Wednesday 20th December 2006

I started the day all wrong with a couple of losing trades, which contrary to what most people would think, put me in a hesitant frame of mind. I know there is a lot of talk about chasing losses but when you do this for a living, trying to make steady gains everyday, chasing is normally the last thing that I want to do. My main objective when this has happened is not to make the day any worse, so caution is the watch word, and it normally means that I will miss profitable trades that I would otherwise have taken.

My first trade of the day was in the 12:20 at Musselburgh where I backed Palomar for £240 @ 2.30 just as he was contending the lead with the intention of laying off @ around 1.80. Soon after I had placed the back the horse came under pressure and was soon looking in trouble. I had put a lay up @ 1.80 but quickly took a £27 lay @ 2.20 to limit my loss on the race to £213. I had a small profitable trade in the next at Musselburgh before my next disappointing trade in the 13:20, also at Musselburgh. Here I started with a back on Black Chalk for £40 @ 3.30 and laid off @ 2.94. I then backed him again for £82 @ 2.50 and put a lay up for £100 @ 2.20. I only got matched on £15 of this. I also backed the eventual winner, Quibble for £5 @ 2.00 to leave me with my second loss on the day of £61.

I had a small profitable trade in the 13;30 at Lingfield. Next was the 13:50 at Musselburgh where I started with a scratch trade on the favourite and eventual winner, Key Time. Towards the end of the race and approaching the final hurdle I backed Key Time again for £89 @ 1.85 and laid back £88 @ 1.35. I then backed him again in the run in for £115 @ 1.03 to leave me with a profit of £47. Next I traded two races both to a small profit. Then came the 14:30 at Lingfield where I hesitated and should have made a very big profit, however I did back Cusoon for £102 @ 3.32 whist he was in front in the final furlong to net me a decent profit of £236. This was one of those situations where you can not believe the odds on offer so as a precaution you just check out all the facts to make sure you haven't made a mistake before hitting the submit button. There where several hundred more £'s on offer at the time that I first thought of backing but by the time I had satisfied myself that this really was the right horse I had missed most of the money.

In the 16:20 at Kempton I backed Algarde for £26 @ 1.50. I had put up £100 @ 1.50 at the start of the race and was surprised to get any matched as the horse led from start to finish and had set off at a price of 1.50. So I profited to the tune of £13. The final race for me was the 17:20 at Kempton and here I backed Hurricane Spirit for £33 @ 1.60 to net me another £20. So I ended my horse trading day with a profit of £68.

Tonight's match for me was the Carling Cup Semi Final between Newcastle and Chelsea. This looked like it would be a low scoring match but in a cup semi and with Chelsea starting with a much changed side anything could happen. I almost missed the start of the match and only got £14 matched @ 1.71 on the under 2.5 goal market pre kick off. With 5 minutes on the clock I backed the unders for £112 @ 1.67. I then took another £138 @ 1.65. Next I started to lay off at prices from 1.60 in £25 lots. By half time I had laid all my liability bar £25 off. Early in the second half I laid off the final £25 @ 1.15 and with 30 minutes left on the clock I greened up with a £65 lay @ 1.08 leaving me with a £65 profit no matter the result. The brilliant Drogba goal came in 79 minute, but at this late stage of the match, the under 2.5 goals market was not worth trading so  I then looked at other markets on the match to make a profit on and decided to back Chelsea, with 4 minutes on the clock, for £180 @ 1.10 and laid off £90 @ 1.06 and the rest @ 1.02 to give me an £11profit and a total match profit of £76.

I had a little trade on the Wayne Mardle v Alan Craves PDC World Darts match. I like to trade darts as there is normally plenty of opportunity to trade. I had backed Mardle for £213 @ 1.71 early in the final set and laid back @ 1.50 after Wayne threw  three good darts. This left me with a £45 profit on Mardle, but he some how lost so I had a bit of fun but made nothing. My trading day finished with a profit of £144.

Comments

[humble]

Hi ray had a few small trades myself today and done ok it seemed a lot clearer today as i listened to the commentator more and it seemed to help.You done well today finishing in profit considering the way your day started so well done again.i can go to bed now i have read your post lol thanks again

[Ray]

Hi Humble, Well done I am pleased you are making money. One thing to bear in mind is that there is often serious money to be made when the commentator gets it wrong. It's probably because we are all frantically watching our screens and listening to the commentary rather than watching the action. Some people turn the sound off that makes you concentrate on the action more. Good Luck
Ray

[traderpete]

Hi Ray
Good to see you're still doing okay mate.
I see on STW that you're considering IRIS.
I have only used it a few times for much the same reasons you state.It is however very accurate in-running and imagine the advantage you have in this fog.You don't have to be able to see the runners.There is soon going to be a block purchase option available which is when I will start.That way you only use up your 'credits' on the races you want to use IRIS in.
Good luck mate
Pete

[Ray]

Hi TraderPete,
I was offered a trial last week but never got round to using it. I am sure it will work and you are right the advantage in these foggy conditions would be brilliant. Good Luck today.
Ray