Christmas is coming and I am getting fat. At least that's my excuse. It seems to happen every year and last about 12 months.....

So why so quiet of late? It's not my intention to post here unless there's something to say or something really worth looking at.

So, am I saying there have been no new racing systems on the market since October? Certainly not. In fact there's been a glut of them - many coming from the same stable. You'll probably know the one. A template driven sales pitch selling in essence the same system (involving Betfair) by a hundred different names - and most at £37. The problem with all this is that it simply discredits the industry and leads to more cynicism about racing systems. Although I hate to say it - like plot lines - there are probably only 7 or so original systems in existence, after all we can only back, lay, or trade any race. How many other permutations are there?

My dalliance in the world of poker and FX trading leads me to conclude that - whilst we are all seeking the "holy grail" of systems the fact of the matter is that as speculators (gamblers maybe?) all we can hope for is a way to maximise the upside and minimise the risk to capital. And that's the all of it in a nutshell.

All systems will have upswings and downturns - it's the nature of the best. What fascinates me is the point at which "luck" interfaces with probability. For instance, since trading profits and losses invariably run in cycles we should not forget the importance of retracement in our betting bank. What does this mean? Simply, that if we're in a down trend we should not necessarily automatically "jump ship". Often the tide will turn at precisely that very point. You see this all the time in poker and on the currency markets. I'm sure this happens trading the nags as well.

Is it luck, is it probability, is it random chaos? Who knows. But we should always endeavour to see the bigger picture and remember - the war's not over til the last battle is fought.

More from me later after I've scoffed a few more mince pies.....

I've gone "postal".....

Hey, I'm not a big fan of the postal strikes (my model helicopter took 5 days to arrive!). Flippancy aside, despite the irksome nature of the delays I appreciate just what our postal workers do for us every morning (and some pretty bluddy brass monkeys weather mornings coming up soon, I expect...).

Canonbury Pubications (of make a million on Ebay/selling used cars/ scoop your fortune cleaning wheely-bins fame) took a rather more agressive note today in their mass email campaign. And why not? Of course the folk (singular) running this visible enterprise don't actually run any of these dubious businesses - they just charge you to read about these money-spinners! What a deal!

You may read the hyperbolic emails from this crumbling publishing "empire", you may not. My right eyebrow tilted northwards during the reading of the last profane ramblings (a la Roger Moore) in which it was suggested that Disney Theme Park, Paris, had got it all wrong because they didn't sell I-pod's and yuppy merchandise at their outlets. Taking on Disney? Whoever wrote this dirge must have the ego the size of a zeppelin!.......

Just makes me glad to be a humble hoss trader, with no pretentions about the "big time".

Until next time, my message (as always) is always read between the lines.....

Question: how do you stop yourself being sued for libel? Answer: put "in my humble opinion" before your critique. I'm only half-joking here. When the consumer magazine "Which" launched many years ago, the (then) Prime Minister - Harold Wilson - famously declared it would surely fail as no company would stand to see any criticism of their products in print. What happened? Which has become an extremely successful magazine, even more remarkable for the fact they have no paid advertisers and are funded entirely by subscriptions only.

There is so much hype and spin in the racing industry (and in the so called "biz opp" community too, btw) people sometimes forget that opinions are just that: opinions. The Internet is great in that we can now trawl through legion blogs and forums to get a consensus view of any product or gambling system, but always remember what glistens is not always gold.

I write about products and services that I use myself. My income is derived from using these very products and services. So when some bright spark tells me I got a race result from 1989 wrong, or suggests that I've made a bunch of data conveniently "fit" a system I'm reviewing, I can only say this: "look, it works for me!". What possible gain is there in me spinning a line simply to sell some duff system? Does anyone ever stop to think how catastrophic that would be for business?

So, it used to really bother me when some twonk or other bad-mouthed me all over some bedroom-created bulletin board. Nowadays I am reminded of the homily (cleaned up here for good taste): "Opinions are like backsides. Every body's got one".

Well, I'm off for a few days (part business, part pleasure) which brings me nicely to this question: what racing systems can you still use (pardon the pun) "on the hoof"?

There are some that require sifting through an inordinate quantity of data, or require you to be glued to the PC all day (not really something you want to do if you're in a hotel, or, worse still, hooking up your laptop in a wi-fi hotspot). Others, like our own Bismarx Bot (www.bismarck.org.uk) require your own PC to be left on and running. And, you don't really want to be checking results all day either, wondering how multiple selections have performed.

