An Introduction

I thought I may as well issue a brief introduction and scene-setter, as this is my first column for AKBets.

For all those familiar with my previous written offerings, nothing much will have changed, and the aim is still to give extensive arguments for all horses tipped – and that extends to the negatives, as well as the positives, as there is little worse than one-eyed copy when giving financial advice – as well as supplying all the information and statistics to allow you to make your own minds up, too.

It is vital to think for yourself – it is your money, after all – and I don’t want this to be a column where you just scroll to the bottom looking for the selections without reading the arguments. More about the timescales and prices, shortly.

These snippets of information are the likes of going and weather reports, pace maps, trainer-form assessments for every handler with runners in the covered races, details of money-back, balloted-out horses, and first-time headgear records. As well as lists of double-entered horses when it comes to ante-post columns.

The aim is to add to this attempt to be a one-stop shop, so any suggestions are welcomed on that front – if any Time Bandits out there have any suggestions, that is one area (and it isn’t mine) I have thought about – and I make no apologies for supplying detailed copy that takes out more than a minute of your time to read.

On that score, I was hamstrung previously on a couple of fronts.

One was that I didn’t have a natural home for my broader articles, such as my one on staking plans, and other thoughts and observations were also not accommodated and welcomed on occasions.

Luckily, that will not be an issue here, as I have been given carte blanche to write industry and betting comment pieces, as I so wish, in addition to the tipping guff.

In a strict legal framework, obviously….

The second is that this column will reference the best odds out there at the time of publication – every price I mention in copy will be correct as I hit “publish” – and not just the AK odds, which are clearly the focal point and lead of the columns.

To be fair, this has been something that I have insisted on in recent times, anyway.

I am obviously not going to name other bookmakers in these columns, but it is vital that you don’t mug off your readers by not referencing the best prices out there.

Of course, punters and readers know that some out-of-line prices are for the fairies, so a heavy dose of reality, and scrutiny, will be included in any copy.

And another increasing bugbear of mine is this obsession with enhanced place terms, without acknowledging firms that heavily focus on this area are often worse price, and by some margin, too. As well as basically closing down the option of punters’ taking starting price in this scenario.

We have all seen that rather misleading TV advert.

It is clearly great if you can take full advantage of the enhanced terms (the more the merrier if the price is right), but you will pay a hefty cost on most occasions. As ever, the devil is in the detail.

I don’t think I am talking out of turn here – and it is important to be honest – to say that AKBets’ modus operandi is much different, in that they trade to largely standard each way terms on horseracing, but to a more aggressive level win-only.

If that isn’t fair comment, no doubt I will soon hear about it from the Dublin headquarters….

That is not to say you will get unlimited chunks on some way out – let’s be realistic here, this is the 2024 version betting industry – but I’d say the nearer the off-time, the better the betting experience. Common sense really.

And no firm should be apologetic for going bottom price about a horse they fancy. It is called bookmaking.

I largely tip and bet at double-figure prices, so liabilities can build up quickly, but I will always flag when my columns are imminent on X – my handle is tony_calvin – and there is little more I can do other than that.

These will be the day before, not 48 hours in advance – I have long learned my lesson that this isn’t really on – unless in extreme, personal circumstances. And that doesn’t include rushing it out two days in advance, worrying that a price won’t last.

And if you are worrying that a price won’t last, you know that it won’t, so it is self-defeating anyway.

Up until I saw the light this year, I used to go down that road, and they were not my finest moments, in hindsight.

In addition, it should go without saying, but I never tip what I don’t back myself.

Lastly, I’ll also give minimum guide prices for all selections, something that I have been guilty of not always doing in the past.

Some shy away from this, saying it is a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I doubt I have too much clout there. And prices shorten so quickly these days, that really should be a must for all.

Mind you, the markets have never been harder to predict, with the worringly-low liquidity levels on the exchanges giving a hatful of false positives in the early markets in every race.

Anyway, that is the pious scene-setter done. Off to take a look at Saturday’s King George card at Ascot when the entries come through.

Good to have any, and all, of you on board. And I have had good news on the personal front, so unfortunately you will have me for a while yet in this new venture.

Unlike me, but I’m quite excited by it.

Go well.