance. I put this one in at 7/1 along wth a few others, with the favourite making the book. I've taken £45ew at 12/1 (so watch the non runner arrive), and will maybe play a bit more later.

3:20 – Hard to get away from the impression that plenty of these are better with cut, and Ascot more closely resembles a road on the straight course these days. Laa Rayb looks the solid one, and Perfect Stride probably needs to be kept onside. They can be dutched at Evens which looks fair – I may load it more onto Laa Rayb.

How about something like:
Vitoria £40 win/£80 place
£120 dutch Laa Rayb/Perfect Stride at Evens
£40 get rich quick treble Vitoria/Laa Rayb/Nasri

Mid-week golf madness as usual – let's hope they make the weekend this time!
£20ew double Jiminez and Ogilvy




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2330 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Ended up with 4 bets yesterday. A maiden at Bath; Barcelona and 0-0 at half-time; the greyhound as advised yesterday; and sadly Cooldine and Joncol at Punchestown, when will I learn that this fund is not about group races! A lot of activity for a small loss on the day. I like the fact the fund is off and running again though.

Definitely a quieter day today though!

Tuesday 28th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12470 - £80 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Newcastle didn't let us down last night!

I'll take a position in the Champions League – unusually for me.

Chelsea and Arsenal come into these ties as underdogs, but I think they should be much closer in the betting. Both, especially Chelsea, are finishing strongly, and don't have a league championship to worry about. Plus both play the second leg at home. You can get 5/1 on them both to qualify and that looks a pretty decent bet. I wouldn't be laying over 4/1 that's for sure.

And at the risk of putting eggs in one basket, this week they have the chance to set themselves up. The first legs of these ties are usually tight affairs, and so the draw is surely a bigger player than the betting suggests. We can thrown in the MK Dons game (one of those crazy end of season prices – I see Kevin Pullein has gone for MK Dons tonight on that very basis – I think the draw is probably the better bet, something validated by most the other similar bets I've been avoiding this tail-end)

£120 Chelsea and Arsenal to qualify double at 5/1 (9/2 ok)
£45 draw Barcelona/Chelsea to return £160
£45 draw Man Utd/Arsenal to return £160
£45 draw MK Dons/Northampton to return £150
£15 treble draws to return £600





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2420 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

There are short priced horses today, notably Master Minded. Not keen to back a horse that's flopped last two Aprils though.

Flying Winner 9:25 Hove may be a better banker.

Monday 27th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12300 - £80 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Patrick Veitch's book is quite interesting. Not sure how much relevance it has to us mere mortals though. Particularly when he got into ownership and seemed to go through the looking glass. It reads between the lines as though he became a sort of clearing house for stable gambles. At heart, though he is clearly a very good race reader, able to see opportunities I certainly can't, a view based on not being able to remember personally gambling on any one of the horses he mentions having a “double smash”on! He also has a proper gambler's fortitude, a severe limitation of mine.

On the whole I'd recommend waiting for the paperback or a cheap copy on Amazon. Instead I'd buy Ed Smith's “What Sport Tells Us About Life”. It's a fascinating book in its own right, having a stab at such conundrums as 'why did Zidane head-butt Materazzi', for example? However, I keep finding as I read it, that if I transpose the words “professional sportsman” for “professional gambler” the book takes on a whole new layer of meaning. It's certainly made me think about my own gambling in a way the Veitch book didn't – which is probably why I'm about £10 million poorer than the latter!

Newcastle are being backed today as though a win is a formality. I've saved £500 so far not backing the obvious “value” at the tailend of the season - football has certainly changed in this country lately. However, the draw has to be a big player here. If Portsmouth actually try, they certainly shouldn't be longer than 5/2. I'll play £50.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2370 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

The last race at Newcastle a possible – the rain falling prompts caution.

Sunday 26th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12470 - £80 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

So, that's the end of my 4th year as a full-time gambler. Pretty frustrating way to finish - gubbed on the line, not once, but twice!

