The ATR Interviews (7)~ Mowgli77

[BillyHills]

We take a trip back to the Moderators bench for our next interview, Mowgli is a long standing member and well respected by all. He joined the PL back in June 2005 and was appointed a Moderator of the ATR section exactly two years later, always willing to help the newbies and not afraid to speak his mind and enter discussions on ways to keep on improving the forum. Despite his young age he's classed as a bit of a veteran in PL terms, over 8,000 posts ranks him 26th on the alltime list out of over 38,000 people registered. Had the pleasure of meeting Phil at a PL meet up last year (Stratford) and he's a very nice down to earth guy and felt like i'd known him years after just a few minutes in his company, hope you enjoy the chat we had. ___________________________________ Previous Issues in case you missed them;

• Bowles10
• Ralphie7
• Fintron
• RussP
• Billy The Punter
• Chris34

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[BillyHills]

Re: The ATR Interviews (7)~ Mowgli77 The Punters Lounge 1. You joined the PL in June 2005, how did you come across the site in the first place?

I didn’t realise I actually joined on June 15^th which is my birthday; I found the site looking for football bets that day rather than horse racing. I posted a 9 team accumulator and Paul Ross removed the thread. I remember posting again asking who the hell he was and why my thread had been removed. Nearly banned by the boss after 1 post, bloody newbies that don’t read the rules – I was one of them. 2. Why or how did you choose your username?

I got the nickname Mowgli from an old workmate. I had been to Tenerife and came back very tanned with quite long dark hair and he said I looked like Mowgli from Jungle Book. I found it amusing rather than insulting and other colleagues soon picked up on it and it stuck, the 77 is from year of birth. 3. Many of your avatars include your son Fallon; does he know his Daddy has made him famous?

I have wanted to try getting a picture of Fallon with Kieren Fallon so I could explain it to him when he’s older but then he got banned and I thought there would be no chance. I’ve told him he is named after a jockey but he’s too young to understand really. He has got a rocking horse that he goes on now but he wants to be a footballer at the moment. 4. How do you see your role as a Moderator on the ATR?

I see it as trying to welcome and nurture new posters as well as the obvious tasks of banning spammers and those trying to sell systems or advertise their own sites. I enjoy running the 10 to follow and helping Bowles with the Cheltenham subsection. I always seem to be the one that asks for more reasoning which doesn’t always go down well and leads on to the next question. 5. What would you say annoys you most, if anything about the ATR section?

People that post without reasoning, I feel it insults all the posters that have made an effort with a decent write up. What use is a horses name if we have no idea why it is fancied? I was attracted to ATR on Punterslounge because of the request for reasoning. We have many posters that put a lot of time and effort into their posts so for someone to just post “it will win cos it’s the best” is insulting everyone’s intelligence and makes a mockery of that effort. 6. Following on from the last question, is there anything you would change about the ATR section.

Possibly a subsection for personal threads, not sure if it would work but it would be easier to keep track of them all, other than that I think it works well. A forum member recently PM’d me and said they do not post in ATR as much as they think the place has got stale so maybe we do need to look at some changes, any suggestions would be welcome.

7. You have had a speciality thread now for a while; do you think these are a good thing on the whole?

I think they work if they are kept up to date quite regularly and I feel having a focus on a specific type of race can be beneficial. I had already mentioned to Russ how he seemed to do well with handicaps before he started his own thread and from recording my bets I noticed I was winning on listed and above but losing on poor class races and 5f sprints. It is hard to keep track of all races when there is so much racing, especially on bank holidays so focusing on an area you do well in makes sense. I enjoy the several trends threads but only use them as an indicator rather than a bible. 8. Your thread has been viewed over 63,000 times, are you surprised by this and does it put any added pressure on you?

