Today’s best bets, by Chris Cook
The firm now known as Ladbrokes Coral have provided us all with a cheap laugh this morning, saying in a statement as it agreed to make changes to the way it offers bonus promotions that “things had unintentionally gone too far”. Oh well, so long as it was unintentional...
They are one of three firms that have agreed to make changes, following an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority, which was concerned about “unfair online promotions that trap players’ money”. The other firms which have agreed to make changes are William Hill and PT Entertainment (which runs the Titanbet and Winner websites) and all other firms are also now expected to comply with the terms set out by the CMA, or face regulatory action from the Gambling Commission.
The CMA says gamblers must no longer be required to play multiple times before they can withdraw their own money. Restrictions on gameplay must be made clear to gamblers and not couched in vague terms that allow the firm latitude about when it can keep a gambler’s money. And gamblers cannot be required to take part in publicity in order to collect winnings due to them.
These problems and others were said by the CMA to be “common” in the online gambling sector and it is continuing to look at obstacles faced by gamblers when trying to withdraw their money after betting online. It’s all very encouraging to see some of the ‘Wild West’ being taken out of internet gambling and credit is due to groups like Justice For Punters and the Horserace Bettors Forum, who have been talking at length to government agencies about these issues in recent years.
At Towcester today, there’s been just enough interest in Black Narcissus (2.50) to get my attention, the veteran having come down to 11-1 from an opening 16s. From the very sharp yard of Alexandra Dunn, she’s come down to an attractive mark, 5lb below the one from which she won at the start of last February.
Most of her runs this season have been hopeless but she ran well at Ffos Las in November, when third. Perhaps it was no coincidence that that was her first run in a tongue tie. Since her last run, 32 days ago, she’s had a wind op. Blinkers are fitted for the first time. The in-form Gavin Sheehan rides her for the first time. It looks like connections mean business.
At Wincanton, there’s 7-1 about Rosemary Russet (2.25), who showed a high level of form in winning a bumper in March. She raced prominently but didn’t get home in her first two starts over hurdles but a 52-day absence followed by the fitting of a tongue tie suggests a reason for that. We may see her take a significant step forward here, especially with Harry Fry going well.
Half an hour later, Captain Cattistock (3.00) is fairly priced at 11-8 for his handicap debut. Bryony Frost takes off 5lb, which looks significant to me because I think Paul Nicholls is using her claim sparingly just now. They’re two from three together in the past fortnight.
The nap is Thaqaffa (7.30) at Kempton tonight, where he is a 4-1 shot to get a third consecutive win. He’s not thrown in with a penalty and would actually be 2lb better off if he could just run off his revised mark but this place suits him and he has more to offer.
Chris Cook’s Thursday tips
Wincanton 1.20 Turbotim 1.50 San Pedro De Senam 2.25 Rosemary Russet (nb) 3.00 Captain Cattistock 3.35 Sirruh Du Lac 4.10 Unioniste 4.45 Hideaway Vic
Southwell 1.30 Something Lucky 2.05 Ignacio Zuloaga 2.40 Ray Purchase 3.15 Magic Pulse 3.50 Dose 4.25 Kody Ridge
Towcester 1.40 The Vocalist 2.15 Doc Carver 2.50 Black Narcissus 3.25 Dr Des 4.00 Norse Light 4.35 Cafe Au Lait
Kempton 5.55 Freebe Rocks 6.30 Princess De Lune 7.00 Mercers 7.30 Thaqaffa (nap) 8.00 Time To Reason 8.30 Western Way-