My original objectives 4 years ago were suitably modest. I had 10 years behind me of “semi-pro” gambling whereby I had built up a decent betting bank and paid out a load of money as dividends for holidays and fun. Based on that I decided that if I used a bank of 25k, aimed for turnover of 250k a year and made 10% profit I'd be able to earn 25k tax free, which is more than enough for me to be content. Some of this I'd re-invest to grow the fund and hence turnover and profit. I'd also have research funds of smaller sums looking for my next edges.

The first year went fine – target hit.
The second year was OK – under target but happily in the game.
The third year was Difficult. Moving house, flooding, upheaval, stress, bad decisions. I made nothing and was of a mind the markets had changed and I was getting left behind. On the plus side, my move from 80% horse racing bets to around 50% was a sensible adjustment.

The fourth year and I changed approach a bit, and went up and down, more wildly than before with a more aggressive staking approach. Real life intruded and I had to take some money out of my betting account. Then in October and November I hit the buffers big time and very nearly wiped my bank out. At the turn of this year I decided I had to regroup, hence the £10k fund and smaller percentage bets – a throwback to the old semi-pro days. I took on some of my old career work to get a little bit of money flowing in and generally looked to take the pressure off by trying to re-capture some of the innocence and enjoyment that attracted me to the game in the first place. Four months on and I'm glad I made that change. I can't hit the original targets with the new fund, (and probably ought to change the title of my blog accordingly), but hopefully I'll get back into position by the end of my 5th year. The barking bets remain a promising addition, and if I can parlay that current fund up to £10k, could use it as a useful income source. That's the plan anyway


No obvious bet today. Notable that Tajaweed goes for the Prix ganay, when I would have thought it would be Tartan Bearer.

Saturday 25th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12340 - £280 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Sandown:

Looks like anything can win the Whitbread. The gamble apparently materialising on Verasi is a head scratcher with the ground as it is. I'll kick myself if I miss it though, seeing as I've backed him for every P he has alongside his name this year! I'll mainly play a 20/80 on Briery Fox, who I'd have in as one of several co-faves (at around 10/1) to be honest.

Of the other races Kalahari King will win unless the season has caught up with him – Evens is fair, but it's hardly time to be lacing up one's betting boots. And this is the best chance Pipedreamer will have of beating Tartan Bearer I'd have thought – Stoute's horses are being much more gently introduced than Gosden's.

£20 win Briery Fox and £80 place
£20 win Verasi
£30 treble Kalaghari King/Briery Fox/Pipedreamer
£10 treble Kalahari King/verasi/Pipedreamer
and I'll back a drifiting Pipedreamer if I still need to.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2500 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Pootling along nicely. No obvious bet today – hopefully another horse race bet will pop its head up later.

Friday 24th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12440 - £120 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

At Sandown I think I'll play against Militarist (soft lead in poor looking Wood Ditton – though same is possible here) by dutching next two in market at shade under evens, and play/watch the rest.

Football. Not being pulled into the “end of season value” bets did me well midweek, and I'll avoid it again this week, by just doing the treble and moving on.
Wolves/Huddersfield/Aldershot £50 win to return £900

Weekend Draws:
WBA/Sunderland £45 to return £145
Blackpool/Forest £45 to return £145
Stockport/Crewe £45 to return £155
£15 draw treble to return £570





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2445 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Pootling along nicely. No obvious bet today – hopefully another horse race bet will pop its head up later.

Thursday 23rd April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12360 - £120 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Twiston-Davies looks to have cometition up at Perth these days. His horses are all short this morning – I'll take the path of least resistance and just do an accumulator the 4 and move on.

Here's a mad bet but I keep notice their prices contracting.
Briery Fox Betfred
Formax Chester Cup
Nasmiah 1000 Guineas
£10ew treble.

More sensible bets thin on the ground today.





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2370 – 2 bet in play unaccounted)

Picked up a few quid yesterday thanks to Everton's 0-0 and a Catterick maiden. Higgins making hard work of his match though.