When I started it and it was doing really well I felt some pressure because I was also getting a few PM’s asking if I was looking at specific races that may have been listed or Group races. I ended up studying races I did not like the look of, trying to find bets in races I intended on avoiding. There were times when I increased stakes on lower priced horses and regretted it afterwards. I try to find bets that I feel are value when a horse seems wrongly priced. There seems to be less attention to the thread now, which means less pressure and I have managed to turn around a massive deficit this year and not given up hope of ending in plus figures.

8. You won the BBOTD monthly competition in July this year, do you think comps are good thing on forums. Yes definitely as long as they are good spirited. I am very competitive and aimed to win BBOTD for at least 1 month this year. I know it is a fun competition but when I got the 25-1 winner and knew I was in with a chance I really wanted to win it and credit to the lads that kept up the chase to the last day, it was a very exciting finish to the month and all done in very good spirit between everyone. The only negatives I can see are competitions like the Cheltenham and Ascot ones where new posters sign up to try win and then never contribute again. Maybe they should be restricted to posters with 50+ posts or something. I keep aiming to get stuck into the DHRC competition too but find it hard to go through races trying to find two selections. I won that competition and the cup several times but back in the days when there were no DHRC trophies available so I would aim to win that at some point too. 9. For the last couple of years you seem to have been to every PL meet up, give us your thoughts on them?

I was nervous at the 1^st meeting when we went to York races and met up at Leeds. When I told people I was meeting a load of strangers from the Internet to go racing they seemed to think I was going to get kidnapped or worse. I really enjoyed the day and have been to every one since. I thought I would have to miss one when Fallon was born but we brought him along to the races when he was 2 months old, which is the picture of him in his jockey silks. Friskyfitz placed his 1^st bet for him and several PL members helped us up loads of stairs with the pram, as the lift did not work in the train station. That was a very special meeting for me, as I really wanted to share the happiness of being a father with other forum members. I don’t drink much at these meetings but still have a good time, I like racing, poker and karaoke and meeting up with people I would also call friends rather than just usernames on a screen. I would encourage other ATR members to try get to one, they will not feel left out and will soon be feeling at home. I have since met up with several members for other sporting events. I’ve been to the boxing with LTFCPete, Kevshat, RussP, Alexmac, and PaulM and went to York races during the Dante meeting with Kevshat, RussP, Fintron and Wizzkid Walter. I will be attending the next meeting, possibly at Ascot in February and there is a thread in the General Chat section if ATR members are interested in attending. 10. The ATR has been accused in the past of being like a 'closed shop' and difficult for newbies to get involved, do you think this is true?

It did seem that way for me at first and I felt many of my posts got ignored. I felt I really had to earn some respect and build a reputation, whether that is for winners or for plenty of reasoning with my posts. There have been plenty of new posters that have stayed around so I think there has been some change. I introduced Fintron to this forum and told him he would be made to feel welcome and he has done really well on here. I think we probably have more new punters joining now than in the last few years. One piece of advice I would give to newbies is that if they choose to run their own threads they should copy and paste their selections into the daily meetings. These threads are viewed more and it’s easier to review a days racing by daily threads than trawling through 20+ personal threads for example. If people notice you posting winners they’ll be more likely to also check out your threads. 11. The PL has always held onto its principles regarding rules for posting, for example requiring reasoning to tips etc.. do you think this is a good thing?

Definitely. I think the request for reasoning makes this forum stand out from some others and after eventing is always kept to a minimum and frowned upon. I think the forum would go rapidly downhill without such rules. 12. You do a stressful job; does spending some time on the PL help you wind down sometimes? Yes. You can have a rant about anything and everything; at times it is like being down a virtual pub and discussing either topical issues or absolute bollocks with your mates. I like the general discussion section and many ATR posters don’t seem to go in there so I would say to have a look as there is always something either funny, serious, or bizarre. Failing that there are always Carl’s famous threads. Many of the music and film threads help wind down and you can choose to join in a serious discussion or just post up a music video to share. Horse Racing

