National Punting League (Spring 2008)
 

NATIONAL PUNTING LEAGUE (Spring 2008)

Okay, firstly, we're not actually starting the comp this week. It doesn't officially start until next week. This is just a way of making sure that everyone understands how it works and is actually ready to go next week.

Here's how the comp works. It's 16 tipsters going head to head each week over 15 rounds in an effort to reach the final series conducted over the week of the Melbourne Cup carnival, with the champion to be decided on November 8.

Please read the rules carefully........


RULES

Everyone is to make 5 selections each week. These selections can be either $20 win or $10 each way.
Please include in your post whether you want any or all of your selections each-way. If you don't say that you want them each-way, they will automatically be counted as win bets.

Everyone must make a selection in the feature race of the week.
Each Thursday I will post a feature race that we all have to tip in. Simply post a selection for this race and also make sure to include a reserve selection in case of a scratching.

Tipsters must then choose 4 more selections from any other gallops races in Australia covered by Unitab.
Simply post these four extra selections and also please include 2 reserve selections (in order of preference) in case of scratchings. So, in all, you should have 8 selections, 5 first selections and 3 reserve selections.

Apart from the feature race, the tipster who posts second in each match, isn't allowed to pick any of the horses chosen by the tipster who posted first.
So, if you post your selections after your opponent, please check to see what they've already picked. It is okay to choose the same horses as your opponent in the feature race, but you can not pick the same horses as your opponent in any of the other races that day. That even includes reserve selections.

Deadline for posting your tips is 30 minutes prior to jump time in the feature race of the day.
Please make sure you get your tips in by this time. The feature race usually isn't on until somewhere between 3 and 4 o'clock, so this really gives you plenty of time to get your tips in.

HOW IT WORKS:

Points will be scored on the basis of money returned. In other words, if your selections returned a total of $115, then you score 115 points. If that's more points than your opponent scores, you win the match.

Now, for the competition points........

Firstly, to get any competition points, you must score. When I ran this comp previously, some people were awarded points when they had a nil all draw, so effectively they were being rewarded for tipping very poorly or not even tipping at all in some cases. Not this time. If both tipsters fail to score in a match, then they'll both miss out on getting any competition points in that match. Otherwise, the points will be awarded like this:

2 points for a win
1 point for a draw
1 bonus point for a score of 150 or more

At the end of the 15 rounds, the 8 tipsters with the most competition points will go into a final series using the same format as you would find in the NRL or AFL final series. The finals will be conducted over the 4 days of the Melbourne Cup carnival.

As for the teams competition, it will work this way. Each week, the 3 highest scores from each team will be added together to get a team score. These team scores are added together for all 15 rounds and the team with the highest total at the end is the winner.

These are the 16 tipsters that have signed up to the comp:

"The Maroons"
Sportz
Horse Whisperer
Makybe Diva
Benny
Maverick
Raw Instinct

"The Blues"
Chuck
Reded
Sirpent
Goldcoaster
The Blob

"The Big V"
Crash
Youngbuck
Try Try Again
Crackone
Mr Quaddie

I'd like those people now to just confirm that they still want to be involved. Not much good signing on to the comp and then not tipping. You'll just be taking the spot of someone who does want to have a go.

I already have one reserve tipster just in case: Matilda (Vic)

And if anyone else wants to put their name down as a reserve, then they can.

I'LL Confirm Sportz "GO VIC"

All good here mate

Yep all good except unless the AFL has changed, its final system is different to the NRL. In the NRL, its 1st vs 8th, 2nd vs 7th etc whereas in the AFL, isn't it 1st vs 4th, 5th vs 8th etc?

Oops, sorry. Yeah, I meant the AFL system.

The NRL SHOULD use the AFL system instead of the stupid one they currently use. :rolleyes:

"Apart from the feature race, the tipster who posts second in each match, isn't allowed to pick any of the horses chosen by the tipster who posted first."