Wednesday 22nd April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12480 - £60 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

I don't suppose Wycombe could yet nick the league could they (reminds me of when Wigan pipped the mighty Fulham for the same title)?

A poor greyhound bet mucked up yesterday.

Plenty of racing to keep an eye on today.

I'll play the usual Twiston-Davies doubles at Perth (though it looks a much weaker team than usual), and have a small ew tickle Ramona Chase at Epsom. Keep it quiet otherwise.





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2255 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Laid Liverpool in-running last night. That was a rollercoaster, and definitely NOT a barking bet on reflection!

The price is terrible in ratings terms, but hard to believe Everton will be ready for a trip to Chelsea tonight. Dutch Chelsea and 0-0 at around 1/3.

Tuesday 21st April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12650 - £60 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Football tonight.

I'm pushing this to be honest – see how far I can stretch it.
Charlton/Cardiff £45 draw to return £150
Derby/Reading £45 draw to return £150
Luton/Wycombe £45 draw to return £160
£15 treble to return £620

This time of the season some of the prices go crazy where one team has all to play for against mid-table teams. There was a time you could clean up. Sadly the last couple of years you'd have been badly burnt following the supposed value. Two matches stand out tonight, but I can't bring myself to back them on ratings alone, but will be cross if they both win so will chuck £50 at them just in case.

Coventry beat Barnsley
Bristol Rovers beat Brighton
£50 double to return £325ish

No racing.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2205 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

The price is terrible in ratings terms, but hard to believe Everton will be ready for a trip to Chelsea tonight. Dutch Chelsea and 0-0 at around 1/3.

Monday 19th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12690 - £60 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Day off for me. I'm going to sit in the sun and read Patrick Veitch's book.

I'm quietly following a small system – which throws up Maze at Pontefract. Can't see it myself but I'll throw £40 at it.






Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2180 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Possibly dutch front three Wolves 3:50 (thanks to Toad for alerting me to possibility)

Everton keep us sweating on the outstanding bet.

Sunday 19th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12540 - £100 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Football pretty decent day yesterday, (well done John!), racing less so. At least I kept a lid on the racing bets – planted some potatoes rather than be sucked into the Greenham or Spring Cup.

No obvious bet today. We have two draws still running for us – they'll do for interest.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2070 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

I chose well yesterday – missing the John Porter but nailing the Ayr novice chase. Shame I missed the late drift on both horses. Backed Ali Carter last night as well – so far so good.

What A Friend looks fair at 1.5 today at Stratford.

The 1 bet we have in play was the big four to win the FA Cup, which we'll collect today unless Everton sneak through.

Saturday 18th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12230 - £360 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Scottish National.
My two tissue-based bets: West End Rocker (bit worrying that Corals are longest) and Out The Black (conversely Corals have completely ducked this).
West End Rocker £60 win at 11/1
Out The Black £60 win at 18/1
and probably forecast.

Chuck them in a Scoop 6, and probably play Leslingtaylor but he's very short.


Football.
Two ratings-based bets:
Preston £45 win at 9/5+ and £75 draw no bet at evens
Colchester £40 win at 6/4 and £80 draw no bet at 4/5ish




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2030 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Front three in John Porter possible but risky. Deep Purple and Imsingingtheblues likewise at Ayr.

Friday 17th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12650 - £100 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Could hardly have got that race more wrong – tailwind not helping, nor missing the break.

Saturday Gambler has gone draw crazy in the comments for yesterday and actually has punted a few of these. I've done two sets of draws – my normal ones, and a special one. Should they all lose the draw system profits are lost!

Middlesbro/Fulham draw £45 to return £155
Carlisle/Swindon draw £45 to return £150
Chester/Bournemouth draw £45 to return £150
£15 treble to return £550

Arsenal/Chelsea draw £45 to return £145
Everton/Man Utd draw £45 to return £155
Ipswich/Norwich draw to return £150
£15 treble to return £600

I'll play the races today – for interest only.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2010 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

No obvious bet – try to find one racing.