So, I have to say Nova Publication's Fancy Fillies is really just the job for such a situation. Just one bet a day, no scary liability, takes just ten minutes in the morning - really a set it and forget it type system. Since I've been using it the longest losing run has been three races and the longest winning streak about fourteen. That's pretty impressive results. Visit www.betfayre.co.uk to learn more about a system I personally endorse.

See you when I get back.....

Aiming to get that all green feeling

The Philosopher Stone losing run sequence seems to be an issue with the number of runners, as I've previously suggested. When sticking to an ideal maximum of ten the system performs very well, although the bets are fewer. This is the final phase of testing and I'm pretty confident we've got something good here. Keep an eye out for more info soon.

The Racing Systems world can be a fickle place. There can be a drought of anything halfway decent then, like buses, two or three new systems emerge. Very often these are nothing more than vague copies of what has gone before.

When I'm asked why would one need more than one system the answer seems clear to me. Different tools provide different solutions and it is always good to keep updating knowledge and ideas.

Although I've only dabbled in "trading" on Betfair (in a nutshell buying one set of odds low and selling high, or vice-versa) I've always been intrigued by this pastime. Sporting Manuals have come out with something (which I haven't had time to test yet) but which you might want to have a look at. The testimonials certainly ring true. Let me know how you get on with it:

http://guyler.supreme21.hop.clickbank.net

I've been in the think tank for the last few days refining the core rules of the Philosopher Stone system. We hit a few losers on the trot (not that many at three) but this made me uneasy. The plain fact of the matter is based on simple stats: the more runners in a race the more chances a rogue horse could push our selection out of kilter. At a maximum of ten runners per race the system performs flawlessly, the only downside is you may have to wait a couple of days to find a decent bet. As ever, I err on the side of caution, and this will be reflected in the final product.

We've had seven more sign-ups for the Bismarx Bot lifetime license (www.bismarck.org.uk). The feedback has been great as more people are enjoying the benefits of letting "robo bot" hunt down the Betfair cash. I use it myself to great effect on the overnight races.

My blogging days have been restricted what with a raft of domestic crises to deal with. A lively wasps nest at Chateau Dee have been causing aerial mayhem but why do I feel curiously guilty now 4000 of the stripey blighters have been professionally zapped by an insect exterminator? Will this create bad karma in the Buddhist sense, or am I being overly sensitive to a breed of animal that does nothing but climb up the net curtains or swim around in your pub garden pint?

In the final testing phase it is becoming clear that The Philosopher Stone system does not throw up a bet every day, in fact I've hit three days with no bet at all. But this is all good news. The strike rate when it hits is an encouraging 70% + which is more than enough to keep any panic attacks at bay.

And with no discernable link at all that I can think of: the liquidity in racing markets. There's no hard-and-fast rule here but common sense will determine how much of your bet will get matched on overnight/overseas races. A simple glance at the money in the pot is an indicator of how much you can play around with. Clearly, a race running at 2 in the morning (UK time) in the US is not going to encourage the sort of wedge you'll see lumped on a Grade 1 contest on a Saturday afternoon. So, if you are using the Bismarx bot (www.bismarck.org.uk) you should adjust your targets accordingly.

With that thought in mind I'm grabbing my fly swatter. I think I've just seen another of those pesky stingers. Crush! Kill! Destroy!......

I've been away for a few days in leafy Warwickshire. The nice thing about severla racing systems (like Fancy Fillies) is that you can still place bets while you're travelling or on holiday (the FF system works particularly well in this regard as you can find/place your selections in about ten minutes in the morning).

The Bismarx Bot places are filling up fast. Some people don't realise you can use this nifty tool on the place market to. My advice is to set the odds parameters between 1.1 - 1.5 (no more). This allows for plenty of rungs in your lay ladder before you'll incur any scary liability. It's suprising how often Favourite's fail to place. Details are at: www.bismarck.org.uk.

I get as fed up of spam as the next man. Trawling through pages of porn, viagara and international lotteries every morning gets pretty tiresome. Usually I just hit "delete", but occasionally the spammers can fool you. This morning I got what appeared to be a serious question about the Equine Investment Plan (www.EquinePlan.com) although it was riddled with various errors (to set the record straight, Canonbury Publishing are not my "publisher" nor have they ever been. Last year we had a deal with Nick Laight who negotiated a very tasty 60% deal for himself as an affiliate for The Bank Vault Report. Beyond that one campaign I have nothing to do with Canonbury so I do not have to answer to them, or to anyone else for that matter....).

