Sepoy will start the shortest priced Blue Diamond favourite in decades with punters rushing to take the $1.60 on offer with one bet of $50,000 struck at Sportingbet Australia.
Sepoy opened $1.70 after drawing perfectly in barrier five but Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said punters were quick to claim that price.
“We took bets of $20,000, $1000 and three of $5000 at the $1.70 and then we got another bet of $50,000 after we had turned him off to $1.60,†Sullivan said.
“We have taken well over $100,000 on him since the barrier draw and punters don’t want to back anything else.
“Over 95% percent of the money we are holding on Blue Diamond has been for Sepoy.â€
Sullivan said the history books showed just how much the Peter Snowden trained colt dominated the market.
“He is a lot shorter than stars such as Bel Esprit and Alinghi were in the Blue Diamond and they were truly dominant in their years,†he said.
“He is at a price now where you simply have no choice as a bookmaker but to take him on.â€
Sportingbet Australia Market
Sepoy 1.60
Holowell Belle 9.00
Atomic 10.00
Anevay 16.00
Running Tall 17.00
Envious 21.00
Holdontayahorses 21.00
Metonymy 21.00
Delago’s Lad 26.00
Masthead 34.00
Arctic Command 34.00
Grand Britannia 41.00
Spectrolite 101.00
Helping Hand 201.00