Thursday 16th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12770 - £100 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

Newmarket 3:00
I really like Edge Closer here. It's a race the trainer likes, and he has what looks a good rail draw. Doubts about Equiano over 6f here (especially if any headwind like yesterday), frames the race nicely. Can see Prohibit and Zidane also running well, and will add them to exactas.
Edge Closer £90 at 11/2
Edge Closer beat Prohibit £10 fc
Edge Closer beat Zidane £10 fc
Prohibt/Zidane £5 rev fc





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £1985 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Toad's 2 year old race did the bizz, and played Arsenal at half-time also.

Twice Over and Tazeez could be dutchable this afternoon, though I am always hesitant to do this in graded races. Best I can find at the moment though.

Wednesday 15th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12810 - £60 in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £120

I'll play Newmarket/Cheltenham but more of a watching brief than anything.

Midweek golf madness, and the great Kevin Na should be fresh against the Masters field:
Na/Edfors £20ew double






Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £1915 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

That's the last novice hurdle for me this season. Should have packed up a month ago. Only problem is we can't start on the 3yo maidens and 2yo races at least until the Guineas has come and gone, which is going to make the 10 bets a week plan tricky to execute.

Monday 13th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13010)
Current stake - £120

As you know I run a betleague (a bit like betfair's taikai tournaments) with friends. Noneof us found a placed horse in the National and none of us found a placed golfer at the Masters. Given that the choices tend toward the obvious the bookies must be bathing in asses milk right now.

I will play the Irish National but we're scuppered until the weights rise.

So football.
Ratings: Scunthorpe to beat a hapless Hartlepool
Scunthorpe £50 win at 13/8 and £70 draw no bet at 4/5

Football draws.
Leicester/Leeds £45 to return £150
Millwall/Peterborough £45 to return £150
Bournemouth/Brentford £45 to return £150
Treble £15 to return £585

And I'll join Kevin Pullein on one of the silliest/strangest bets available – St Mirren to take the first corner this afternoon against Hibs.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2075 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

Maiden hurdle Chepstow – can play the front two at 1.2ish

Sunday 12th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£12860 - £400 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Just before I left for the day yesterday I noticed two good judges were touting Something for the big handicap at Kempton. Although already involved I thought I'd throw £23ew (!) at it at 33/1. And so did. Or at least I thought I did. But in my haste I seem to have pressed the “check bet” button on the Ladbrokes site rather than the “place bets” button. An imbecilic way to let 1k slip through my fingers! And the sort of mistake that puts one on tilt. So. I'll go walking instead.

Golf bets look hopeless – I added Tim Clark (oops) and Furyk in-running, and do have Hamilton still in there pitching for a place, but all-in-all a bad week.

We do have a free bet running at the Everton draw this afternoon.




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2075 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

There is a novice hurdle at Plumpton that could fit the bill, but not at 1.1 as it is right now.

Saturday 11th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13180 - £240 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Thank god for Morecambe yesterday.

I'm off out today so just time to try out a new idea for the big flat handicaps and do the football draws.

Middlesbrough/Hull draw £45 to return £150
Stoke/Newcastle draw £45 to return £145
Villa/Everton (tomorrow) draw £45 to return £145
£15 treble returning £550

Kempton 2:05 Dutch Cordell/Checklow £60 to return £300
Kempton 3:45 Dutch Flowing Cape/Pravda Street £60 to return £240
4 x £10 doubles.

And the scoop 6, and silly acc. Totalling £40.


Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2045 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

This fund and rugby. No more! There's something about these TV ties as well that I need to investigate. Meanwhile the fund is licking its wounds.

Friday 10th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13290 - £240 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Recovered the Justin Rose money at Wincanton.

Football today.

Two ratings bets.
I continue to believe my friend re Southend's resurgence, despite them twice costing me, and Morecambe also stad out on ratings, though I ouldn't tell you why. As far as draws go, Reading/Sheff Utd looks the right sort, shame there's nothing to treble them up with.

