Australia’s leading bookmaker the TAB gives an overview of today’s betting markets from the feature races and race meetings from around the country. See which races punters cleaned up on and lost on.
NEWCASTLE
RACE ONE
Russian Conquest was largely ignored and didn’t attract much interest heading into the NZB Airfreight Max Lees Classic (900 metres).
The Team Snowden galloper was $7.50 in the morning and jumped at $8, however, was one of the least favoured runners in the race. In fact, only Matisses Comet ($15), Forbidden Water ($26) and $101 pop Mandalong Missile held less.
Uncorked ($3.50-$3.30) was easily best backed and held more than twice as much as anything else in the race.
RACE TWO
Two races in a row and the winner was pretty much ignored by TAB customers.
Huetor ($23-$16-$18) didn’t have many admirers for the running of the Te Akau NZ – Australia – Singapore Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600 metres).
Most of the money was riding on Ma And Pa and Sacred Command who between them were responsible for 75 percent of the total investment.
Although holding the bulk of the money, Ma And Pa ($2.80-$3.80) and Sacred Command ($3.50-$4.60-$4.40) were significant drifters late.
Of the rest, there was a move for Charmmebaby ($12-$8.50).
BETS: Ma And Pa $2,500 @ $3.80, $2,000 @ $3.80, $1,000 @ $3.50, $1,500 @ $3, $1,000 @ $3
BETS: Sacred Command $2,000 @ $4.40, $2,000 @ $4
RACE THREE
The late move for Street Power paid dividends in the TAB Highway Handicap (1300 metres).
Backed from $7.50 into $6 late, with most of that occurring in the final 10 minutes, Street Power landed some nice bets after going around as the most popular horse in terms of money taken.
Shelby Sixtysix ($12-$7.50) ran right up to the support for it to grab second while Casino Kid ($6) secured third after holding more money than anything else outside the winner.
Satin Ruby ($21-$12) was specked and saw its price tumble throughout the day.
Early favs Raoul ($4.80-$9) and Ceasefire ($4.80-$6.50) were noted drifters late.
BETS: Street Power $1,000 @ $6 TWICE, $1,200 @ $5.50, $1,000 x $2,000 e/w @ $5.50/$2.20, $1,000 @ $5.50
RACE FOUR
Tampering was pretty solid for most of the day heading into the Sage Painting Midway Benchmark 72 Handicap (1600 metres).
The Kerry Parker-trained galloper was the second best tried runner in the race and jumped a $4.80 chance.
His win stopped the big plunge on Harvey’s Way ($3.20-$4) which began on Wednesday. At that point, TAB opened $11 on the David Atkins runner and overall he held approximately 33 percent of the total investment.
BETS: Tampering $1,400 x $2,000 e/w @ $4.80/$1.85, $1,000 @ $4.80, $1,000 e/w @ $4.40/$1.75, $1,000 @ $4.40
RACE FIVE
Punters didn’t mind going the short way home in the Alf Kneebone Trans Tasman Trophy (1850 metres) with Mightybeel landing the money.
Chris Waller ended up with the quinella as Lord Ardmore ($5.50) wound up second after leading, however, Mightybeel ($2.20) held the most money in the race and was responsible for roughly half the total investment.
Love Tap ($3.40-$2.80) was the only one seriously tried to trouble the fav.
BETS: Mightybeel $9,000 @ $2.10
BETS: Lovetap $5,000 @ $3
RACE SIX
The money was spot on for Torrens who led throughout to take out the Visit Karaka 2022 ‘The Beauford’ (2300 metres).
As much as $7.50 was available in the morning for the Lauri Parker-trained galloper but by the time they jumped, $5 was on the table.
Early shoppers secured as much as $11 for the in-form entire on Wednesday when markets first opened.
Hush Writer, which wound up third, was another specked throughout the day and went $9-$6 while Kiss The Bride ($5-$4.40) had plenty of admirers.
Race favourite Shared Ambition ($3.30-$3.80) was soft late but still held double the amount of money than anything else in the race.
Roughie Olympic Gaze ($81-$51-$61) added plenty of spice to the exotics by winding up second.
BETS: Torrens $1,000 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5
BETS: Kiss The Bride $2,000 @ $4.40
BETS: Kings Charisma $2,000 e/w @ $6/$1.85
BETS: Shared Ambition $2,000 @ $3.80
BETS: Hush Writer $2,000 @ $6
RACE SEVEN
Despite getting out in the market slightly, Festival Dancer raced right away with the New Zealand Bloodstock NJC 3YO Spring Stakes (1600 metres).
The Matt Smith filly went $4.40-$5 on the day and had opened $4.20 on Wednesday when markets were first released.
Going around as the most popular runner in terms of money taken, and one of three to hold over six figures with TAB Fixed Odds, Festival Dancer proved to be a horror result.
Kokoro ($6-$5) and Loch Eagle ($12-$10) were second and third in terms of popularity while Lease ($8-$6) firmed late.
BETS: Festival Dancer $2,000 @ $5, $1,000 @ $5 MULTIPLE TIMES, $2,000 @ $4.80, $8,000 @ $2 PLACE
BETS: Lease $4,800 @ $6
BETS: Kokoro $4,800 @ $6.50
RACE EIGHT – THE HUNTER
Lost And Running did the right thing by favourite backers when it took out The Hunter (1300 metres) as a dominant favourite.
John O’Shea’s stable star was twice as popular as the second elect Top Ranked ($4.60-$5-$4.20) which was well tried late in betting. The pair were head and shoulders above the rest in terms of money held, taking up 65 percent of the market.
Bandersnatch ($7-$12) was third most popular in terms of money held but was a drifter on the day.
Of the others, Dawn Passage ($16-$11-$12) and Standout ($17-$12-$15) were variously tried throughout the afternoon.
