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.
RANDWICK
RACE ONE
The big push for Himalaism came unstuck in the TAB Supports National Jockeys Trust Handicap (1200 metres).
The Chris Waller colt was $3.70 in the morning and heavily tried, going around with more money than anything else. Such was the level of support for him that he was crunched into $3 (bottoming out at $2.80) favourite.
Uncorked ($1.85-$3.20) had been favourite for most of the week but drifted alarmingly on the day.
Fireburn ($4.40-$5.50-$4.80) had only moderate support compared to the two favourites and held approximately a quarter of what Himalaism did.
BETS: Fireburn $1,500 @ $5
BETS: Himalaism $5,600 @ $2.90, $2,000 @ $2.90 TWICE
BETS: Uncorked $1,598 @ $3.20, $2,000 @ $3.20, $1,100 @ $3.20, $1,000 @ $3.20
RACE TWO
It was Chris Waller taking out the ATC Thanks John Williams Handicap (1400 metres), however, it wasn’t the horse most punters were thinking.
Waller had five runners in the race but Starman ($3.10-$2.50-$2.60) and Sacrimony ($4.20-$3.50) dominated the market and the hold. The pair were responsible for close to 80 percent of the money.
In the end it was Toomuchtobear ($9-$10) under Reece Jones which swept over the top with stablemate Sur La Mer ($12-$10) adding spice to the exotics.
BETS: Toomuchtobear $2,000 @ $10
BETS: Starman $5,000 @ $2.60, $3,000 @ $2.50, $2,550 @ $2.50
BETS: Sacrimony $3,000 @ $3.50
RACE THREE
King’s Trust took out a thrilling TAB Highway Class 2 Handicap (1400 metres).
Terry Robinson’s consistent gelding always attracts support whenever he goes around and today was no different.
Backed from $9.50-$7.50 at the jump, King’s Trust nosed out Banju ($19-$23) with Optimo ($7) not far off in third.
Shelby Sixtysix ($7-$5.50) went around as favourite and held the most money in front of the big mover all week, Accrue ($7-$6) which opened $15 on Wednesday.
BETS: Accrue $1,500 @ $6, $1,300 @ $6, $1,000 @ $6 MULTIPLE TIMES
BETS: King’s Trust $1,000 @ $7.50
BETS: Shelby Sixtysix $2,000 @ $5.50
RACE FOUR
The money for Queen Bellissimo was spot on in the Midway Handicap (1200 metres).
Backed from $3.20 in the morning into $2.30 at the jump, Queen Bellissimo went around as one of the more popular runners at Randwick today.
The Brad Widdup-trained mare was nearly four times as popular as anything else in the race.
BETS: Queen Bellissimo $2,000 @ $2.40, $10,000 @ $2.30, $4,000 @ $2.30
BETS: Prince Invincible $2,000 @ $7, $1,000 @ $7
BETS: Hollywood Gossip $1,000 @ $5, $1,000 x $2,000 e/w @ $5/$1.75, $1,000 @ $4.40
RACE FIVE
They knew what they were doing with Huetor in the Precise Air Handicap (2000 metres).
TAB went up $6 on Wednesday and that was taken pretty much straight away. Today, it was $3.60 second pick but weight of money saw it start $3.20 favourite with twice riding on it as the second pick, Lord Ardmore ($3.70-$3.40-$3.90).
The early favourite Born A King ($3.30-$4.80) kept drifting throughout the day.
BETS: Huetor $4,000 @ $3.20, $2,500 @ $3.20, $2,000 @ $3.20
BETS: Lord Ardmore $17,000 @ $3.90
BETS: Born A King $3,000 @ $3.70
RACE SIX
Punters were reeling after the big money horses all failed to figure in the UNSW Handicap (1400 metres).
Saigon ($4.60-$3.40) had been very well backed throughout the day and held just over half the money in the race.
Air To Air ($17-$6) was a very strong push at decent odds having opened at $34 earlier in the week.
In the end, it was Fashchanel ($8) which led throughout but punters didn’t rerally warm to the John O’Shea-trained mare.
