Monday 8th September

“£500 Challenge Bet” (£1132– 2 bets inplay – accounted)

A decent day yesterday – horses and Serena.

I was going to put up a treble yesterday with the two horses and Murray outright. Damn. Would have saved me the bother and probably expense of what I'm about to do today!

Murray was sensational last night. The penultimate point was extraordinary. He pushed Nadal back foot by foot, and by the end had him gasping for air – not a sight you see very often. Federer still looks shaky – both with his game and with his head. And Murray more than anyone else seems to be able to mess with Federer's head. Federer thinks/knows he's way better than him, so how come the ball keeps coming back to me, and why am I making so many unforced errors off his nothing balls?

On the other hand there's some obvious downsides to backing Murray. Federer remains the 'best there's ever been', Murray has to deal with him in 5 sets not 3; has to deal with his first ever slam final; and has to deal with a possible let-down after Nadal.

Purely on current form though I think Murray should be a fair bit shorter than he is. I think I'll kick myself if he wins unbacked – I've been in the camp that thinks he's the real deal ever since he arrived on the scene. And won't cry if he loses. He is of course that perfect athlete for an Englishman to back – a brave battling winning Brit, or a sad sorry losing Scot!

To balance the books I'll add a couple of ante post bets for the St Leger. And it's the fillies for me who have been impressing all year. Hardly more so than Look Here who of course did us a huge favour in the Oaks and so has to be backed. Unsung Heroine has been the much mentioned dark horse. I took her at 12/1 but will have a small top-up at 10s as well.

Murray £20 beat Federer at 7/4+
Look Here £7.50 win St Leger at 5/1
Unsung Heroine £2.50 win St Leger at 10/1

“Barking Bets” (Banked £875/Current bank £2755)
That was a decent week – clawing us back into the game. Still a way to go to get to the last benchmark (£2900).

There are quite a few possible races today – but none of them obvious and the going also cause for caution.

2:20; 2:50 and 3:50 Folkestone
3:40 and 4:10 Bath

“Snippet of the day”
There was a super little programme on Thomas Hardy last night – which took me back to my college days. I always preferred his poetry personally – and this snippet on the Titanic should speak to those who fear the wrath of the gambling gods.

“And as the smart ship grew
In stature, grace and hew
In shadowy silent distance
Grew the Iceberg too.”