The Nakayama Grand Jump is the richest steeplechase horse race in the world. The winner takes home 65 million yen, roughly 550,000 euro (though given how the yen is plummeting in value by the hour, you could knock a couple of thousand off that by the time you read this).
Three weeks ago we went along to our local Japanese Racing Association (JRA) off-track betting facility to watch Blackstairmountain's Japanese debut in the Pegasus Stakes..
And we all know how that went.
We wailed, we gnashed our teeth, we pulled our hair (or at least Sanae and Cian did. I can't afford to do that with what little I have left); we lamented the loss of three thousand of the Gaynor-Takahashi family's hard earned yen.
But then Barry, this blog's resident expert in all things equine, weighed in with his considered opinion. The 'Keane Eye' as Ennis' resident turf oracle is known, assured us that Blackstairmountain could and would do better next time out.
Hmmmm.
Well 'next time out' arrived today. Cian, having been bitterly disappointed the previous time opted to stay at home digging a stream with his friends in front of our house. So Sanae and me drove down to the JRA with me sternly warning her that we were not going to bet another three thousand yen on a horse that seemed to be in Japan solely in order to hide out from Tesco's meat suppliers.
She nodded, agreed, and then did what she always does; ignored me and put a four thousand yen each-way bet on the horse. And picked two other horses for a place bet as well, horses I'd like to point out, she had never seen nor heard of until, and I am not making this up, she glanced up at a monitor as she was placing the bet and picked them based on their odds.
And nothing else.
That my friends, is gambling.
That, my God, is my wife.
And as for the race? Well you can enjoy it in full HERE, along with my helpful commentary. Please forgive the shaky camera work as things became a tad 'exciting' towards the end.
Those of you who suffer from visual vertigo can watch the actual broadcast here, unfortunately in Japanese, along with a post race interview with Ruby Walsh.
That wasn't gambling! That was making an informed, and well-tipped, decision, and buying yourself some money! What odds did Sanae get? I backed him last night at 8/1 - funnily enough he was the only horse available to back with our friend Paddy Power. I hoped you would get the message last night because the word was very good from the stable and from the training reports I read.
ReplyDeleteNot sure Simon Holt or Des Scahill will be quakeing in their boots at the thought of a new commentator entering the fray....
(Btw, what WAS the Japanese commentator saying every time they came to a "jump-ahhh"?
Barry, unfortunately we didn't get to read your incisive advice until after the race. Had we read it before Sanae may well have mortgaged the house and put it all on the Irish challenger.
ReplyDeleteIn the end caution got the better of us and we went a (approximately) 10 euro each way bet. Still, at 26 to 1 (yes, you read those odds correctly), we can't complain about our return, enhanced by Sanae's unbelievably jammy pick of the second placed horse as well. Not a bad for a Saturday afternoon in Muroran.
Excellent! Brilliant odds - comes from the Japanese blind patriotism and large wedge on their own horses. Happens every time a Japanese horse runs in Europe - they overbet it and the value on the other horses increases as a result. Part of the reason he was only 8/1 with PP... Irish would only know him and thus back him alone.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I hope to make up the difference tonight having backed Angel Cabrera to win the Masters at 110/1 earlier in the week!
Well done Sanae on your well judged bet on Blackstair mountain. What a fantastic win. You - and willy Mullins - must still be celebrating. I love the video and accompanying commentary. Hilarious. I must play it for Aunty May. How in earth had it been viewed 774 times?! Have you that much of a following online Brian? Keep up the gambling Sanae and tell Barry Keane I want to be kept informed of any sure fire tips he has up his sleeve!
ReplyDelete774 times?!?!
DeleteWTF?!
I7m having a hard time figuring that one out myself. I suspect Sanae must be replaying the video late at night in order to relive some of that gambler's high.
Or else Ruby Walsh's fans went online to search for the race and ended up viewing your version of it! As it happens Willy Mullins was in Tiernan's office the other week - I'll fill you in offline why - and he tipped Blackstair Mountain to his boss who unfortunately forgot to back him.....he passed on the tip to the security guard though who did back him and did v well out of it.
ReplyDeleteCiara, Brian and not forgetting, new convert Sanae. I hope to have a decent priced winner for y'all sometime soon. I recently became part-owner (one of the hairs on his tail is mine)of a young horse who has run 3 times for us, but has now received his handicap mark (nudge nudge, wink wink). We expect him to be ready to win in his next, or second next outing. Further details in good time......
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