Saturday 28th. Saturday afternoon comprised of sitting in Rabat square drinking Cisk XL and watching the racing on our iPads. I had a really strong word for SEAGULL of John Gosden’s, although this was a big jump in class, his homework suggested that he was well up to this. I emailed him out as an ANDY BELL bet and also my free column tip.
I really want to get the LATE SERVICE over the 100 points barrier profit this month and hopefully SWIFT CAMPAIGN, once again from the very powerful John Gosden stable can help us achieve this milestone at 6/1 ew.
We are eating at our very close friends, Johnny “the Generals” own restaurant tonight. We will no doubt have copious amounts of meat, which will be the very best quality, as the whole family are butchers.
The ask was in fact to much for SEAGULL as he runs a very gallant race, but unfortunately finishes second. Although SWIFT CAMPAIGN does return us a small ew profit when he finishes third at 13/2.
With the ANDY BELL non runner YOUR FIRED and SEAGULL, we endure a small losing day and with a place for the LATE SERVICE a small winning day, so in all no harm done.
The certainty of the day was the meat at Johnny’s restaurant, it was stunning and my pork chop would of fazed Fred Flintstone and outsized any of his famed Brontosaurus ribs, coupled with his homemade wine it was fantastic. The local bars are not getting any of the Greedy 1s Euros tonight, the Bellie boys belly is at the top of its pipes.
It’s the start of the St Paul’s fiesta tonight and the square is in party mode, with stalls scattered around, music and side shows. The strong mans act didn’t go exactly to plan, as the volunteer was attempting to break a breeze block, with an axe, which was placed on his stomach and on the second attempt the axe head flew off and was sent flying into the rapidly scattering crowd, heheheh only in a Malta.com.
Sunday 29th. Sunday morning is almost a cult religion for us now, it’s a walk up between the Market stalls, which conveniently finishes at the Sunday bar, that’s what we have named it anyway (La Piazza).
SECRET MILLIONAIRE should of won for us last week, but didn’t due to an over confident ride and I am told today to fill my boots and get all our loses back at 11/4.
I also get a Doctor Newland bet come through, which he has only just purchased, this is very exciting because the man is a genius with only a dozen ish horses, JAZZ MAN, who is trading at 6/1, I take this huge price and also advise all my clients to do likewise as I know this is going to be smashed up in the betting.
We have our fill of the gratis food, that always comes round on Sundays, although the snails and tripe do cause a few frowns, not here I can assure you, I only dislike custard and ignorant bastards, different to our tight arse pubs at home, with plenty of the XL consumed before we leave for the boathouse at Gnejna and a fishing trip.
We arrive to sample a very strong homemade plum wine, very much like sloe gin in fact, it’s very moreish and seems extremely potent. After a few glasses I am racing again, even before we start on another boathouse owners, Raymond’s, home brewed grape wine. I don’t know whether you can be drunk in charge of a boat, but I was. With all the pots out we can now return to eat, whatever Guz has prepared. Mmmmm fish soup, she is bang up there with the best, only a few hours ago I bet the ingredients were merrily swimming around. Good job our belly’s weren’t relying on our catch, as the cat could eat more in a single sitting.
SECRET MILLIONAIRE duly obliges at a great 3/1 sp and not relishing this, I think I have 11/4 as taken in the morning and have fallen short of my 300 point mark, which I comment on via my Facebook page (andy bell racing) in no uncertain terms.
What a gamble by the Doctor again, as JAZZ MAN bolts in at 15/8, making our 6/1 look amazing. This smashes the LATE BETTING boys and girls through the 100 mark for the month, where we are now going to stay.
Now it’s time for a chill, have a swim and consume more of this home made stuff
Monday 30th. I have achieved both my monthly goals as both our services have reached their targets, ANDY BELL has hit over 300 points and the LATE SERVICE over 100 points profit for the month and are sitting pretty at the VERY top of the table, where we have been for most of the month and also fourth, not bad for all you people in both services, hey?
Please send all brown envelopes, Bollinger and anything that closely resembles 36, 26, 36 to PO Box 999, Newmarket ish.
I know and can confirm that three of my clients have booked super holidays around the world, thanks to our combined efforts, Australia, New York and Italy, if there are anymore of you lurking out there, I would love to know via BETFAN or my ANDY BELL RACING Facebook Page.
Nice and early we get sorted on this last day of June, with a super strong word for HARWOODS STAR of Amanda Perritts in the last at Windsor.
