POOR VALUE IN SHORT DEMAND

Paul Jacobs sees punters voting with their feet on miserly ante-post prices

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I understand that over the past couple of decades ante-post betting seems to have gone out of fashion, but that is more more due to those that lay books and prices than the attitude of the punter.

For example, after his cracking chasing debut at Navan, impressive as he was, Final Demand is as short as 6/4 for the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival next March. My question, is he a mere 6/4 shot to actually line up at the start on that Wednesday afternoon let alone go onto win?

The media build these apparent super horses up, looking for the next Arkle (by the way there will never ever be anything close to the greatest of national hunt horses) and then they try and tempt you in with odds-against the Willie Mullins' charge as if they are offering Galleons of value (if you know you now, if not the clue is HP).

And even if in your snug subjectivity you think you are grabbing a semblance of value, how much do you think you can really 'get on'?

I recently asked for £15 e/w at 40/1 about Alexei for the Champion Hurdle following his Greatwood Hurdle success only to be offered a derisory £1.13 each-way! My argument and reasoning is that the market place, certainly in online terms, has never been more competitive, with many more bookmakers chasing the punters' buck and yet very few stand out by offering the punter a fair swipe at the prices on offer in their shop window before pulling the rug from under your punting feet.