BETS: Arctic Thunder $1,000 @ $8
BETS: Saigon $2,500 @ $3.30, $2,000 @ $3.30
BETS: Air to Air $2,500 @ $7
RACE SEVEN
The market was spot on for the Chandon Garden Spritz Handicap (1600 metres).
Punters were willing to back Speed Legend ($6.50-$4.60) to knock off the favourite and it very nearly paid off.
Francesco Guardi, a $1.85 favourite when markets first opened, was soft for most of the week and actually peaked at $2.30 just minutes out from the jump.
The final five minutes of betting saw big money arrive for the Chris Waller runner and James McDonald threw the gelding over the line at the finish.
Francesco Guardi held 57 percent of the total investment and was one of the more popular results of the day.
BETS: Francesco Guardi $3,000 @ $2.30, $4,600 @ $2.25
RACE EIGHT
Punters were left reeling after Oscar Zulu sprung an upset in the ACY Securities Handicap (1400 metres).
It was Chris Waller again but not the one most punters expected. Stablemate Bigboyroy ($2.80-$2.60) was costly after being the most popular galloper while Bottega ($5-$4) was the one they came for late.
Oscar Zulu ($14-$13) attracted some eachway support.
BETS: Bottega $4,000 @ $4.20, $5,000 @ $4, $5,000 @ $3.90
BETS: Bigboyroy $3,351 @ $2.70, $3,000 @ $2.60, $2,000 @ $2.60 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE NINE
It was J Mac and Waller again, this time, with the well supported Tycoonist in the Fujitsu General Handicap (1200 metres).
In what was a horror result for TAB, Tycoonist ($3.70-$3-$3.20) went around with nearly four times as much money as anything else and was also extremely popular with multi players.
Starla ($10-$7-$8) was nibbled at by eachway punters throughout the day as was Liberty Sun ($13-$15-$10).
Much Much Better ($4.40-$5.50) was really solid but got the wobbles late in betting when the money came for Tycoonist.
BETS: Tycoonist $2,000 @ $3.20 TWICE, $7,000 @ $3.10, $2,500 @ $3.10, $6,000 @ $3, $2,000 @ $3
BETS: Starla $3,000 x $5,000 e/w @ $9/$2.70, $7,000 @ $7.50
BETS: Much Much Better $5,000 @ $5.50, $2,000 e/w @ $5.50/$2.60, $1,000 e/w @ $5.50/$2, $1,700 @ $5
RACE TEN
The Bopper defied the betting drift and a slow start by finishing best in the Schweppes Sprint (1000 metres).
The Kris Lees galloper went $3.40-$4.20 on the day and although attracting his fair share of admirers, was completely overshadowed in betting by Leo.
Mark Schmetzer’s five-year-old was $3.40-$2.80 and went around with nearly three times as much as the winner. He also attracted some huge bets late.
Of the others, Remlaps Gem ($7.50-$5) was a noted firmer.
BETS: The Bopper $2,000 @ $4
BETS: Leo $3,000 @ $3.20, $7,000 @ $2.80, $32,000 @ $2.70
BETS: Easy Single $4,000 @ $7.50
BETS: Remlaps Gem $5,000 @ $5
FLEMINGTON
RACE ONE
Lavish Girl ($3.20-$3.70-$3.60) attracted good support to win the TAB Trophy (1400 metres).
Although the Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace-trained galloper landed some decent bets, she wasn’t the most popular runner with that honour going to Honeycreeper ($3.10-$3.50).
Luna Cat ($3.20-$3.40) was the second best tried in the race with Lavish Girl next best in that regard.
Of the rest, Jenniferenti ($12-$7.50) was specked at the eachway odds.
BETS: Lavish Girl $3,000 @ $3.60
BETS: Honeycreeper $2,010 @ $3.50, $2,000 @ $3.50
RACE TWO
Squid Game was one of the best backed runners all day anywhere across the country.
Paddy Payne’s talented gelding was responsible for 65 percent of the total investment in the Lexus Holiday Plate (1200 metres).
He was six times as popular as the next two picks in the market – Capo Strada ($3.90-$5.50-$4.40) and Murrami Express ($4.20-$6.50).