1. Have you always been interested in Horse Racing?

I have picked horses for the Grand National since I was about 8 years old and remember picking Hallo Dandy for my dad but got into racing more regularly when I was about 17. My uncle liked a bet and one day I saw him as I walked past the bookies. He had placed a short priced 4 fold for about ten quid and asked me if I wanted to go halves with him and the 1^st horse had just won. I gave him £5, they all won and I got a return over £100. My uncle blew his winnings on the next races and then asked if he could borrow some of mine. Everyone in the local pubs and bookies knew him, he often turned up at home drunk and claimed to have been mugged but his wages were with the bookies rather than any robber. Sadly he passed away from lung cancer last November and was the main influence. 2. What type of racing do you enjoy the most, flat, NH, Big races, sprints, classics, AW?

I never really liked jump racing until a few years ago when I developed a fondness for certain racehorses that always seemed to run well and I followed their progress to Cheltenham and really started to like jumps racing. I still prefer the flat, races around 1m2f to 1m4f and love the classics like the Derby and the Guineas. I went to the Guineas that was won by Rock Of Gibraltar and had a great time. . 3. If you could change one thing in Racing or Betting overnight, what would that be?

Horses that don’t leave the stalls or refuse to race being voided and not classed as under starters orders, it happened to me a few weeks back at Epsom and it is horrible knowing you have wasted money on a horse that does not race. As for betting, something has to be done about the 4 places for 16 runners when so many are withdrawn leaving us with 15 runners and only 3 places. 4. Can you remember your first bet, how old were you and where did you put it on?

The one with my uncle as described above. First bet on my own would have been in the same bookies, it used to be an independent but is now a Tote. I actually remember my first Tricast, I picked Jenzsoph, Strong John and Circus Colours and got a £62 return for my £1 stake, I don’t think I’ve had a winning tricast since. 5. Can you reveal your biggest win to date, you don’t have to be specific about the amount but what was it on?

Biggest win/bet was on Westerner when Royal Ascot was held at York. I had £300 on it at 15-8, returned at 7-4 and got back about £850. Biggest win in last few years was on Chief Dan George at Aintree, tipped it up on here and the Bradford City message board at 33-1. I backed it at 33’s; again at 28’s and again at 33’s and won hundreds for small each way bets of £5 to £10 at those prices. 6. What was the 'bet' that got away, the nearly bet that still haunts you?

A lucky 15 on the last day of the Guineas meeting won by Rock of Gibraltar. That Sunday I had 4 horses on, 3 at Newmarket and one elsewhere, the first 3 won and the last, if I recall correctly was Bonecrusher, it came 2^nd. It was a very small stakes lucky 15 and I thought I had about £40 to come back, returned about £115 for the 3 winners and would have been nearly £1400 for all 4. 7. Do you bet on other sports, if so which ones?

Boxing, football and occasionally rugby league, snooker and golf. 8. Do you bet online or still visit the high street? Which do you prefer?

Nearly all my betting is done online. My local bookies is not bad though compared to some of the bookies in Bradford. I can’t stand the mugs that stand shouting at the screen and were always “going to back that” after it wins by 10 lengths but never had a penny on. I find it easier to bet online and have Betfair and Bet365 on my mobile too. I prefer betting with cash at the course, no better feeling than taking real money off the bookies. I read that they were going to install machines that were like ATM’s where you put your debit card in and then placed a bet on an electronic screen, these would be useful but could put on course bookies out of business. 9. Do you think Horse Racing is 'clean' at the moment and does this affect the way you bet?

There is no way it is clean and it never will be. If prize money is a paltry sum and a jockey is offered more than the prize money to make sure a favourite gets beaten then he is going to think about it. It is one reason I don’t like low class races and prefer to stick to Group races, they are more scrutinised and it does not make as much sense to stop a horse when there are hundreds of thousands to be won. 10. What formbook do you use? Racing Post, S.Life, Timeform or any other media?

