Good Friday bookies U.K.

Betting shops to open as usual on Good Friday


THERE may be a rare blank day in the British racing calendar on Good Friday but despite that fact it will be very much a case ofbusiness as usual in betting shops with all the big chains planning to open their doors as normal.


SIS will provide a service to shops that includes the return of Stan James 2,000 Guineas fancy Naaqoos at Maison Laffitte as well as horseracing from Germany and "South Africa".

Coral spokesman David Stevens said: "We will be opening the entire estate from 9am to 6pm following the very successful first Good Friday opening 12 months ago.

"We will have live and exclusive open racing from Romford and if last year is anything to go by, we are looking forward to a busy day."

William Hill's David Hood said: "All William Hill shops will be open as normal from 8am at the earliest and closing at 6pm. There will be racing from Germany, France and South Africa as well as morning and afternoon Bags, virtual racing and other products."

Totesport plan to open "normal Sunday hours" of 10am to 6pm in 95 per cent of their shops, although "a selected few" will have "slightly different" opening hours according to spokesman George Primarolo.

Standard opening hours are also the order of the day at Ladbrokes whose shops will be doing business from a start of 9am through to 6pm

Not forget the Golf!

A huge amount is bet these days 'in running' most of the bookies have cottoned onto the 'brtfair' model - especially on the last day!

ps I was gonna do padrick hamilton 16's - how did he get on?

WOW!

Live stream of golf on BBC site - UK users only. . .

NAAQOOS, a leading fancy for the Stan James.com 2,000 Guineas, was removed from the betting by Ladbrokes, Coral and William Hill after suffering a shock defeat at the hands of Le Havre on Friday in the Listed Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte.


Sent off the 2-9 favourite, Naaqoos soon took up the running in the straight 7f contest, and was asked to quicken by Davy Bonilla at the two-furlong pole. But he failed to do so and was caught by Le Havre, who won by a head, with Diableside two lengths away in third.

Trainer Freddie Head said in the wake of the defeat: "Naaqoos is now doubtful for the 2,000 Guineas. He appeared to be going well but couldn't accelerate at the end of the race, and his action was less fluent than usual."

Bonilla added: "He needs a lot of rhythm in his races, and I wanted to gradually increase the pace. I wanted Naaqoosto quicken two furlongs out but he asked for a breather at that moment. I was not totally disappointed with his effort."

After being as short as 5-1 joint-favourite, the Hamdan Al Maktoum-owned colt is now generally available at 10-1 for the Guineas.

Christophe Lemaire tracked Naaqoos on the Jean-Claude Rouget-trained Le Havre, and found enough to get up in the dying strides to win, returning the 6-1 second favourite.

Rouget said: "I didn't think it was impossible he would beat Naaqoos as I like my horse and he has only run one wrong race and that was at Saint-Cloud in deep ground."

"On good ground he is a good horse and he will now go for the French Guineas at Longchamp. He is a good physical horse with a good temper and I think he is a very nice horse."

Owner Gerard Augustin-Normand's spokesman echoed Rouget's sentiments, saying: "We always thought Le Havre was a very good horse. The plan is to run in the Poule d'Essai des Poulains

In their infinite wisdom Saftote covered only half of this meeting but the whole of the lesser card at La Teste de Whatsit. Who makes these calls?

IS that a french provisional track? never heard of it?

La Teste de Buche. From what the commentator said I gather it's in Dieppe. I think that's on the Atlantic coast of France.

This subject is always popping up on the site and it would appear that "blind" tote options always get priority over well established bookmakers markets with form on display.

Hannon lambasts BHA over weak Easter racing


RICHARD HANNON has fired a salvo at the BHA over the limp start to the Flat's turf season, which he has labelled as a disgrace.

The former champion trainer, who is in his 40th season, said: "We start with a whimper at Doncaster and then, apart from a few Mickey Mouse meetings, we revert to the all-weather until the Craven at Newmarket next week."

Writing on his website, richardhannonracing.tv, Hannon bemoans the decline of Easter's Kempton meeting.

"It used to be a big deal with the Rosebery and Queen's Prize being two prestigious handicaps, and the Easter and Masaka Stakes being recognised early Guineas trials," he said.

"Obviously, it is not the same now they race on the Polytrack there, but I cannot understand why they brought forward the Queen's Prize and ditched the Masaka in favour of the Snowdrop Stakes, which is open to older fillies. And they don't even raceon Easter Monday anymore."

He added: "Easter Monday used to be one of the biggest days of the year, but now all we have is Redcar, Warwick and Yarmouth, and a fistful of 0-60 handicaps. Roll on Newmarket and Newbury, so we can get the season properly underway.