UP AND RUNNING AS CASH FLOWS

Simon Nott enjoys a break - then back to work with the layers on the rails

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Naas and Punchestown

May was a busy month after I started in April with my first visit to Naas, this was with Matchbook with whom I have a business relationship.

They are sponsoring a series of races at the Irish course alongside their new MatchbookLovesRacing campaign. It was just a fact-finding visit really, a jolly for which I didn't venture into the betting ring apart from to say hello to my sometimes AK Bets workmates. I don't do a lot of jollies so enjoyed this one, especially as we got to meet Willie Carson. He was in good spirits, even recording a short video for the Matchbook team. I'm looking forward to getting back to Naas again during the summer to promote that series.

Jollies must be like London buses, I was on another one on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival, once again working with Matchbook. They had been running a £50,000 bonus promotion and had to sweat out three qualifiers, one running on Tuesday and the other two in the same race on Wednesday.

The guys were putting a brave face on it while they hosted a very varied box of guests, including colourful Newmarket-based bookmaker Ed Thompson and fellow layer Michael Cannon as well as a couple of sharp lads from a betting syndicate that they didn't want to talk too much about and plenty more interesting characters. The day was a handy one for me as top Irish judge Tony Keenan gave his best and only bet of the whole meeting to Andy Gibson's Cheltenham Trail group as Powerful which won their Albert Bartlett at 9/1 hence my only bet of the day. Our day ended at The K Club which was a treat for us mere mortals, a wonderful day at the races. Oh and all three of the £50,000 bonus horses got beaten, sad news for them but I'm sure there was a wry smile or two in Matchbook HQ.