BETS: Squid Game $3,000 @ $2.15, $4,000 @ $2.10, $2,000 @ $2.10, $3,500 @ $2, $2,000 @ $2, $6,900 @ $1.95, $5,050 @ $1.95, $3,500 @ $1.95, $4,000 @ $1.9
RACE THREE
Skelm led throughout to win the Schweppervescence Handicap (2600 metres).
The Terry Kelly-trained runner hovered around the $5 mark for most of the day before jumping $4.80.
Although well in the market, Skelm only held a third of the money that race favourite High Emocean ($3.10-$4) did.
Of the others, Wyclif ($5-$5.50) had plenty riding on it.
BETS: Skelm $1,300 x $2,274 e/w @ $4.80/$1.75
BETS: Long Arm $2,000 @ $5
BETS: High Emocean $2,000 @ $3.90
BETS: Wyclif $3,000 @ $5.50, $2,500 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5
RACE FOUR
Favourite backers were on good terms with themselves after Rose Quartz proved too good in the Rubaroc Handicap (1200 metres).
Opening up favourite at $4.40 on Wednesday, punters could have secured as much as $4.80 on raceday morning but consistent backing throughout the afternoon saw her jump a $4 chance.
Overall, she was slightly more popular than Enigma ($5-$6) with the pair the only two runners to hold six figures with TAB.
Of the rest, there was a move for Wegobam ($8-$4.80) which flashed home to run second.
BETS: Rose Quartz $5,000 @ $4
BETS: Enigma $2,000 e/w @ $6/$2.10
RACE FIVE
Gentleman Roy was pretty solid throughout the day heading into the Myer Giftorium Handicap (1400 metres).
Backed from $7 into $5 at one point, he jumped a $6 chance and had admirers but nothing compared to some of the other favoured runners.
Savvanah Cloud ($3.20) was easily the best supported and held nearly 33 percent of the total investment while Way To Go Paula ($4-$4.80) was carrying decent coin too.
BETS: Gentleman Roy $1,000 @ $6
RACE SIX
There was a fair bit of confidence about all day for Second Slip to take out the Kennedy Handicap (1400 metres).
Backed from $3.30-$2.40 on the day, Jamie Kah did the right thing for favourite backers by getting the Will Clarken rep over the line from a fast-finishing Blazejowski ($5) with Open Minded ($6-$9.50) winding up third.
The quinella pairing easily dominated the hold on the race with 65 percent of the market on them.
Tavidance ($4.80-$6) had admirers but was soft.
BETS: Second Slip $2,500 @ $2.40, $2,400 @ $2.40, $2,000 @ $2.40
BETS: Tavidance $2,500 e/w @ $6/$1.90
RACE SEVEN
Not To Be Mist caused an upset in the Furphy Festive Season Sprint (1200 metres).
Going from $14-$23 on the day, the Nick Ryan galloper was generally unfancied when compared to the likes of Itsourtime and Sixbysixythree.
The two favourites were responsible for well over half the total investment while The Gauch (5.50) had plenty of support to but held half of what the two favs did.
BETS: The Gauch $5,000 @ $5.50
BETS: Sixbysixythree $3,210 @ $2.60
RACE EIGHT
The late money for High ‘n’ Dry was on the mark for the running of the #lovethehorse Trophy (1600 metres).
In the final five minutes of betting, the Matt Ellerton galloper went $3.30-$3.10 and attracted some decent bets while going around as the most popular runner.
Real Sensation ($3.70-$4) and Akecheta ($8.50-$7) were the others to have been well tried and held six figures respectively through the TAB Fixed Odds hold.
BETS: High N Dry $2,500 @ $3.10, $5,000 @ $3
RACE NINE
Scorched Earth was the first horse backed earlier in the week and got the job done in the G.H.Mumm Christmas Plate (1000 metres).
TAB went up $8.50 on Wednesday and that price was pretty much taken straight away.
Today, $4.40 was on the table for most of the day with the John Moloney rep jumping $4.20.
Yulong Command ($2.80-$3.60) went around as the most popular galloper in terms of money held, while Miss Divine Em ($15-$5) was a notable firmer.
BETS: Scorched Earth $5,000 @ $4
BETS: Yulong Command $8,000 @ $3.60
