TVB

Well it's that time of the week again. Friday night. A time for sitting down in front of the telly, log fire roaring, a glass of wine or jug (!) of ale in hand, tucking into a warming stew. Or, if that's not your scene - because you've not yet reached the ripe old age of 40 and therefore you aren't such a sad old git as I - perhaps a night for carousing in the bars and clubs of town and a late night tikka massala.

That is what Friday evenings should be all about.

Not for this Old Chestnut. Skeeve, Form Lab Lite, Football Elite, here we come...


Before I go though, a quick heads up re. The Value Bettor, a link to whose blog you can see to the right.

I've mentioned the service before, but it is an appropriate time to do so again. The tipster is a chap who I had the pleasure of meeting a couple of years ago when we went to Aintree on the Friday of the Grand National meeting. We were a group of racing enthusiasts, some of whom were (and still are) rather more knowledgeable than others. I don't think it false modesty when I say I come under the "Clueless" category and am probably easily impressed, but TVB was pointing things out about the way the horses went down to post and how they ran during the race that made me think that perhaps he should run a tipping service.

Now, he is! TVB ran the service last year for the first time through the main months of the National Hunt season, and achieved highly impressive levels of profit. Yesterday was Day 1 of Season 2012/13, and timid tipster that he is (heh!), TVB went straight in with a 66/1 shot (Betfair SP 300+ !!!). Calm down, it didn't win or place.

Today's bet was another at a right old price (25s), staking split between win and place. It finished 2nd, beaten less than a length. The written analysis of the bet contained a gem of a theory, the likes of which I have never heard before, as to why the selection may have been a bit of a plot horse. You can read it yourself on his blog now.

Why am I mentioning all this when it is not an official part of the portfolio? I'll tell you why, shall I? It's because as I've stated before on these pages, I love National Hunt racing. The sport thrills me. Cheltenham in March enthralls. And I like to know a bit about the horses I'm watching. TVB's analysis and reading of the races he has examined is incredibly insightful and entertaining to boot. Add to this the fact that he also builds up to Cheltenham by assembling an antepost portfolio guaranteed to give an interest in the Festival throughout the winter, and you can see why I'm such a fan.

The only reason why I don't follow financially is that backing horses at big prices which tend to shorten significantly (hence the name - The Value Bettor) is not conducive to keeping my online bookie accounts open, not when put in the context of all the other betting that I do. Especially so when ricks in the market are taken advantage of the night before racing, which is often the case. I don't therefore want to record the P&L of the service on the blog, as I won't be backing all the selections, but I do intend to back some, such as those at the weekend when I can walk into one of the bookmaker offices and use cash. I will also be building that Cheltenham portfolio I was talking about. So expect a regular mention of TVB on here from now on, and if you want to see what it is all about, go read that blog.


Thursday's Betting

Northern Monkey: Staked 0.5pts, -0.5pts.*
On The Nose: Staked 1.25pts, +2.412pts.
Winning Racing Tips: Staked 0.4pts, -0.4pts.

Sportyy: Staked 1pt, -1pt.
On The Oche: Staked 1pt, +1.475pts.

*More on the staking involved here shortly.


Listen folks. Have a great weekend. You'll be able to tell how mine has been by about 2.35pm tomorrow.

Up The Gunners!