When I politely replied to this effect, this was the start of the reply:

"Here is something very profound and essential that you need to consider...What is the most important thing that we can secure in this short lifespan of ours?..... "OUR ETERNAL SALVATION"!I mean not to frighten or distress you in any way. But are you aware that if, right now, you are living your life without Christ, then you are presently on your way to "HELL"? Now, you can scoff at me if you like, but that won`t alter the scriptural fact one iota...for it is not just me who is saying this...it is the great Lord "JESUS CHRIST" Himself who is saying it.

blah, blah. blah, yours from the nuthouse, Gerald J Drainey, g.d@inbox.com"

Well, it's nice to know I'm going to hell in a handbag on a Tuesday morning but something tells me I'll meet Gerald and his pals down there too..... Their sin? SPAMMING !!

I've been getting quite a few emails about "The Philosopher's Stone". The reason I haven't put this out into the marketplace yet is that I want to be absolutely certain the system's performing as it should. As you know, I don't like to recommend any system that hasn't gone through a thorough baptism of fire. At the moment the selection part is working near perfectly, I just want to get the staking methodology right. Rest assured if you check back here frequently you'll be the first to hear more about it.

Stop Press! Bismarx Bot goes ballistic! You'll probably know I've been using the bot with overnight races to great effect. It's nice to wake up in the morning having made automated profits (or the bot has quit at a safe level when I told it to). We don't want to have too many people on Betfair using the bot because it could jeopardise the liquidity in the smaller races (like the overnights) so we've brought in a limited "lifetime license" which is - just that. If you get the bot now you'll have unlimited lifetime usage rather than paying a monthly rental (which we're suspending). To read more about this nifty piece of kit, visit http://www.bismarck.org.uk

It's been a quiet start to August with the world and his wife apparently all away on holiday. Now that the flow of support emails has slowed down I've had a bit more time to concentrate on writing and developing (which is not to say I'm not still punting - though I'm just following Nova's fillies system and my own "Philosopher Stone" right now). Bismarx bets take care of themselves thanks to the Bismarx bot, so you won't find much reference to them here.

Glorious Goodwood started with the usual fanfair and media hype, which only confirms my belief that racing opportunities are there to be found every day of the year (yes- even on the all-weather, or even in the bleak midwinter!). Sometimes you just have to hunt a little harder to find them....

I've been playing a fair few poker tournaments online and doing reasonably well. Sit and Goes and Heads Up contests appeal to me particularly since the odds of a win are that much more favourable when there are less players round the table. With 1st-3rd position paying out you start a 9/10 S&G tournament with a 3/1 shot of making it into the money be doing very little at all. I do know some chaps who make a living doing just this, and I'd be intrigued to hear of your experiences with these online tournies.

I've been sifting through the Clickbank marketplace always eager to investigate new racing systems only to find there's very little "new" out there and many reports are depressingly rehashes of strategies that have been out for awhile. Often it's simply the same old thing with a fresh lick of paint on the cover. Rest assured if anything halfway decent turns up I'll test it, review it, and stick it on here (unlike some that I could mention I don't have advertisers, home biz "gurus" or bolshy editors breathing down my neck.....).

Until next time.

Well, I've been so tied up with business I haven't had any time to blog (!) for the last few days.
Nova's "Fillies" system continues to go great guns (www.betfayre.co.uk) and is making a tidy profit ever since I started testing about four weeks ago. Most of my energies, however, have been devoted to the "Philosopher's Stone" system which I continue to tweak to profitable effect.
I have an idea to post the selections on the blog but if I get no takers I'll just keep it all under wraps until the "official" launch. Btw, Nova Publication's will be starting a subscription service for those of you who can't / don't have time to find your own lays (that sounds naughty, but it's really not). The price will be around the £20/month mark and more information will be available soon....

Here comes the weekend... But why do Saturday's traditionally offer such poor value for the punter? A few years ago I spawned a paranoid thought that it was set up this way as - no doubt - most of the betting on the horses goes on at the weekend. In any event both the Fancy Fillies (www.betfayre.co.uk) and - my own - Philosoper's stone system have thrown up two low-risk trades for this afternoon, one to lay and one to back. I like the automated nature of all of this.

Do you "bot"? There are a number of trading bots on the market at the moment (including of course our original Bismarx bot) and, if you do, do you find the bot helps your betting or hinders it? There's a lot a bot can do, but only if you tell it to. Come to that, how many traders/scalpers are there out there? My own view is that you need a pretty heftly bank to scap often miniscule margins off Betfair, but I know at least a handful of people who do this for a living.

When the racing stops, where do other fruitful betting opportunities lie?