Southend £50 win at 6/4 and £70 draw no bet at 4/5
Morecambe £50 win at 7/4 and £70 draw no bet at 10/11ish
Reading draw £50 at 23/10+
£30 treble to return £650.

Pricewise put up two big odds for the Guineas, and as the prices remained easily available I thought I may as well start off my flat season with them - £25 win each and a £10 double. That's a real old-fashioned bet from me this Easter!



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2270 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

The seller at Ludlow (or was it Wincanton?) landed the money yesterday. Rugby League may be my only route today – Leeds to beat Bradford looking likely.

Thursday 9th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13280 - £240 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

A late play following Kevin Pullein – who went low on bookings last night – made for a small profit on a quiet day.

I'll sit in front of Ludlow/Wincanton this afternoon, and do my football ratings, ahead of what looks a quiet Easter weekend, but can't see any obvious bets this morning.

Golf – I forgot to do this last year, so the ship has obviously sailed. However, I have to cover it, just in case.
Justin Rose £20 ew 1st round leader 35/1 or better.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2220 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)

I've been neglecting this fund, not least because the money hasn't been kept separate. I've just opened a new betfair account to remedy that and hopefully I can get it going again.

The fund really needs 10 bets per week to be worthwhile. That could be done finding one bet a day, plus three in-running bets. That's the plan. And I'll change the stake to 10% of whatever the fund balance is at time of striking bet. For today I was tempted by Taylor but he drew with Jenkins last time out in the league and I don't like having the draw as such a big player. Instead I'll try to find something at the races this afternoon.


.

Wednesday 8th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13310 - £165 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Wycombe of all people scupper our hopes of another treble, but we still have Liverpool/Chelsea tonight running for us.

I'll top up my golf portfolio – interest bets really – and veterans will know hat to do with these!

Stenson £10 ew at 45/1
Stenson top 10 £20 at 10/3
O'Hair top US without Woods £20 at 16/1
Kjeldsen top mainland European £20 at 16/1
Jeev Singh top rest of world £10ew at 33/1
Imada top debutant £20 at 16/1





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2220 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Won at Fontwell but a half-time bet at Man Utd went a bit wrong – luckily I did hedge out most of bet when they were 2-1 up! Small loss on day. Nothing obvious today.

Tuesday 7th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13490)
Current stake - £120

Shifnal is a Wolves town and people have been telling me all season that they're absolute gash. Some performance to lose 2-0 against 10 men though! Hey ho – they're still proving good bets.

And I'm ready to go again midweek with these tight games.
Villareal/Arsenal £45 to return £150
Darlington/Wycombe £45 to return £145
Liverpool/Chelsea £45 to return £145
£15 trble to return £500


As for the US Masters – I'll probably add to this but
Tiger Woods £120 to return £400.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2250 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

First race at Fontwell a possible but wary.

Monday 6th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13490 - £60 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120


Birmingham/Wolves draw worth around £700 tonight – I'm thinking I'll hedge some of that off should it get towards 90 minutes.

Otherwise it's my birthday which I did intend to spend snoozing in the conservatory as befits a man of my advanced years – but Anne has sprung a surprise and we're off to lunch in Ludlow.

So no bets today.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2250 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Poor bet yesterday – which my gut knew – slow, slow progress. I'll revamp this week.

Sunday 5th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13450 - £40 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120


I had a thumping good bet on Mon Mome to win the National. Last year, that is.

And Kalahari King showed he should have won the Arkle!

Hey ho.

The draws system has hit its first wall. At odds of around 9/4 you have to expect some longish losing runs, so I'll keep on keeping on, starting today, where two derbies and a cup final fit the bill. I haven't time to go dutching low score draws so will keep it simple today.

Cardiff/Swansea £45 to return £145
Birmingham/Wolves (tomorrow) £45 to return £145
Luton/Scunthorpe £45 to return £170
£15 treble to return £540



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2490 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Southwell 4:10 maybe but it will have to wait until I'm back from my Sunday walk for proper investigation.

Saturday 4th April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13550 - £480 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Let's get football out the way.

