Pro punter Q&A: 'I've had a lot of wins that get near to that - but I've never beaten it'

Over the next few weeks we will bring you a series of app-exclusive Q&As with pro punters, trainers and jockeys which will offer unrivalled insight to our sport. This series kicks off this week focused on pro punters. Today: Neil Channing of bettingemporium.com

What was your biggest ever win?

That would be when I had a monkey on myself at 100-1 to win the 2008 Irish Open poker tournament. It was after the first day and there were about 200 people left. I've certainly had a lot of wins that get near to that but never beaten it.

What was your most painful ever defeat?

I can't remember a specific painful defeat and it wouldn't have been my biggest loss, more the one that mattered most. I remember a day at Glorious Goodwood in about 2004 when I'd suffered very badly as a bookmaker and the fact it was during a particularly horrible run made it worse. I have definitely had days when I lost more, but that one is still raw.

Which winner has given you the most satisfaction?

I once had an each-way bet on a women's field event at the Olympics. I think it was high jump, and of course I knew nothing about women's high jump, but there was a 4-11 favourite and one firm only was offering 1-5th the odds 1-2-3 and 9-2 the second favourite, 16-1 bar two, and that was Surrey Racing.

I asked for £1,200 each-way on the second favourite – I think she was an Australian – and they somehow took it, and she copped. Mervyn Wilson, the CEO, rang to close my account and informed me that this was undoubtedly the most disgusting each-way bet he had seen in his 30-year bookmaking career and that if he let me keep my account he'd never be able to leave the office for lunch again, for fear I'd terrorise his staff with more bets like it. I was extremely proud.

How does your Flat betting differ from your jumps betting?

The pain is over more quickly. Having said that, I've had a great year. About six years ago, I decided that life would be so much easier if I just focused very heavily on the big meetings and played 20 times bigger on those than on anything else.

Obviously that means that if I have a bad Cheltenham or a bad Ascot I'm depressed for a week afterwards, but it makes a lot of sense for me to go down that route. Ascot is like six consecutive Saturdays for me, when I can get huge amounts on, much more than on an average Monday or Tuesday, so I decided to stop chasing my tail, have a few days off and focus on the days when I can make a difference.

The end result was that I've had my best year for about ten years, starting at Cheltenham, where I bet two in a race in one of the big handicaps, an absolute lump on one each-way and it placed, and a saver on the winner at a big price. 

The Flat was every bit as good. I had a really good Ascot, I absolutely smashed it at York on the first day, then lost every other day but still came out with a good profit, while I had a really good Goodwood. It didn't really matter what I did for the rest of the year.

What's the best bit of advice you've ever received?

Bet bigger when you think you have a bigger edge and not simply when the price is shorter.

What's the greatest misconception most punters have about racing?

I think punters think it's way more crooked than it is. Despite the low prize-money and the fact you can bet pretty big on it, British racing is remarkably straight, but so many people believe otherwise.

Which horse are you most looking forward to running again?

Above The Curve, who's around 3-1 for the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp on Sunday.

Read more pro punter Q&As:

Andy Gibson: 'It was one of my biggest wins in terms of the difference it made to my life'  

David Gilbert: 'Oppose horses going up in grade and back those coming down in class'  

Steve Lewis Hamilton: 'Discipline is an essential ingredient to being a winner'  

Mark Holder: 'The bookmakers messed up and priced him at 25-1 - I got on what I could'