I'll be looking at a number of products this weekend which have been developed to exploit opportunities in the new medium of Betfair games and "virtual" sports betting. One of these (following virtual soccer) looks particularly interesting and I will report back as soon as I've had a chance to test it out thoroughly.

On the other hand, most of the casino scalping system's I've looked at are none too clever. The idea of playing thousands of rounds of mind-numbingly tedious BlackJack or Roulette just to scoop some free casino chips does not personally appeal at all. And, knowing the random nature at least of the latter, I also suspect many of these systems could wipe you out as quickly as they could make any money. If I'm wrong, perhaps someone will let me know?

Conversely, playing sit-and-go tournaments on poker sites can yield profitable results. You don't need to be a wizard at odds either, since plenty of programs such as Texas Calculatem will do all the hard work for you. Programs such as this aren't joing to turn you into the next WSOP superstar but they can be very lucrative in low-limit S&G's. I seem to cash at least two thirds of the time, and I'm no poker expert believe me. Let me know if you use any poker programs and how you get on with them.

Well, I returned from sunny (really - it was for two whole days) Wales to face a monsoon on the M5, got shipwrecked overnight at Stratford - and then when I did make it home found that Google had decided this blog was "spam" and had temporarily disabled it. Ho hum, these things are sent to try us....

Everything's sorted out now so I'm back in the saddle again. Whilst I was away I still managed to follow both the Fabulous Fillies (www.betfayre.co.uk) and The Philosopher's Stone. Both behaved very well, proving that there is such a thing as a system you can use when away from the PC and don't have loads of time to make your selections. We had a little blip on the FF front with two horses doing the opposite of what they should have done, but this eventuality is all covered in the plan and in fact did little to raise the blood pressure.

Being a Thursday you'll find todays Bismarx selections over with Malcolm at HorseRacingSystemsUK.com. We have five today, and, as ever, expect an early result.

Fancy Fillies hit a loser yesterday in the shape of ARTLESS at the 15.00 at Ayr, but this is only to be expected. My slight concern is that today's selection is in a four-horse race, in which the market would indicate there are really only two contenders. This is the classic "coin flip" scenario which I tend to generally avoid. However, I'll keep to the instructions and we'll just see what happens this afternoon.....

The PHILOSOPHERS STONE selection profited again yesterday when ADOPTED HERO cashed at Newton Abbott. Looking at the win/lose ratio since 9th July we've got WWLWLWLWW so no nasty losing runs there, and allied with the prudent staking plan I'm using this is proving to be very profitable indeed....

No more from me on the blog until next weekend as I'm off for a break in darkest Wales. Always important to get a little time out when possible and I'm looking forward to a decent pint by an inglenook fireplace looking out over rolling hills and wheeling Red Kite's.... yes,very nice indeed.

Since last I posted with details of Nova's new racing system every one of their selections has profited. Yesterday BAFFLED at Ascot brought the money in, and today at the 14.00 at Warwick SOLIYA cashed in. Very impressive indeed. Think I'll be using this one on a regular basis. Again, those details are at:

www.betfayre.co.uk

I've had a good few bets since last Thursday, both back and lay. Watch out for something pretty exciting I'm working on right now, provisionally called THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE. It's a backing system (Jim) but not as we know it..... For an early clue as to what this is all about TICKATEAL was the moneymaker at the 1440 at Perth this afternoon, on Friday it was DECLARATION OF WAR at the 1400 at Newmarket who gave cause for celebration. Any guesses as to what links these horses or bet type? More of this as I continue to plough through stats and really put this one through its paces.....

Just goes to show. The market looked queasy and the Betfair charts were going the wrong way, so all my form analysis of MONT ETOILE in the morning came to nowt. The lesson is never get wedded to a selection, no matter how strong he (or she) may appear at forecast prices....

And speaking of females (was I? just looking for a link, really). Are they as predictable as the male of the species? (oh dear, what can of worms have I opened now......).

"This is it! This is definitely the crock of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is the system I have been looking for all my life!

What an amazing piece of trend research which has produced the most consistent and constant system I have ever tested.

I fully endorse this system as the most consistent and worry-free system ever.

Discover the secret by reading the book, put your stake on in the morning and leave it. No worries, no stress, it wins consistently and steadily.

Best way I have discovered to make a good living from so little time."

(S.Edwards, Lancaster.)

The above testmonial refers to the sytem I've been checking out for the last few weeks from Nova publications, and I can report it performs like a corker.

I made a decent profit in a couple of weeks, you might do too. Check it out at:

www.betfayre.co.uk

(yes that's with a "y", "this product is not licensed by nor endorsed by", yadda yadda......)

