The sporting and betting weekend

As when Rory won his first Major, the U.S. PGA, which was over shadowed by the London Olympics, his fine performance to dominate the Dubai tourney was eclipsed by Andy Murray contesting the Australia Open. I flitted between the two but when the Murray challenge faltered and failed, I concentrated more on the triumphal progress of Rory especially as I had backed him at 7-4. His swing is thing of beauty and as Tiger becomes toothless Rory’s status as world number one is unchallengeable. Charl Schwatzel and Martin Kaymer have already squandered huge leads but Rory kept his head and lead in the final day with superb course management.

Every year a new name or two gets thrown up. Already Gary Stal has won fame and money and joined the stable of promising French golfers like Levy and Wattel, Victor Dubuisson is already acknowledged. A hitherto nobody from Nuneaton, Andy Sullivan has also won and appeared in the upper echelons. Over in the States a youngster Brooks Koepka who played the European Tour last year won the Waste Management at Phoenix and Steve Palmer has picked out rookie Justin Thomas. He has had two top twenty finishes. MartinLaird dropped three shots on the last two holes reflecting the mental frailty under pressure of an aspirant winner.

As usual Steve’s description of his betting week in Sunday’s Racing Post had me in stitches. It was gambling aware week and he said he was very much aware that until he had Barcelona to win both halves he had no winner. I enjoy a drink, have too much sometimes but am not dependent on it. I enjoy watching televised sport enhanced by a flutter but am no gambling addict. In our nanny society such distinctions are not respected.

There are few things worse in life than to be thanked for a tip you have not waged. So when Tom Hollingworth called for advice on the Super Bowl I was happy to share the Racing Post‘s tipping which I had followed . Every golf shot is different, so is the course and conditions so I find the plays in gridiron formulaic and for that tedious. Some of the bets , like the first to rush 66 yards are unfathomable to me. Of course I managed to cock up my winning margins of 1-7 and plus 13 (not 8-14 as intended) to the Patriots. However their late touchdown and final defence was all the more exciting as the four point lead was within my bet.

So by end of the weekend my betfair account was something of a mini war chest which poses a problem: do I withdraw the funds, increase my stake from £10 or continue as is? I think I shall take the final option. For the visceral excitement of a winning bet there is always the professional’s betting mantra of bad luck which if you have dropped a tenner is not hard to swallow.

I must finish by mentioning the North Wales National I watched at Ffon Las where I witnessed something I have never seen before. As the winner Bob Ford came to jump the final fence the only other horse Gorgeous Liliege was some 99 lengths behind and pulled up, leaving the winner the only one left on course. The rider of the second 99 lengths behind reversed his decision and continued to claim the second spot. The conditions defeated all but one horse or as Tony McCoy put it “There is heavy going and Ffon Las heavy going.”