Here's a simple one – Chelsea should be 1.5ish to beat Newcastle. They're not.
£120 Chelsea beat Newcastle 1.75

Draws.
I've been reviewing this, and as my betting is mainly based around the games being low-scoring, believe I will be better off in the long run dutching 0-0 (or no goalscorer) and 1-1. I will review this after the inevitable rash of 2-2 draws!
West Brom/Stoke
Doncaster/Watford
Southampton/Charlton
3 x £45 dutching 0-0 and 1-1
1 x £15 treble returning £550.


Aintree
My friend “Saturday Gambler” visisted yesterday and we bet like we were twenty-something. I'd like to say I showed him how to bet like a pro, but I dropped £300 whilst he backed Rupert at 50/1! Good fun.

Today I'm on a rescue mission for Kalahari King, and I suppose Star De Mohaison will be making me poorer yet again. I'll also do the placepot and do those two with State of Play and Offshore Account for the get rich quick trebles, and a forecast on the national.

My National portfolio is a right mess, burdened with a hopeless number of non runners, and some horses I cringe at the thought of having backed. Still, my ten against the field return approx as follows.
Offshore Account £4000
State of Play £2500
Knowhere £1500
Brooklyn Brownie £1000
Snowy Morning £1000
Parsons Legacy £1000
Himalayan Trail £1000
Hear The Echo £850
Eurotrek £750
Rambling Minster £550

Good luck!





Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2490 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Nothing today.

Friday 3rd April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13930 - £480 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Aintree.

Throwing darts day today – “Saturday Gambler” is visiting so more a fun day than a work day. I'll probably back the following up with 20/80s.

Alfie Flits (Penalty no help but should love conditions/track)
Killyglen (may suit better than Sun Alliance and Johnson horses ran badly then)
Briareus (owes us nothing – should sneak a place)
Pause and Clause (ran a cracker Cheltenham and a Lavelle improver)
Piraya (for the very last time, I promise)
10 x £6ew doubles
£20ew treble Killyglen/Briareus/Pause and Clause






Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2490 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Nothing today.

Thursday 2nd April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13730 - £480 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Aintree.

Big Buck's should win no problem, but I can afford to let him at that price after his good turn for us at Cheltenham. Petitfour is interesting if back to form with track and ground to suit and some shrewd judges agree.

Starluck screamed Aintree winner at Cheltenham. Unfortunately everyone saw it!

I'd be more than happy to cheer Denman home, but we have to take him on at the prices with Star de Mohaison (one last chance – conditions ideal and getting the weight), and Madison Du Berlais (if you forgive Cheltenham as track not suit, then he still beat Denman hollow two starts back and the price differential looks too big accordingly for all Denman's apparent improvement).

Leslingtaylor did us a good deed last time out, is in my stable, and these are his conditions. A tricky race though.

Something like:
Petitfour £30ew 33/1
Star de Mohaison £100 at 11/1
Madison Du Berlais £50 at 14/1
Starluck £80 at 5/2
Leslingtaylor £80 at 8/1
£40 treble Starluck/Star De Mohaison/Leslingtaylor returning £14000.






Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2460 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Phil Taylor at 1.13 maybe.

Wednesday 1st April

2009 Challenge Fund (£13650 - £420 in play accounted)
Current stake - £120

Small profit on the late draws yesterday.

Football – England look short tonight but I'll sit on my hands. Instead I'll follow Kevin Pullein - £120 on under 10 corners tonight at 6/5.

Golf – mid-week madness and we welcome back Kevin Na!
Na and Howell £10ew double
Na and Forsyth £10 ew double




Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current fund £2430 – 1 bet in play unaccounted)
Current stake - £240.

Hungary shouldn't have too much trouble beating Malta tonight – may take a while though.
This fund is close to its anniversary and I think I'll re-jig it slightly for next year, hopefully without losing the (modest) profit accrued! I say modest, but the fund actually virtually doubled in size and if I could do that with all funds every year I'd be more than happy.