Do you sometimes wish misty-eyed that the betting ring could go back to those good old days before computers, light-boards and hedging on the exchanges? The days when the bookies had to form their own market, tentatively put their prices up then braced themselves for a ‘knock-over’ on one they got wrong? The days when miserable yet eagle-eyed floormen kept their bosses out, didn’t let them roast and called in back-bets in fractions?

(Don’t understand fractions? You can still get them and the value on course, but if you don’t ask you don’t get  https://simonnottracing.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/value-seeking-on-course-punters-ask-for-fractions/ )

Those days are not gone, they are hanging in there at regional point to points. The floorman still gets blamed for everything and the clerk gets the bets down with a sharp pencil. There are some computers in evidence but only for recording bets. Point to Points really are the last bastion of…