On ANDY BELL’s service, I put it up as a 1 point win, as whatever happens we can then stay over the 300 points profit for the month, but in my appraisal, I tell all my clients that I am having more on, naughty I know. The LATE SERVICE also gets the same message.
A Chinese in Silema is on the cards tonight and the only thing that wasn’t really good was HARWOODS STAR, which ran bang in the middle of the Won Tons and the curried fish.
I have now had six days in Malta, eating and drinking for England and I could still have beaten HARWOODS STAR, who ran a shocker, surely he can’t be that slow, there must be a reason.
Tuesday 1st. Although we didn’t finish June on a high with a winner, we still made over 300 points profit on my main service for the month and more importantly it was a gradual process, not just one lucky hit. Let’s not forget what is supposedly meant to be a second backup service the LATE CALL, which made well over 100 points profit, that is surely good enough to fit into some peoples portfolios as a first service.
Last night was a real Maltese night on the tiles as the St Paul’s precession and band came through the main Rabat street. All the Maltese ladies dress up in their best frocks and highest shoes and look stunning, trust me.
Thankfully as a school we drunk the Sunday bar out of vino and had to leave.
I had to giggle as I noticed there was a dialog between the Tartan tipster and myself, which I don’t remember on Facebook last night, I must admit I was cringing a shade as I was going through the messages to see what I had said and then the big cheese SJM also got involved, thankfully I kept my more controversial views to myself even regarding the lack of height of Hadrains wall between us and there was nothing too offensive said, luckily it was quite civil, the only conclusion we ALL came to and all agreed on was that Simon Holden is a tart.
Maybe there could be an English, Scottish challenge looming, so we can show us Brits have by far the best premier league of tipsters and do rule supreme.
It’s Doris’s the Regina’s (queens) birthday today, Johnny’s sister, who is the is one of life’s great mysteries, why is this lady single?? For the life of me, you all know I can read the form, but this escapes me for sure. I think if my father was not so happy and in love with Pauline, he would be enjoying the Maltese sun on a daily basis.
As I write this, it’s just Johnny and I at Gnejna and he is sparko after our fantastic lunch of, wait for it, Young goat and of course a big hole has been made in the gallon of his best homemade vino.
Time to join Johnny for a siesta and try to be and act as straight and sensible as possible for our poshy lady’s birthday meal tonight.
Wednesday 2nd. This month hasn’t exactly gone to plan as yet, with a last and a dead.
Mr Haggis will change this as he sends a Chevely Park juvenile, ADULATION, to contest the first at Catterick and this is a much simpler task than he was set at Royal Ascot and this man doesn’t punch above his weight very often. I was gutted to see that we missed the 8/13 early doors, because although we will never make money from backing these short prices, the odd one doesn’t hurt now and again and this WILL win.
The birthday girls meal went very well and all twenty two of us were well impressed with not only the surroundings, but more importantly the food and wine. My, I am sober act was going so well, even after a few XLs and some more Pinot, until I toppled off a chair and nearly into the swimming pool, I bet there were some ” if onlys” uttered then.
Poor old Andy Murray, is sent packing back to his belovered highlands, I had to chuckle because when he won, it was mentioned by his loyal patriots and also our very own Shrewd tipster, that it was a very good day for the Scottish, but when he lost in the next round all of a sudden he was British, very bazaar.
WAKEA is thought to very an above average youngster and is expected to win at Kempton tonight, so I decide to email this out and start the LATE BETTING services July campaign.
ADULATION jumps from the gates and leads all the way for a very comfortable four length victory to put ANDY BELL on the score boards for July.
WAKEA is as good as I am told as he bolts in by an uncontested six lengths and gives the LATE SERVICE the perfect start to the month.
It’s a meal booked tonight in a fish restaurant in Marscacarla, with Ian, Grat and two of their Maltese friends. The Aljotta (fish soup) starts the meal off perfectly and the mains of fish, prawns, fried squid, octopus, clams and mussels are as good as I can ever remember having. A quiet finish to the night as we head straight back to our apartment
Thursday 3rd. A winning day for both services yesterday and we have our month up and running.
A busy day looms with three selections SWISS CROSS, FRANGIPANNI and ARABIAN REVOLUTION. With all three backed and emailed out, I also decide to put the three in an ew trixie at 2/1,13/8 and 2/1.
A shade later the Charlie hills trained Gimcrack entrant, STRATH BURN is given to me as a very strong ew bet at 13/2, although I know and also mention in my LATE SERVICE email the favourite is well thought of, but is no value at around even money.
