The ATR Interviews (6)~ Chris 34

[BillyHills]

About time for another in the series of interviews with the members who contribute to the ATR section of the PL. In previous issues we have met a couple of Moderators, a PL legend, a triple BBOTD winner and Pro Punter, thought it was time to meet and get to know a relative newcomer to the ATR. Chris34 only joined us in February this year but has quickly made an impact with over a thousand posts. At just 21 he is one of the new breed that seem to have joined the PL over the past eighteen months bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm to the site. Chris contributes to all of the competitions aswell as running his own thread which is very brave for any newbie, he has dabbled in the systems section and is now part of the furniture and freely admits he his hooked like many of us! Thanks to Chris for agreeing to be my next victim and hope you enjoy the read and continue to encourage guys like him. His first post was starting a thread called 'Kempton Tips', at that time not knowing the way we did things he was quickly put right by a couple of long standing members and I believe the way he was welcomed and advised helped him feel at home straight away, thanks to Spooner and Rule Brittania for that. BH ____________________________________ Previous Issues in case you missed them;

• Bowles10
• Ralphie7
• Fintron
• RussP
• Billy The Punter

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[BillyHills]

Re: The ATR Interviews (6)~ Chris 34 The Punters Lounge 1. You joined the PL in February this year, how did you come across the site in the first place? I am a bit of a forum junkie and in my younger days used to spend hours in forums for various things and when I got into horse racing I thought there must be one out there somewhere so did a search on google and this is what I found! 2. Why the numbers 34 after your name? Absolutely no idea, guess its my lucky number these days but ever since I started online when I was about 10 my username on nearly everything has been chris34. 3. Do you think the PL differs or offers anything more than the many other betting forums out there? Yes from what Ive seen of other forums this place is far better moderated, people around here much more friendly and far more willing to help newbies and have a bit of fun without arguments and riots! 4. Some accuse the ATR as being a bit 'cliquey', a reason why some lurkers maybe dont join up, is this how it appeared to you before joining? Not at all, yeah there are prolific posters that get to know each other well which just comes with time but I tell ya what read through nearly all newbie sorta questions and those members that might be accused of being cliquey are the ones that jump in to help! 5. Do you think being part of the ATR has made you look at things differently or do you do things pretty much the same as before? Look at things VERY differently, used to bet on anything and everything, was bookies best friend these days realized I don’t have to bet in every race if theres nothing I fancy. 6. You have a thread in the systems section, do you enjoy working with systems and are you working on anything at the moment? I have actually sidelined that thread due to it only consistently breaking even at best really and looks as though it needs more work, I love tinkering with numbers and form so you could say I am always working on something, especially looking at the all weather for the winter and thinning down my quick penalty one! 7. You always seem to support the competitions on the PL, do you think these are an important part of a forum? Yeah I think they are it gets everyone together discussing certain topics such as Cheltenham & Ascot. As for the best bet of the day comp I think is brilliant keeps a competitive edge about here for fun to stop posting becoming monotonous and boring which some people might find. 8. Is there anything that annoys you on the PL or improvements that you would make? I honestly don’t think there is, it’s a great place well moderated and enjoyable what needs changing? 9. Do you tend to stick to the Racing sections of the PL or do you look at the whole site? I spend most time in the racing areas, although I enjoy Big Brother so often seen in there and pop in general discussion every now and again. 10. Any chance we might see you at one of the famous PL meet ups in the near future? I certainly hope to make the next one yes! Especially if at Ascot lovely race track! 11. Still in your first year on the PL, you must be pleased the way you have settled in and become a regular respected poster? Certainly am and would just like to say thank you to everyone who has helped me and made me feel welcome! 12. A birdie tells me your busy developing your own website, can you tell us anything about it yet? Yes I am, another previous hobby coming out have produced websites before as a hobby mainly in online advertising. Of course the net is flooded with free bet websites so I am fully aware its gotta be different and I hope we can do that by offering much more information on betting services, and of course my diary and selections will be on there too. Horse Racing & Betting 1. What got you interested in Horse Racing? Gotta be my dad, he is actually more of a greyhound man and have spent many times over Mildenhall greyhound track with him and my granddad and that is what intrigued me into betting eventually betting on BAGS racing then found my way into mug punting on the horses that were on the tv screens and all evolved from there. 2. How long have you been a serious punter? Well since joining this forum I started to look at form more but would probably say have started to really sit down and think about things and watch replays more since about May when starting my thread 3. What type of racing do you enjoy the most and why, flat, NH, Big races, sprints, classics, AW? Love the AW bookmakers seriously over price some horses on here because they have been running on turf badly but perform better on AW surface and during the winter its nice and easy to follow! Oherwise its flat handicaps find I can easily get my head around the form etc. Struggle in group and listed races for some reason, and havnt really had a proper season on the NH yet but I struggle to read through the form for some reason although I do enjoy it so hope to improve that this winter! 