BETS: Lost And Running $12,500 @ $2.80, $20,000 @ $2.70, $23,552 @ $2.50, $50,000 @ $2.40
BETS: Top Ranked $3,000 @ $5, $2,000 @ $5
RACE NINE
The two popular elects finished in the quinella spots in the PFD Food Services F&M Handicap (1400 metres).
Norwegian Bliss ($3.10-$3.70) did get out on the day but was $3.80 when markets opened earlier in the week. She was easily the most popular runner and was responsible for 33 percent of the total investment.
Grande Rumore ($5.50-$4.80) held plenty of decent bets and was the only other runner to hold six figures through fixed odds.
Fashchanel ($4-$5) did attract its fair share of support too but was generally a drifter all week after opening $3.80.
BETS: Norwegian Bliss $4,000 @ $3.70, $2,500 @ $3.70, $2,000 @ $3.70 MULTIPLE TIMES, $2,200 @ $3.50
BETS: Grande Rumore $3,000 @ $4.80
BETS: Fashchanel $1,000 @ $5 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE TEN
Gravina ($2.40) was costly once again after going down as a beaten favourite in the Hunter Valley Premium Meats T-Bone Steaks Benchmark 88 Handicap (1300 metres).
The Godolphin galloper was one of the best supported horses all day anywhere across the country, accounting for just over half the total investment in the final race on the card.
Such was its popularity that it held nearly three times what stablemate and second pick Katalin ($3.20) did.
The winner, Much Much Better ($9-$7.50-$8.50) was pretty solid for most of the day and only held a fraction of what the Royal Blue pair were responsible for.
BETS: Much Much Better $1,000 @ $8.50, $1,000 @ $8
CRANBOURNE
RACE ONE
Damien Lane’s fine form carried on to a heavy 10 in miserable conditions at Cranbourne with Taught You Could ($6) upstaging favourite You Ess Ess Are (4.40), who had the bulk of the hold in the first.
Taught You Could ended up third favourite having opened at $7 but got out to $8.50 this morning before multiple thousand dollar bets prior to the jump.
BETS: Taught You Could: $1,900 @ $6, $1,600 @ $6.50
RACE TWO
With Blushing Tycoon scratched, Station One became overwhelming favourite in the second over 2025m with Craig Williams on board. He jumped at $1.60 after opening at $3 and holding 60 percent of the market.
However, The Amazonian ($4.80) was too strong in the straight with Station One fading to finish third behind Toropeak ($7). The Amazonian held 15 percent of the money as second favourite.
BETS: The Amazonian: $1,000 & $4.80
RACE THREE
Chartres ($8) handled conditions best to upset favourite Jigsaw ($4.40) and market mover Xtra Gear who had tightened from $10 in to $5.50 during the day having opened at $21.
With Michael Dee riding, Chartres held only three percent having opened at $26 through the week.
BETS: Chartres: $500 @ $8 & $500 e/w @ $8/$2.30
RACE FOUR
Lyrical Lad ($5) revelled in the heavy going as Jamie Mot guided the Phillip Stokes trained gelding to one of the best wins of the day.
Scratchings impacted the fourth with Real Sensation ($3.40) starting favourite but finishing out of the placings. While Lyrical Lad drifted slightly with a plunge on Oceans Of Stamina from $14 into $6 including several $1,000 bets at $7 and $6.
BETS: Lyrical Lad: $1,000 @ $5 x 2
RACE FIVE
There was no disappointment for backers of Paul’s Regret after an impressive win in the fifth, although there was little interest in the Peter Chow trained Mare pre-race. She drifted from an opening price of $8 out to $10 before jumping at $9.50.
Chris Waller’s April Rain joined the trend of favourites missing out on a place after being well backed into $2.70 with 47 percent of the hold.
BETS: Paul’s Regret ($9.50): 500 @ $11
RACE SIX
A favourite finally saluted in the Apache Cat Classic as Craig Williams scored a hometown win. He and Dexelation ($3.60) defied the huge interest in Sir Kalahad, who had trimmed from $7 to $3.80 in the heavy conditions.
Dexelation softened from $2.70 to $3.60 before the jump but combined with Bless Her ($3.70) held 65 percent of the market.
BETS: Dexelation ($6): $3,000 @ $3.5, $2,700 @ $3.60, $2,000 @ $3.50
RACE 7 – TAB CRANBOURNE CUP
The only ones cheering louder than local trainers Robbie Griffiths and Matthew de Kock were the punters who backed King Magnus to be crowned Cranbourne Cup champion at $9.
In a market dominated by favourite Our Playboy ($2.70), Buffalo River ($7.50) and So Si Bon ($17), King Magnus held just under five percent of the money and drifted from $7 to $9 before an impressive ride from Lachlan King. Our Playboy and So Si Bon filled the placings.
BETS: King Magnus ($9): $1,000 @ $7, $900 e/w @ $9/$2.80
RACE EIGHT
Mankayan was easily the best backed runner on the card, and much to the relief of punters who took the short price he fought back late to edge Blandford Lad ($10).
The Maher-Eustace stayer had 60 percent of the hold by the time gates opened well clear of second fancy Indiana Lilly ($7). The weight of money, including multiple bets of $20,000 and one of $39,000, took him from $2.60 today to $1.90, after opening at $4.40.
BETS: Mankayan ($1.90): $39,500 @ $1.90, $20,000 @ $1.90, $9,000 @ $1.90
RACE NINE
Cambourne had his pre-race doubters and moved from $4.20 to $6 before an emphatic win in the last.
With Brett Prebble in the saddle he finished well clear of favourite The General who held over 40 percent of the take compared to only seven for Cambourne.
BETS: Cambourne ($6): $2,800 @ $5.50, $1,500 @ $4.60