We have a meal booked at the BOUQUET GARNI tonight and as our four runners are in the 7-10, 7-35, 8-10 and finally the 9-10, I take my iPad to watch their progress. In the middle of my Prawn Bisque, I let out a squeak, to a few “looks” hot, hot I say, as SWISS CROSS just hangs on and wins at an incredible SP of 11/4. A distinct shout greets STRATH BURNs 7/1 clear win, a fish bone is my next excuse, father is smiling as he has also backed them all and knows the score. Unfortunately I am unable to piss off the “lookers” anymore, as the best the next two can muster is a second.
I know we have had a right result on the LATE SERVICE with a 7/1 winner and I think we may just have won on ANDY BELL, so another very satisfactory days work complete.
More than I can say about the meal, it’s normally faultless, but tonight’s left a lot to be desired and the owner trying to convince our local fishing experts that the imported prawns were local was not a wise move.
Friday 4th. The July campaign has been slower than ideal to kick in, which is different to me and my belly this morning, as it’s defiantly a case of “heads up, bums down, ensures the walls remain white and not brown,” back to the horses, with a winner Wednesday, all be it a short price and Swiss Cross obliging yesterday and certainly not forgetting the LATE SERVICE banging in a brilliant 7/1 winner, keeping their 100% strike rate intact, I think we are now coming to the boil nicely.
I hope the BETFAN back office are also enjoying their holidays, I haven’t seen any of them here although they must be somewhere as there seem to be a lot of results unavailable in the proofing at the moment.
In the 7-15 at Haydock I get a real strong message for the Sylvester Kirk trained, handicap debutant, WESTERN PLAYBOY, which I immediately back myself at 10/1 ew and advise all my clients to do as well, making sure they secure the 10/1 if possible, as I am told this is going to be very strongly punted.
Also ELEUSIS is an 11/10 shot and has been flying up the Chris Wall gallops in a hood, which he is wearing today and is expected to win under Ted Durcan this afternoon.
WESTERN PLAYBOY is smashed up in the betting into 5/1 and in places he is as short as 4/1, but is suspiciously withdrawn, I often wonder whether the Greedy 1s ever have anything to do with these sort of things. One thing for sure is although no monies have been won or lost, this horse will NOT open up at 10s next time.
ELEUSIS looks all over the winner until the last half a furlong and finishes a clear second.
A big night in Rabat, where we watch the most amazing fireworks display, which are made up in the hills and at least one factory is blown up each year with two or three fatalities.
The streets look fantastic as they are all highly decorated, with statues of St Paul, trimmings everywhere and literally hundreds and hundreds of balloons ready to be released at midnight, during another firework display.
We watch the brass band parade from outside my Maltese brothers, Ian and James’s parents house, as it’s a huge street party, with free food and beer wherever you go. The hospitality is quite heart warming as everybody are so generous and kind, I can’t see us British catching on, we still argue with the neighbours about the height of the boundary hedge.
Saturday 5th. My Uncle Paul and Auntie Valerie have unfortunately had to leave us this morning, as the so called world conquering, we can sell or do anything, Tesco’s can’t cope without her. I know she is very good at her job and irreplaceable, but surely there is someone, somewhere that could be drafted in.
The only downside to being here is that I miss the Eclipse, which is the first one I’ve missed for nine years.
Personally I shall be opposing the filly, THE FUGUE, as only two of her sex have ever been successful and history is hard to beat. TRUE STORY in his first time visor at 18/1, I hope will run a big race for King Kieran and also his connections.
Free tip: 5-00 Sandown COLLABORATION ew 10/1 Lads.
A big week is looming, not only my long awaited return, but also the small matter of the fantastic July Cup, three day meet, where if like other years we will clear up. Simon Holden has said he is going to grace us with his presence and I’m sure The Grumbling Don will be lurking, no doubt in his overcoat, maybe I will get my Bollinger, it’s good being an honourable loser, but not good talking the talk and then being a welsher, talking of Welshers, I wonder whether that Shrewd tipster aka Jimmy “Gordon Broooooown” Welsh will hike down to watch some real racing.
Anyway that’s it from our only Eurovision Song supporters and scorers rock for this week, so caw, bye for now.
“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” Winston Churchill
Next week will be from the idyllic July course and I hope the only difference from where I am sitting writing this now is the flesh on show is a shade lighter.
As always be good, bet wisely and don’t get caught.
Back next Saturday.
Andy Bell
http://go.betfan.com/1000/258
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