Racing Post

‘I don’t half get up for those big meetings at the big tracks. I still get butterflies’

Matt Williams

What is your strategy when studying form. Is there anything in particular you look out for?

I don’t tend to delve too deep in the form book these days, it’s more a case of refreshing what is already logged upstairs. If you are serious about anything, I find it’s human nature to put in the hours to form a base that will stand you in good stead for a lifetime, and that’s where I am with form. I make notes these days and use a tracker, something I never used to do, but they’re just reference points that help me suss what I want to do with certain horses, and it influences bet size etc.

You’ve specialised in using the Betfair exchange over the years. What are your three golden rules for in-running punting?

Golden rules? I wouldn’t elevate myself like that. But things we should all know as punters, bank or tank management (there is a difference) is everything. Playing with scared money is a grind, in my experience a bigger ‘tank’ encourages good betting, or it should do. Find your niche. My P&L has been founded on big-priced winners for smallish stakes. I know other punters will smash into really short prices and in running that can work for some, not all. I wish I was more on top of tracking where I lose money, what tracks I’m good and bad at. I’m sure there’s a lot of wastage I could have better control over.

What would be your three general pieces of advice for punters?

I don’t know if there is general advice I can give, but the ability to make money betting on horses is something people either have or don’t have. We all endure runs or streaks, but when I’m on a bad run, it’s always reassuring to have that familiar, safe feeling, knowing I always find a way to steady the ship. I have said it forever, betting in running, whatever the sport, is a great way to spend your punting pound. I reckon the money lasts longer for a losing punter, and it gives you a chance to read a market, be it a game, race or whatever, before spending a shillin’. That gives you a sense of control, which makes losing a lot easier to deal with.

Is there a difference between how you’d approach inrunning punting over jumps as opposed to the Flat?

I like the fast reactions you need on the Flat. If you’re a good judge of momentum in a race you will invariably be rewarded. It’s more exciting than the jumps for me and, when you’ve been doing this as long as I have, fun does play a big part. Everything is a lot slower over jumps, a threemile handicap hurdle is my idea of hell, it’s a kettle break. And any ‘national’ race, they can be brutal, I can be 5k deep, jumping the Chair, betting 80quid clicks!

Are there any courses you favour over others and why?

Not really. But that old saying of a 5-1 winner at Southwell tastes the same as a 5-1 winner at Cheltenham is complete bullshine. If I ever feel like that, then I’ll know I’ve lost my love for the game. I don’t half get up for those big meetings at the big tracks. My turnover is way bigger, I want to get involved heavily pre-race, and I still get butterflies, thankfully. Watching Constitution Hill hose up in the Supreme was thrilling – my bet on him made it so. The same winning bet elsewhere on a Monday, my pulse remains at a constant.

Love Envoi, winning the mares’ novice hurdle in March, is fancied for more festival success

What is your approach to ante-post betting? How early would you get involved?

There’s no time influence on when I’d bet ante-post. I used to love an ante-post bet, but I do think the bookies can revisit this part of their business and be a bit more imaginative. Surely Willie Mullins is a great safety net for them – he doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing two weeks before the festival, and us mugs are going in, secondguessing him six months out!

And with that in mind, can you recommend an ante-post bet for the season?

Love Envoi at 10-1 for the Mares’ Hurdle is a knocking each-way bet. We own a share in her but, even allowing for the bias, she is dead hard, a sound mare and what

Harry Fry did with her last season was remarkable.

She lost her unbeaten record to a fresh Brandy Love on her final start but, trust me, that wasn’t anything like her true form. She was feeling the effects of a tough stretch of races and festival-winning form is always great going back to Mecca!

Are you team Constitution Hill or team Honeysuckle in the Champion Hurdle?

Constitution Hill will wipe the floor with Honeysuckle, even giving away that joke sex allowance.

The Gold Cup looks an incredible race – how do you see it going?

Is it an incredible race? If the going is no worse than good to soft, I think A Plus Tard will repeat.

Give us three horses to follow fortheseason...

Hitching Jacking (Dan Skelton) finished third in a strong-looking bumper at Wetherby, a track that wouldn’t have played to his strengths, and this ex-Irish pointer should make his presence felt in staying novice hurdles this winter, earning a shot at something decent in the spring.

Gericault Roque (David Pipe) remains a novice for this season, despite finishing a gutsy runner-up in the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham. He’s still feasibly weighted and you can be sure connections will be looking to right that wrong at Cheltenham at some point (probably should have run in and won the Kim Muir). A lovely young chaser with the scope to leave his mark well behind.

Life In The Park (Henry de Bromhead) is getting the hang of things, winning his last three, namely a maiden hurdle, a handicap hurdle and most recently a beginners’ chase at last month’s Listowel festival. I’m not sure what route De Bromhead is going to take with his young chaser but he might fall just short of top class and therefore a handicap target might be on the cards.

THE BIG JUMP OFF

en-gb

2022-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://racingpost.pressreader.com/article/281711208563478

Racing Post