What's the reason behind your alias:
When I first started betting on the horses, I would buy the Racing Post, and swap it with this geezer's Sporting Life, in the Smoking Room at work. He turned out to be somewhat of a judge, and would try and show me the error of my punting ways. We had this "Kung Fu" thing going down, and I became Grasshopper, to his Master. It seemed a good name to adopt as my Net nom-de-plume.
So this betting thing then. Why? Because our lives would be excruciatingly dreary wihout it.
How did you start? I had dabbled with National bets, like most everyone else, but never watched the ITV 7, or any of that malarkey. It wasn't until I was invited along by some mates to watch the Cheltenham Festival in the pub in 1991, that my interest began. My first bet at Cheltenham was £2 win at 85/40 on Remittance Man for the Arkle. It's had it's claws in me pretty much since then.
What are you betting on now? I've been doing nicely on Grand Prix markets this season, but I've had too many bets on the Flat this summer, just for something to do. I'm more disciplined during the winter months, and can't wait for the Jumps season to pick-up.
Your finest bet: £4 Canadian at Ayr, a few years ago, at the Scottish National meeting. I had two non-runners, with Gingembre, Carbury Cross and one other on the card, whose name escapes me. That was probably my best horse-racing bet, in terms of return.
Also, I used to do 4-Aways on the football coupon, and managed to get it up several times over the course of two seasons. I was fairly successful doing the fixed-odds on the footie, but I had to give it up, because I couldn't actually be arsed with watching fannys on Sky all Saturday afternoon.
Your worst bets: £200 win Dusk Duel in the old First National Bank Chase at Ascot a few years back. It was my biggest ever bet, and I was convinced he would beat Best Mate in receipt of a stone and a half, but Wahiba Sands mugged them both.
My selection finished third anyway, so it was a bad call all-round. That was the biggest kick in the nads.
Perversely, my wager on Take The Stand in a hurdle only last week, was perhaps one of the worst. I checked every other runners form, except for Take The Stand, and reckoned he was a tap-in.
Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed his abject failure in a similiar event the year before, until just before the off. I had though that 4/1 was just too good to be true, and that's exactly how it panned-out.
It wasn't a particularly big bet, but I more or less knew it was beat as soon as I saw this line of form. A pal of mine had bundles on, on the strength of my earlier, pre-check assessment. Oh dear.
You engineered an early exit from the Punters' Paradise tipping competition. What's your response to allegations of you being a non-trier? I was still reeling from Take The Stand bombing out. If it's any consolation, I had backed myself.l
Best piece of betting advice you've ever received: There is no substitute for hard study.
Best piece of betting advice you can give: Leave the houskeeping cash where it is!
Best bookmakers: Any bookmaker who is prepared to price-up all Festival races before the final decs.
Worst bookmakers: Anyone who won't go first-four in the Triumph, or first-five in the National.
Name one thing that would most improve the quality of your betting life: More winners. And knowing a race-horse's weight when it gets to the track - I think that would be a very useful piece of info.
The worst thing about betting is: You can do your plums when you least expect it.
The best thing about betting is: It makes you more windswept and interesting than the average human being.
Any last words? Form study is where 'Art' meets 'Science' - we should all qualify for at least two EU grants..
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