Racing Post online, sometimes buy the Weekender and buy the Racing Post if I go to the track. I used to buy a timeform racecard but I think they overvalue their opinions and their racecards lack information that can be found in a Racing Post for a quarter of the price. 11. What’s the last race meeting you attended?

Pontefract, about a month or two ago with my brother. A nice quiet Monday afternoon meeting when it wasn’t too busy. Had been having a bad time finding a winner all season then found 5 on a 7 race card. I bought 2 new horse racing prints with some of my winnings and have now got them framed and on the wall. 12. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time with regards to betting?

I can’t see me doing it full time unless I had the funds to start with and be able to cover a losing run, it will probably act as a supplement to my wage. I enjoy doing race previews and would prefer to get into that line of work rather than betting full time. I think the pressure of needing to find winners regularly would take away some of the enjoyment. I might get more involved with the laying side of betting, it is still quite new to me but I feel there are many overrated favourites on a daily basis that are worth opposing.

13. What in your opinion is the number one factor when reading form? Ground, Recent Form, Rating, Track, Trainer, Jockey etc...

Probably ground, ratings do not matter too much in listed/group races if they are similarly rated and racing off level weights but a horse that needs fast ground is not likely to run well on heavy and vice versa. I feel the official rating is very significant in handicaps; many horses do seem to have a career high mark that they are just not capable of passing. 14: Are the punishments handed out to 'Careless' or 'Reckless' jockeys enough to deter them nowadays?

Yes. I don’t really agree with the totting up procedure either and would agree that they are punished twice. 15: Silly question now, what do you think of the return of Mr Fallon? Great for horse racing. Some of the newer punters will not understand what all the fuss is about but once he starts firing in the winners they will know why all the hype. He has done wrong and served his ban but they should address the drink and drugs problem that surrounds the sport. Sport in general is losing its characters, public want sporting heroes such as Ronnie O Sullivan, Jimmy White, Paul Gascoigne etc so we should embrace Kieren Fallon while he still has the talent to ride horses. Many punters feel he is the best jockey to judge pace in a race and he is flexible during a race while other jockeys don’t seem to be. I hope to finally meet him this year if he gets up to one of the northern tracks. Quick Questions

1. What is your homepage at the moment?

Google 2. Name a site on your favourites that may surprise us?

None that would surprise you really. 3. Favourite Music, song, band?

The Smiths – There is a light that never goes out for favourite song and band, very broad musical taste apart from Jazz. 4. Last Concert attended?

Counting Crows 4. Favourite TV show, not sport related?

Dragons Den 5. What was the last book you read?

Dave Nevison – A Bloody Good Winner. 6. What do you do for a living?

Brief Intervention Alcohol Worker 7. Do you have any hobbies away from sport?

Music and films, concerts mainly but I go ten pin bowling once a week, play snooker and golf when I can and collect horror figures such as Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Pinhead from Hellraiser and Chucky. I also have a season ticket for Bradford City. 8. Biggest break at Snooker?

40 9. What gadgets do you own, Ipod, Mobile, Xbox, etc...

Nokia N95 8Gig, soon to be replaced by 16 gig I Phone and own a PS3. 10. Xbox/PS3 game being played recently?

Batman Arkham Asylum on PS3. 10. Do you prefer Racing UK, ATR or Channel 4?

Racing UK but not enough to pay £20 for it.

11. What Car do you own or would like to own? Own a Vauxhall Corsa 1.2, no real interest in cars; if it gets me from A to B then I’m happy. 11. Biggest personal achievement?

Birth of Fallon, otherwise it would be either learning to swim at 26 year old after fearing it for years or getting a 2:1 in my degree in Counselling and Psychology after being stuck in a dead end job for years. I just have to mention the sad deaths of the 2 apprentices killed in a fire. I have been to Shrewsbury away today so was unaware of these deaths. My thoughts go out to the families of the deceased, very sad news and both were too young to die. Feel free to ask any other questions. Phil with Fallon