Btw I haven't been posting to Malcolm at HorseRacingSystems for a few weeks due to technical hitches. But now, I've not just broadband, but wireless bb no less! Is there no end to the marvels of new technology?...... (rhetorical question)........

A possible punt at Newmarket

I've been looking through the cards today to see if there's anything I fancy (other than the usual Bismarx that is, of which there are a comfortable five today. I'll let the bot take care of those).
One race or another invariably stands out for various reasons, very often subliminal. The race I'm looking at today is the 3.45 at Newmarket, which is a Group 2 contest for fillies and mares running over 1m 4f. Ladies can be unpredictable and there's not a lot of market support this morning for the f/cast fave MONT ETOILE although ten tipsters go with her. She run a good race last time out in Class 1 company and 1 mile seemed too short for her to get into her stride. The going was GF last time out, wheras Newmarket is currently Good, which means a tad more yielding. So this is by no means a foregone conclusion and I'll wait to look at the market before the off. If encouraging a place on Betfair offers an 80% ROI - not bad value considering. Let's see what happens....

Soapbox moment.....

Well, I had an email from someone today claiming no racing systems ever work as he's tried them all and they're all cr*p. Certainly something of a generalisation, I'm sure you'll agree, but it make me put my thinking cap on. I review a plethora of systems every week and I know some really are "the business" and some, frankly, aren't worth the paper (electronic or otherwise) they're written on. So, why the negativity from this guy?

I'm reminded of a story I read by "positive thinking" guru Randy Gage. It was something to do with selling deck chairs on The Titanic. If you gave some folk a bar of gold they'd complain it was too heavy. Some people can't help themselves, even when they are given the tools to do so.

I'm convinced this is a mind issue, not a money issue. For goodness sakes, what if one of these systems actually started to work? What if I could break out of the rut (no excuses now) and work towards giving up a job I loathe, what would I do then? What would I tell the wife, the kids, the bank manager, my parents? What would happen if my comfort zone got busted?

If I sound harsh, I can afford too. Poor health and poor circumstances (I'm not blaming either) forced me to break out of my mould about five years ago. And, although it can be a rollercoaster sometimes, I know I wouldn't have it any other way....

I had two nice winners today, but would I be whinging on if they lost? Not really, because I see this as a sequence, part of a strategy, taking the rough with the smooth.... It's not for all, and its more about discipline and focus than adrenaline (despite the media hype).

Get this: no-one, not the bookies, not the government, not the guy selling you a system really cares if you win or lose. In this game, it's up to you. The tools are there and the opportunities vastly superior to those that were around in my uncle's day...

So, rather than bash a bookie (or a system publisher) ask yourself if you can make it work.

Only you can know the answer to that question.

Here comes the weekend, not that that makes much difference to me. Saturday promises to be the usual cavalcade of betting and computer repair work. You'd have thought Broadband would have made my life easier, but it's taken so much fiddling about with I have even less hair now than I did to start off with....

No matter. I told you about a new system developed by my pals at Nova Publications, Dennis and Hazel. He's a maths genius (like me - only kidding) and she rides horses for a living, so they make an ideal team. During the last week this system performed spectacularly. Too early to say we've found the philosophers stone but it does look very exciting indeed. Watch out for more on this one soon....

Speaking of systems I've sold the rights to our "10 minute system" which you can now find for sale on Ebay. Not sure what they're calling it but, hint, do a search for "betfair basher" or similar and you'll find it on there for a (current) pathetic 49p!!

Time for me to have a look at the afternoons windswept (and sodden) race cards....

More from yours truly later.....

Wednesday 4th July

Just a quickie today....

Is there any truth in the adage that a racing system that can't profit to level stakes won't work at all? I'm personally doubtful about this, but of course, in this business, everything depends on your tolerance of risk and your desire for reward. Some staking plans are plainly suicidal. Others involve a degree of risk but clearly do work in the long term. So, my question is when does a staking plan become nothing more than "chasing losers"? I think the answer to this question contains the true secret of gambling (investing?) success. More on these musings at a later date...

Btw, I haven't been posting so many of my days selections as I've been hard at work on the new "Private Box" service which is getting ready to launch. More info on this too, soon.....

Monday 2nd July

No, I haven't died and gone to horsey heaven (yet). Well, I said it might be an "occasional" blog and for good reason. Not having a phone line for a week has given me a mountain of work to catch up on and hasn't exactly swelled the coffers either. Sleeves now rolled up it's time to get stuck in once again (point of fact not only is the phone line on, so is Broadband. At last! I don't know how I ever managed without it before....)