Seems like an unfair rule. If there is an obvious favorite [or personal choice] etc. it means that if an opponent gets first choice they own it just because they get it up on the board first. Meaning the slower onto the board has to pick a horse for a winner they might not or do not believe will be the winner? What difference does it make if each punter puts up the selection they think will win? Why does the first to put up their selection 'own' that selection?

It's your comp. Sportz and you can run it anyway you like, but perhaps you should give this rule some more thought.

Crash,

I understand what you're saying, but the feature race is the only race where you HAVE to make a selection, and in that race, you CAN choose the same horse(s) as your opponent. Apart from that race, there will be dozens of other races and hundreds of other horses to choose from. So while you might have to drop a horse you do like, I'm sure you won't have to pick a horse you DON'T like.

We've used this rule (or something similar) in a previous comp and it generally worked out okay. Basically, it is both an incentive to get your tips in early and also a way of stopping people from simply copying some of their opponent's tips to stop them gaining an advantage. Also, I think it just makes for a more interesting comp if people competing against each other have a different set of tips.

Based on past experience, the chances are that there would probably be no more than a couple of tips you would have to change.

All good here to sportz
Can i have my first weeks bank on Qld to take out the series please :)

All good Sportz,,,and love the new rules :)

I am confirmed. I believe UniTAB features meetings from Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

You can choose the same race just not the same horse as your opponent.

Thanks for the explanation Sportz. I thought the rule included the feature race but was wrong.

Yes, I'm in.

Yeah, you can also tip on places like the Gold Coast, Toowoomba, NSW & Victorian provincial meetings, even the Northern Territory if you like! Any Australian gallops meeting covered by Unitab.

yep i'm in.....sounds like this comp will be a lot of fun. thanks for running it Sportz

Bring it on Sportz

I thought I have my name in. Do advise Sportz. Thanks.

You are down as a reserve, Matilda. If anyone drops out, you're definitely in.

OK. Thanks.

ready to go

im right to go

Sounds like fun. Confirmed.

Hi Sportz,

Do you want me to submit my selection just in case one of the 16 didnt turn up?

Just check back in later in the week. Then I'll know. At the moment, there are only two tipsters who haven't so far confirmed that they'll be involved in the comp.

Hi Sportz,


Have been away so sorry for the delay in replying.

I'm definitely in

Try Try Again

I put my name in early and I'm a certain starter Sportz.

Yep. I was already counting you, crash.

Okay guys, here we go with round 1:

ROUND ONE - JULY 19:

Reded (NSW) v Makybe Diva (QLD)
Crash (VIC) v Benny (QLD)
Maverick1993 (QLD) v Sirpent (NSW)
Youngbuck (VIC) v Chuck (NSW)
Raw Instinct (QLD) v The Blob (NSW)
Try Try Again (VIC) v Goldcoaster (NSW)
Sportz (QLD) v Horse Whisperer (QLD)
Crackone (VIC) v Mr Quaddie (VIC)

Feature race:

CAUL R6 - 3.20 SIR JOHN MONASH STAKES (1100 METRES)
1 CARGO CULT - Jarrod McLean Brad Rawiller 1 58.5
2 LIVE IN VAIN - Peter G Moody Jason Benbow 13 58.5
3 TESBURY JACK - Julie Scott Darren Gauci 7 58.5
4 APPLE LODE - Steve McKinnon Greg Childs 11 58.5
5 SLOW TALKIN WALTER - Colin Little Danny Brereton 10 58.5
6 ELECTRONIC CROSS (NZ) - Doug Harrison Sebastian Murphy (a) 4 58.5
7 RED ARROW - Anthony Cummings Damien Oliver 2 58.5
8 OUR ROCK AND ROLLA - Ross Simpson Steven Arnold 12 58.5
9 LUCKY DIVA - Robert Smerdon Ben Melham 3 56
10 LA CHASSEUSE - Danny O'Brien Jamie Mott 6 56
11 WHITEHAVEN GIRL - Ray Cleaver Michael Rodd 5 56
12 ROSE CEREMONY - Mathew Ellerton Chris Symons 9 55.5
13 LADY PHOEBE (NZ) - Robbie Laing Craig Newitt 8 55.5

So there you go. Basically, you have to make a selection and a reserve selection in the feature race. Then make 4 other selections and 2 reserve selections from any other gallops races in Australia on Saturday covered by Unitab. And remember that if your opponent has already posted their tips, you can post the same selections as them in the feature race, but not in the other races.

