Sunday 4th January

2009 Challenge Fund (£9713)

Review of yesterday.
Rotherham's stoppage time equaliser helped us to just over half our money back on the football.
I thought of backing Torquay on the back of Blackpool team news and this is the sort of bet I need to put back into portfolio, now I'm doing this kind of methadone betting.

Other bets: I played the front two in the Lingfield maiden at 1.16 – I wasn't convinced this was a barking bet, so played it here, and was right to be circumspect as the bet was based on Mellow Mixture not staying, and he did, but I collected anyway.

Things grew even luckier for the TV match. I decided people were thinking “Gerrard's bound to score” and his price did indeed fall to below 11/8 (7/4 in places early with bookies). I happily played against the crowd, and I hope his last minute break and complete selflessness in passing to Torres will be used in mitigation at his trial.

Overall I made £1. Judged on the last god knows how many Saturdays – that's a champagne moment!

I also started a book on Celebrity Big Brother. This one with a twist, as I'm going to play without actually watching the show. My initial move was to lay Verne Troyer to lose £100 at a very short looking 6/4 (sorry). He's over 2/1 now, but not sure what my next move will be until I've read the boards and seen a couple of polls.

No obvious bets on a cold Sunday. The football looks priced about right. There may be something in-play – I'll look when I get back from my walk.



Barking Bets (Banked £1375/Current bank £3125 – 2 bets in play unaccounted)
This week's stake - £300.

Taylor wins £100 tonight – money back Barney. I backed Barney yesterday in this fund, having decided Wade was absolute pooh. In retrospect that was a terrible bet, that at best belonged above.
Told you it was a lucky day yesterday!

No bet today. We'll finish this week without a loser, clawing back some of the previous fortnight's losses.