One of the draw backs in not going to the track is the pub. Time flies when you are having a pint and talking racing. That is exactly what happened here. I dashed across to the bookies only to find the runners turning into the home straight. Linning Wine looked menacing as he moved up on the inside to join the leaders. With 100yds to go Compton Commander came up on the outer to grab the race on the line.

RESULT ..1. COMPTON COMMANDER 10/1
..................2. HIGH HOPE 6/1
..................3. THEATRE 10/1
..................4. LINNING WINE 3/1F

A lot is made of alcohol and gambling not mixing, and it is fair comment. Personally I like the odd pint between races, it helps me relax and allows me to escape the constant bombardment of action thrown at you in the betting shop. There are two points to be wary of here. Firstly its easy to miss a race. I was lucky, but sods law states that if you don’t get on, the horse wins. The other point is if you drink too much it does tend to boost your confidence and empty your wallet. I make a point of finishing the serious gambling before starting the serious drinking.
In the next race Paragon of Virtue was the top rated three time improver all three runs being at Lingfield. Analyze ran a 74 two runs ago over C&D but looks like he bounced last time with a 63. Willoughbys Boy and Perfidious looked the dangers.

Paragon of Virtue chased the leaders from 3f out, led at the furlong pole and was driven clear inside the last. I had £40 EW at 8/1. When I did the ratings later Paragon of Virtue earned a speed figure of 78 for this run. The best performance of the day.

RESULT ...1. PARAGON OF VIRTUE 8/1
...................2. PERFIDIUS 11/2
...................3. MY MAITE 12/1

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This was one of those occasions where you need to sit down for a minute and take stock. I had winning tickets worth £600, a further £225 for the double in the yankee and £225 going onto a 7/1. By now my head was spinning. Sods law rule 2 states that if you work out what you will get back before it wins, it wont, and so I didn’t, I went back across the road for a pint. After this 8/1 winner the only question in the pub was, what was the speed horse in the next. In the last, Coppington Flyer was poised to make a great day unforgettable and by the time I got back into the betting shop I was not the only one on it.

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