Is there any chance you can come onto the forum on Saturday if needed???

Benny is the only one who hasn't confirmed his place in the comp, so he might be a no-show.

I can see you're keen to be in this comp, so I'd really like to give you a go. But I think I should give Benny a chance first as he was one of the first people to put his name down for the comp.

When are tips due?

The final deadline is exactly 30 mins before the start time of the feature race, so that means 2:50 AEST on Saturday.

Cargo Cult ew (lucky diva ew)

Rosehill 2-3 Lodge the Deeds
Rosehill 7-8 At my command e/w
Caulfield 4-2 Magnetic
Caulfield 8-2 Benetar

subs
Caulfield 3-1 Villain e/w
Rosehill 6-12 Rednrich e/w
Rosehill 1-2 Centuron e/w

People can name more than 2 subs if they want, but only the first 2 of them are off limits to their opponents. Otherwise, people could just name a whole heap of reserve selections just to stop their opponent picking them.

Youngbuck is free to choose Centurion if he wants.

Caulfield R6#10 La Chasseuse (#3 Tesbury Jack)

Rosehill R4#1 Hussta La Vista
Eagle Farm R3#1 Babinda Half
Caulfield R4#2 Magnetic
Caulfield 3#8 Viking Turf Belle

subs
Morphettville R7#1 El Maze
Rosehill R6#1 Newton's Rings e/w
Morphettville R4#4 Ambika e/w

Lucky Diva EW (La Chasseuse win)

BR 3 Babinda Half win
BR 6 My Limit E/W
SR 6 Innings win
MR 3 Just Like El win

BR8 Kelly e/w
BR7 Sams Express e/w

Mmm...1st vst last in the Autumn comp first up...:(

Feature Race

Caulfield Race 6 Number 10 LA CHASSEUSE (Res: 1 CARGO CULT)

Awesome Foursome

Morphettville Race 4 Number 2 ALPINE STORM
Eagle Farm Race 4 Number 2 SIMPLEST
Caulfield Race 4 Number 2 MAGNETIC
Rosehill Race 2 Number 3 LODGE THE DEEDS

Gruesome Twosome (Reserves)

Rosehill Race 5 Number 1 STACKED
Belmont Race 3 Number 6 AMICI

Hi Sportz,

I will just submit my selection just in case Benny didnt turn up. As Benny is against Crash, you can consider my selection is after Crash selection which means Crash will have the priority to select his selection if we selected the same horse.

Feature
Caulfield R6 4-Apple Lord E/W (Res 1-Cargo Cult, W)

Caulfield R4-2 Magnetic
Caulfield R5-5 Hissing Sid E/W
Caulfield R3-8 Viking Turf Belle E/W
Caulfield R8-1 Sensational Toy

Reserve :
Caulfield R2 9-Buckets E/W
Caulfield R1 3-Glistening E/W

Feature
Caulfield R6 no.2 LIVE IN VAIN e/w
(Res no.10 LA CHASSEUSE e/w)

Caulfield R7 no.8 JUNGLE RULER e/w
Eagle Farm R4 no.2 SIMPLEST e/w
Eagle Farm R6 no.4 PUNCH UP e/w
Eagle Farm R8 no.3 MOGLICH e/w


RES.
Toowoomba R6 no.14 IONA HORSE e/w
Belmont R7 no.3 SO SECRET e/w

Yeah, good idea.