I know I've been banging on about EVO but there really are just 14 more days to get into this groundfloor opp, so it's well worth signing up at www.theprospector.com if you haven't already.

I'm looking at an intriguing new racing system this week which looks very promising, and I'll tell you more about it here soon (very easy to implement and the results in testing look nothing short of spectacular)....

Meanwhile I'm still backing (and dutching) horses galore using John Duncan's Cherry Picker system (www.betdaw.co.uk) to profitable effect. It's nice to know there a few really solid products doing the rounds which really do live up to the hype after all. More soon......

Somebody throw me a line

Help! No phone line for 3 days and, according to BT, it won't be fixed until Friday! Don't suppose all this heavy rain has helped things. More as soon as I can join the connected world again.....

Laybetting.info for sale

I nearly fell of me chair when Leapfish.com told me the domain bismarx.dot is worth $19000 (not that I'm selling). It's suprising how valuable good sports domin names can be. I am, however, looking to shift 2bets4.uk.co.uk and laybetting.info - both very tasty domains with good traffic potential, so if anyone is interested just drop me a line at admin@bismarx.co.uk.

Saturday 23rd June

Well, I'm back from the bright lights of a (quite) big city and somewhat refreshed, though still suffering the odd twinges from my mystery ("pantalons brun"?) virus. I decided not to trade today. In my experience the start of Royal Ascot plays havoc with the racing results. Not entirely sure why, but I tend to leave well alone just the same during the start of the festival.
Instead I took a gentle drive around some of the sleepy villages around our new abode. Very nice too, though I must say age must be creeping up on me when I find myself thinking of taking up bell-ringing or carpet bowls.... Too many years featuring too much adrenalin are fast catching up with me I fear.....
EVO continues to go ballistic. I can't believe the website got an Alexa rating in just one week. I think this promises to be something really big, but of course we have to wait until July 15 to get all the inside info. Meanwhile, the details are freely available at www.theprospector.co.uk.
In a desperate attempt to find out if anyone is actually reading this blog I'm giving away a copy of the 10 Minute System to the first (non-obscene and vaguely constructive) post from someone who is not me! So, here's an opportunity for budding scribes to provide such (much needed) feedback on the BizzoBlog.....

Wednesday 20th June

Not much trading today I'm afraid as "cardboard city syndrome" got so bad I was off to the doc for a blood test. In an espisode straight out of "One Foot in the Grave" they pulled up the wrong medical records in which I was (a) twenty years older than I actually am and (b) had a nasty cyst of some kind which was, apparently, causing me all kinds of problems. Luckily they got it all sorted and I await the right results this Friday (btw did you know you could reduce your cholesterol by about 4 points by eating nothing but oily fish? I know 'cos I did it a few years ago. Strangely, I have not been as popular with the ladies since.....). OMG I'm starting to sound like Clive Keeling....
Instead, in an effort to take bed rest/generally dick about I've been trying out "virtual horseracing" on Digi Turf. I bought 4 newbie horses and one of them, LandsEnd, shows potential. If I can figure out the training system I may put him for a Maiden in a few days. If only you could lay "virtual" horses!
I've put some great systems on Ebay for 99p (must check my temperature again....), you may want to have a look at: www.stores.ebay.co.uk/thebankvault.
Probably won't be posting tomorrow as off to the bright lights of a big city, so I'll be back online on Friday (blood test willing). Oh, if you order anything meanwhile my customer service team (that's the wife) will still be on hand. The virtual world never sleeps.....

Tuesday 19th June

And more lost days... but this time I can't blame the Absinthe. I've been struck down with a mystery virus and I wonder if you can catch something off a shed load of cardboard boxes (since I'm still living in cardboard city?). Either that or could these be the first symptoms of the dreaded "brown trousers" (aka "bottle loss") syndrome which is known to affect the seasoned layer? In any event I will be back in the saddle today getting stuck into some juicy Bismarck's and - yes - maybe a back bet or two as well.
I've just heard that the EVO website got an Alexa rating after just two days of going live. Pretty impressive stuff. It looks like this one could be a biggie. So be sure to join me and register for free now (before July 15) at www.theprospector.co.uk. More later......

