I’ve been meaning to write a review of iBetMate for some time now. This is the new app for the iPhone for betting on Betfair. It’s totally awesome! Readers who have persevered with this blog may recall some of the trials and tribulations I had with using mobile Betfair earlier this year. The main problem was that you were logged out after a few minutes and then had to re-enter your account name and password. And that’s not always easy trying to remember your Mother’s maiden name when you are under pressure in that last hectic minute, and you seem to have four thumbs and one finger. With iBetMate you stay connected all day, even when you turn your phone off. If you accidently close the app you only need to enter a four digit password to restore the session. And you can see more than just one lay and back column when you turn the phone sideways, as well as the market percentages and your own position. Terrific stuff. I think I’m in love.

So to the first at Flemington. Lucky Eighty Eight looked a clear standout, but I was paying attention to Command Prince. He had that interesting triple gear combination of winkers, nose roll and tongue tie, which rankles someone like me who prefers cleanskins. What’s more he was kicking out when the jockey climbed aboard. A possible laying opportunity. So I fired up the iPhone and …oh, no….the dreaded error message: “product requires a funded account”. Punters in my near vicinity thought that this was a huge joke – that my Betfair account was bankrupt. But surely this could not be possible, because I’d had a collect on The Wingman in the last at Caulfield on Wednesday. Maybe someone has hacked my account and cleaned me out? After all, Julian Assange is out on bail.

Lucky Eighty Eight was a mile too good and Command Prince laboured into second last, four lengths from the winner. Not a good start. Isn’t it amazing how quickly you can fall out of love. But things improved. In the third I liked Pins On Ice. Lady Gaga was too aroused, Casual Friday was dumping all over the yard and sweating up voluminously, and Sassy Bay arrived in the yard led by Mr Patterson, the Clerk of the Course. I always view non-arrival of a strapper as a bad sign! Pins On Ice was only showing $1.45 the place, so I broke my cardinal rule and backed it to win! Wow. Never in doubt! And in the fifth I couldn’t understand why Toorak Toff was the favourite when Rick Hore-Lacy said he wasn’t suited at the distance and he wouldn’t be backing him. Éclair Mystic looked a standout and won like a good thing. But I gave some back on a disappointing Easy Cash in the seventh.

Home and a quick check of my Betfair account. It hadn’t leaked! I got onto Mike at Betware but he said it’s a Betfair problem. I hope they can fix it. I’m itching to fall back in love.

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