4. If you could change one thing in Racing or Betting overnight, what would that be? Bookmaker E/W terms on course, this has got a lot of talk recently but having been to Ascot recently I was disgusted with what I saw 1/6 and even 1/8 odds come on guys!!! 5. Can you remember your first bet, how old were you and where did you put it on? MMMM would have been about 12-13 I suppose dad used to put a bet on the dogs for me when we went to greyhounds, as for horses was and myself it would have been grand national 2008, prior to that started betting on many things online long before I was 18! 6. Can you reveal your biggest win to date, you dont have to be specific about the amount but what was it on? Came at royal ascot on Drill sergeant in the second last of the day, was having a brilliant day but had picked any wins or places up so when he came in was over the moon and then when Carriciola came in the last I was super happy lol, and since I was betting on course I was betting bigger therefore these showed my biggest wins. 7. What was the 'bet' that got away, the nearly bet that still haunts you? Plenty of them when your looking through the race cards the night before and you cant quite make a decent enough case for a horse so you think nah I’l leave it and of course it comes in!!! Otherwise don’t think ive been betting long enough to have a real unlucky story! 8. What was the last horse race meeting you attended? The Saturday of Royal Ascot of to Yarmouth at end of month! 9. Do you bet on other sports, if so which ones? Football, greyhounds and cricket sometimes 10. Do you bet online or still visit the high street? Which do you prefer? I do all serious betting online now simply because of Best Odds Guarantee and other useful promos such as 5 places etc. but do still bet in high street on Saturday/Sundays to go in for the banter etc. good little group of us, Its nicer having a cashier count the notes out to you than just a number rising in your online account lol!! 11. What form sites, books, aids do you use when making your selections? I used to use RacingPost but I don’t anymore so much as find little to cluttered at times so now use AtTheRaces which I feel has a real chance to take on RacingPost at times just needs a bit more detail on times etc. so do still use RacingPost for them 12. Do you agree with both the Racing Post and Racing UK changing their subscriptions this year? Neither I see as that harsh at all the more I think about it costs minimum of £1.60 a day for the paper so why should they give it away free on the net? And as for Racing UK I cant get it cause don’t have Sky or Virgin but when I watch there channel through online bookies, their analysis and information is second to none and how much does £20 work out per race?? Not a lot!! 13. Do you think Horse Racing is 'clean' at the moment and does this effect the way you bet? No not at all, unfortunately it never will be don’t think. I try not to let it affect me in anyway because you can look to hard sometimes because of paper stories etc. im backing on the knowledge I have not rumors. 14. What are your views on Keiron Fallon making his comeback soon? It was before my time, but good on him for getting himself cleaned up and good luck to him, but from what I’ve read he really does need to keep his nose clean from now on, certainly doesn’t do the image of racing any good! 15. Have you ever had a bet on a speciality market like BB or XFactor? Yep nearly all of them probably lol, I love BB so that’s prob my best. 16. Do you have one horse that the PL members can watch out for in the coming weeks? Lay- Musleh enjoyed an odds on win on Friday night at kempton but looks like he needs to be able to dictate his racing which he got here again when winning, if there is a front runner willing to take him on next time I am willing to take him on. Otherwise I very rarely bet ante post although do like the look of Kite wood after today! Quick Questions 1. What is your homepage at the moment? Google chrome’s my most visited webpages, which include PL, email, ATR, RacingPost, Bookies oh and Facebook lol! 2. Name a site on your favourites that may surprise us? The Wurzels- Blackbird! 3. Favourite Music, song, band? A band you have probably never heard of Jakalope, havnt made it big over here but done well over in America and Canada, Trent Reznor of nine inch nails is the brains behind it all. 4. Favourite TV show, not sport related? The inbetweeners or skins 5. What was the last book you read? Mick fitzgeralds autobiography 6. What do you do for a living? I currently work on a farm with sheep, turkeys, cattle and arable, although I am trying to find a job in Racing (not very easy unfortunately) 7. What Car do you drive or would like to own one day I currently drive a Suzuki Jimny, nothing special not really into cars aslong as it gets from A to B 8. Do you have any hobbies away from sport? MMMM Drinking?? No not really except enjoy growing things you can eat! 9. Do You follow a Football team? Norwich are my team for my sins!! 10. What gadgets do you own, Ipod, Mobile, Xbox, etc.. Ipod, PS3, Laptop and a rubbish old nokia (the only phone that survives the rough time it gets on a farm keep trying new ones but always end up back to it because the other breaks some how had this one for over 4 years now!!) 11. Do you prefer Racing UK, ATR or Channel 4? From watching RUK through online bookies gotta be them far better analysis etc. 12. Biggest personal achievement? Getting 2 A’s at GCSE in Geography and Business Studies, little unexpected wasn’t the best behavoured pupil and spent more time outside than inside classrooms but teacher for geography and business studies had faith in me and it paid off cant thank him enough! Any other comments? Just a big thank you for all the hard the team put in around here to make this forum what it is and thank you to everyone for making me feel welcome! As usual please feel free to ask Chris any questions. Oh and by the way, any facebook fans that are not aware, the PL has a group on FB, come and join us!