Saturday 16th June

I seem to have lost a day somewhere (just finished installing the mini bar and "experimenting" with some devilish Austrian Absinthe may have had something to do with it.... yes it's true what Wormwood does to the brains....). Not to worry. Yesterday the first Bismarck dult lost (Jackanoo 14.00 Market Rasen) so no fear of what Matt at Trainer Track Trends 2007 calls the dreaded "day of the pantalons brun". The MMM Fave was a n/r so it was up to a couple of straight back bits to help line the coffers (18.30 Chepstow, 17.15 Market Rasen). I'm starting to like Paddy Power's "insure bet" option whereby you get paid for 1st and money back on 2nd or 3rd. Works a treat on certain races.
MMM selection today Spring City (16.45 Sandown) failed to find first and I also had an insurance wager on oppo Black Rock who went on to win. Results are not yet posted for the other two bets today at Hexham and Sandown.
High drama this afternoon when the neighbour's cat went AWOL. The wife ("light of my life" (c) Jim Branning) was sent scurrying into the woods but luckily the traumatised moggy returned intact. More excitement and my palpitating heart may not survive much longer. This is what it is like living the life of a high roller.......

The Cherry Picker & Fixed Odds Trader

Quite a bit to get through today. It's no secret that Vince Stanzione has made millions spreadbetting stocks, shares and forex. In fact he's currently ranked Number 1 trader on the Bet on Markets website. So I was intrigued to see that he has launched his own fixed odds advisory service. Surely anyone following just a fraction of his own trades should do pretty well?
Never one to believe anything until I've seen the full proof I'm signing up for a months trial to see how the service does, and I'll let you know about it right here.

Next up, I've been asked about John Duncan's "Cherry Picker" new horseracing system (as in, "is it any cop?"). My early results with this are very good but I'll be following it closely before writing any more. Meanwhile, you can find out more about it at:

www.betdaw.co.uk

Evo is coming

Opportunities come and go, but timing is often the crucial factor.

You know I'm a big fan of the Virtual World Direct online business? Well, the chaps behind this compelling enterprise are launching something rather unique (and potentially very profitable). Will it be the best thing ever since sliced bread? Who knows.... But it's totally free to pre-register and the current website gets pulled down on 14 July. So time is ticking.

Seems to me there's nothing but an almighty upside to this one, especially as registration is free. So check it out when you get a minute.


>>> www.theprospector.co.uk <<<


Oh, and I might see you on July 15 :-)

Thursday 14th June

Another late post (so much to do do little time to do it in!). First Bismarck of the day was a clear Midas Maiden selection (www.MidasMaidens.com) so Sir George (2.20 Yarmouth) got the nod from yours truly not to win his contest and he came in second. A nice start. We got a resounding five out of six lays today all at odds under 2.7 (don't forget Matt at Trainer Track Stats 2007 is independently testing the Bank Vault Report right now, so you don't have to take my word for it!).
The apple that toppled the cart today was Treat at the 3.50 at Newbury. There was no way this horse wasn't going to place, but in the event he couldn't even find third. Just goes to show I get totally off-the-wall results some days. Some salvation was found in placing bothe Forest Silver (6.35 Fontwell) and Tavala (7.35 Fontwell) - and both did the business.
P.s. turns out Marlon Dingle is still in the land of the living, though a bit mangled. Now if only he can keep his gob shut long enough when the rozzer's start snooping he may just get away with it....then again........

Wednesday 13th June

I didn't get a chance to update Wednesday's entry yesterday so a few brief words this morning will have to suffice. Three Bismarck's out of four was a good result. The 16.10 Maiden at Nottingham looked to be a clear toss-up between Thinking Positive and Sign of the Cross, so there was clear value to be found in laying the former who did duly lose. The only other race of interest for me was the 19.30 at Leopardstown. Having only just learned (doh!) that some online bookies will give you a place price (i.e. pay out if the horse finishes 1st, 2nd or 3rd) I was happy to take a shot at the clear Favourite Modeeroch at meagre odds of 8/15. Some people won't back at these kinds of odds, but it doesn't bother me. In any event the bet paid out and that was me done for the day. P.s. will someone please tell me if Marlon Dingle snuffed it as a result of getting shot in a dodgy Yorkshire bookies shop (Emmerdale) as my Sky decoder's gone on the blink?

Tuesday 12th June

Well, as it turns out the FTSE100 trade never came about as the index never hit the level I was looking for - so nothing ventured, nothing gained....
I had an email from Agora Lifestyles Ltd promoting a laying service that costs £700 a year. Sounds a tad pricey to me. Does anyone have any info about this?
A plethora of Bismarck's today wih the first one duly losing at the 3 o'clock at Redcar. Still on a Maiden hunt my attention was drawn to Appleby at the 3.45 at Salisbury. Although not (technically) a Midas Maiden selection the competition looked sufficiently weak so I layed this one at 2.4 thinking there was some value there. Turns out I was right.
The only other race worth looking at was a novice hurdle at Chester (6.30). Osprey View offered poor value at 1.4 on Betfair for a straight win so I took a place instead on Command Marshall. Not exactly going to retire to an island in the sun on odds of 1.35 but, hey, a win is a win. Not a bad day but I look for some rather more invigorating opportunities tomorrow.

