As the action kicks off in Augusta, market-maker Winterflood’s Warren Todd has been a man in demand. A self-confessed golf geek, his tips are regularly scanned by City boys looking to spice up the day with a few punts.
Todd hit the ground running in 2012 — tipping winner Bubba Watson for the Masters at 50/1 — and also landed Ernie Els at 40/1 for the British Open in a “vintage year”. Things have been a bit fallow since then but he’s still more than 200 points of profit to the good. The latest tips are Bubba again at 28/1, Rory McIlroy at 11/1, an each-way on Jason Dufner at 50/1 and a hopeful 25/1 on perennial Major underachiever Sergio Garcia.
Incidentally, the boys at Winterflood obviously had a hectic day yesterday. One missive read: “Chaps, seeing as the sun is shining we’re heading to the Oyster Shed now…11am! Could be 10.30am if this day carries on the way it is zzzzzzzzzzz.”
Help to Buy builds hard hats’ hopes
Spy’s man in the hard hat was on effusive form in the City over a steak and a glass of red, singing the praises of George Osborne for extending Help to Buy until 2020 in the Budget. “The industry consensus is that we’re going to have to try really hard to f**k this up,” was the pithy verdict.
Moelis constructing a deal?
Spy also gathers that boutique investment bank Moelis — looking at options for Edinburgh-based Miller — is busy touting its dowdy and loss-making construction business around would-be buyers to leave it with a shiny and profitable housebuilder to float. “I think it will be an overseas buyer for the construction arm, maybe Chinese,” says our man.
Garfield sets sail at Severn Trent
If you listen closely, those are fireworks you can hear up the M1 in Coventry. Today marks Liv Garfield’s first day as chief executive of water group Severn Trent. The fast-talking former Accenture consultant was used to getting her hands dirty in her last job, shinning up telegraph poles as boss of BT’s Openreach division. How long will it be before she insists on a tour of Severn’s sewerage network?