Monday 11th June

My eyes were drawn to Toi Express at the 14.30 at Newton A this afternoon. A weakish selling hurdle and at 2.4 I tended to think the horse was too short. This was also vindicated by being the first Bismarck of the day, so that was a clear lay for me. Toi Express finished third.
Air guitar at the ready I was keen to support Deep Purple at the 15.30 at NA, but at an appalling 1/2 on before the off I left the trade alone and took a Betfair place position instead on 2nd fave Pidgeon Island who dutifully came in in second position. Three succesful Bismarx today out of five was an average day but it was nice to be done and dusted by mid afternoon.
Haven't even had time to check that FTSE100 trade (watch it have gone down the kermit!!) but I'll do that right now . Southern Fried chicken tonight (why am I starting to sound like Alan Partridge?)... back of the net!

Sunday 10th June

Boxes, boxes and yet more boxes. I'm living in cardboard city. That's what happens when you "downsize" your house I guess... The wife and I figure we'll have them all cleared out and recycled (doing our bit for ...ahem...the global warming fiasco, you see) by Christmas.
Never mind, I still found a moment to find a flutter. No Maiden's fit the bill today so I had a hunt for any good looking non-handicap races to back, and the 4.30 at Stratford looked the chap. Since Tessanora was technically a Bismarck I figured this one would be a toss up between Armariver and Vaughan, so I had a one point bet on both. Luckily Vaughan did the biz at 7/2 so I was quite happy with that single punt today.
Now it's nearly 10pm and time for my bangers and mash. Just time to have a quick look at what the FTSE100 did last week and plan a cunning trade tomorrow. Hope to be able to gobble up a nifty 10 points on the index if it does what I hope it will.
Tomorrow (as us hopeless gambler's often muse) is another day.....

My number's up

5.20pm and that's me done for the day (well, not entirely, you'll catch me on PKR later trying to scoop some monster poker pots - if you see a certain "Dog4aDay" on a table be sure to say hello). I'm going out into the garden to watch the birds (feathered variety, I really am a twitcher though few believe me) and then a few Laphroiag's as the sun is over the yardarm.
Just had an email from VWD. I won the Euro Millions lottery. But don't hold your breath - I won about 10p (well, you gotta start somewhere...). Joking aside our lottery syndicate team now has 80+ players so this is a great way to maximise your winning chances and build a nice sideline business from home. Join me if you like, at http://www.Cash4.me.uk

Saturday 9th June

It's been Maidens, Maidens and yet more Maiden's to lay (and not the fair-skinned variety neither) since last Wednesday. Are Maiden's best for picking winners, or losers? Did you know that Favourite's place an average 77% of the time in Maiden contests? So why do I suggest Maiden's are such a happy hunting ground for the layer?

Well the key is not just any Maiden race, but certain types of Maiden's. We all know none of the runner's have won before but this can create an erroneous belief about the relative strength of the Favourite. No, I'm not talking about hours studying form either (too unreliable and frankly not necessary in my book)....

Fact is, certain Maiden's provide a virtual treasure trove for the astute layer.

I've had some nice results since last Wednesday.... At Lingfield Djalabud lost at 2.8....at Haydock Drumdale Lass couldn't find even a place at 7/2..... at Sandown the hotly tipped Purple Emperor failed to find pole position at 5/4.....yesterday ay Haydock Honest Prospector failed to win at 2.8 and just this afternoon at Haydock Wolgan Valley could just find second place at 2.4. In fact in a sequence of six races only one horse bucked the trend and actually won (Wise Little Girl at Lingfield at 2.7). All of these bets were found in a little under ten minutes using the Racing Post website and layed on Betfair.

What system am I using? It's obvious! The Midas Maiden Method (www.MidasMaidens.com).

Friday 8th June

Well, it's been a long time coming but, at last, I've finally got round to launching a Bismarx blog (the BizzoBlog!). Moving house has not been easy and broadband is yet to be installed so I've been struggling to get my work done but had a terrific day today on the Bismarx. 5 selections and all lost (nothing over 2.7 on the exchanges, remember!). If only every day was like this! What system am I using? You'll probably know it by now: www.BankVaultReport.com