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.
ROSEHILL
RACE ONE
Favourite backers got the day off to a great start when Shihonka led throughout to win the Cabra Vale Diggers Handicap (1350 metres).
The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained galloper was easily the best tried runner in the race and held 42 percent of the total investment.
Niccis Flight ($6-$5) had strong support at the eachway odds all week and was best backed outside the winner. In fact, the Portelli galloper was nearly three times as popular as anything else.
BETS: Shihonka $1,500 @ $2.40 TWICE, $2,500 @ $2.30, $2,400 @ $2.30, $2,000 @ $2.30, $1,500 @ $2.30, $11,000 @ $2.25
RACE TWO
The late money suggested So Say You was the one to beat heading into the TAB Highway Handicap (1800 metres).
Of the Terry Robinson duo, So Say You was the biggest firmer late, going from $6 into $4.60 with most of that firm occurring in the final stages of betting.
Ridden a treat by Hugh Bowman, So Say You was too strong for the stablemate Lord Desanimaux ($5.50) over the concluding stages with the win a horror result for TAB. The five-year-old was the only one who held six figures and was responsible for 40 percent of the market.
BETS: So Say You $1,000 @ $5 TWICE, $1,000 @ $4.80 MULTIPLE TIMES, $5,000 @ $4.60, $3,000 @ $4.60
RACE THREE
Starman had plenty of admirers leading into the Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Sprint (1200 metres).
Hovering around the $5 mark for most of the day, Starman was the second most popular runner in the race behind Snitzonfire ($3.80-$4.40) which blew in the final minutes of betting.
Snitzonfire held approximately three times what the winner did.
BETS: Starman $1,600 @ $5.50, $1,000 @ $5.50 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE FOUR
Favourite backers were made to work for it, however, Mr Mosaic landed the cash in the Guildford Leagues Handicap (1100 metres).
Opening at $3.50 on Wednesday, Mr Mosaic ($2.90-$3.30) was one of the first horses backed and attracted good money throughout the week. That continued today and he went around as one of two gallopers to hold six figures with TAB.
Despite doing a power of work, the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained runner narrowly held on to beat Tycoonist and Liberty Sun.
Liberty Sun, $9 in the morning, reached double figures before a late rally saw it jump an $8 chance.
BETS: Mr Mosaic $6,000 @ $3.30, $1,400 @ $3.30, $1,000 @ $3.30 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE FIVE
One of the worst results all day for TAB was in this race – the Midway Handicap (1300 metres).
Arctic Thunder ($4-$4.60) was heavily tried and was responsible for a tick over half the market. Furthermore, she was the only one to hold six figures with TAB Fixed Odds.
Fenech ($9-$6.50-$7) had its share of admirers as did Nictock ($9.50-$7) which was specked throughout the day and nearly stole the prize when leading for most of the trip.
BETS: Arctic Thunder $1,000 @ $4.60 THREE TIMES, $2,500 @ $4.40, $2,000 @ $4.40, $1,000 @ $4.40 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE SIX
Peekays Legacy caused an upset in the Campbelltown Catholic Club Handicap (1800 metres).
One of the outsiders in the small field, Peekays Legacy ($11-$17) didn’t attract much interest but Kerrin McEvoy got the best out of the Team Snowden runner to overhaul the heavily tried Rousseau late in the piece.
Rousseau ($2.70-$2.30) went around with more money than most at the Rosehill card, boasting 62 percent of the total investment.
BETS: Peekays Legacy $500 e/w @ $17/$6, $2,000 @ $6 PLACE
BETS: Rousseau $10,000 @ $2.30, $5,000 @ $2.30
BETS: Karlstad $3,000 @ $5
BETS: Seduction Queen $3,000 @ $5
RACE SEVEN
One of the first horses backed when markets were first released for the Cabra Bowls Handicap (2000 metres) was Huetor.
The Team Snowden galloper was $7.50 at that stage of the week and despite the early support, hovered around that price for most of the week. Today, he would jump a $6 chance and be the third most popular galloper in terms of money held.
Born A King ($4.60-$3.90) easily held the most money while Comme Bella Fille ($5.50-$4.20) attracted strong support with the pair responsible for close to half the market.
BETS: Huetor $6,000 @ $6
BETS: Welsh Legend $5,000 @ $6
RACE EIGHT
The huge push for Francesco Guardi ($3.80-$2.20) today just went astray in the Dooleys Handicap (1500 metres).
All week the push was for the Chris Waller galloper who initially opened $7 on Wednesday.
Going around as the best backed runner on the card today, Francesco Guardi was bought undone by Waihaha Falls ($6) which held a quarter of what the favourite did.
BETS: Waihaha Falls $3,000 @ $6, $2,900 @ $6, $2,400 @ $6, $1,250 @ $6, $1,000 @ $6 TWICE
RACE NINE
Katalin jumped favourite for the Bankstown Sports Club Handicap (1400 metres), however, he wasn’t the most popular galloper.
That honour went to Brutality ($4.60-$5.50) and Bigboyroy ($4.60-$5.50) even though the pair were drifters on the day. Canasta ($5.50-$4.40) was the strongest push from a betting perspective to knock off the winner.
Katalin ($3-$3.30-$2.90) trimmed up late and landed some handy wagers.
BETS: Katalin $1,000 @ $3.30, $4,000 @ $2.90, $2,000 @ $2.90, $1,000 @ $2.90 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE TEN
El Buena took out a competitive betting affair in the Smithfield RSL Club Sprint (1200 metres).
Firming from $8.50-$7.50 on the day, El Buena was one of the more popular runners but Queen Bellissimo ($4.20) held the most money.
Amiche ($5-$9) was a noted drifter while Tamerlane ($7.50-$6.50) had admirers along with Rammstein ($10-$8.50). Much Much Better ($5-$4.20) was tried throughout the day.
BETS: El Buena $5,000 @ $7.50, $3,000 @ $7.50
PAKENHAM (selected events)
RACE THREE
Winsum was the most popular result for punters in the Fulmen Park BM78 Handicap (1000 metres).
After the scratching of the heavily tried Brownie, Winsum was installed $2.90 fav in the morning and got out to $3.10 at the jump.
Easily the most popular galloper in terms of money held, Winsum held more than twice as much as any of his competitors and was a losing result for TAB.
BETS: Winsum $1,000 @ $3.40 MULTIPLE TIMES, $3,000 @ $3.30, $2,700 @ $3.30, $2,000 @ $3.30, $1,200 @ $3.30 TWICE, $1,500 @ $3.10
RACE FOUR
One of the better backed runners on the Pakenham card today was Marine One.
Jumping out a very popular $2.50 favourite in the Iron Jack Australian Lagers 3YO BM70 (1000 metres), Marine One had been $3.10 in the morning and bottomed out at $2.40.
The Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace rep held 55 percent of the total investment and was more than four times as popular as anything else in the race.
Translation ($10-$7) was best tried outside the winner while Cecil Street Lad ($4.40-$8) was a noted drifter.
BETS: Marine One $2,500 @ $2.70, $5,000 @ $2.60, $20,000 @ $2.50, $10,000 @ $2.50, $5,000 @ $2.50, $6,000 @ $2.40, $2,000 @ $2.40
RACE FIVE
Another heavily tried runner got the cash at Pakenham, this time, it was Frankie Pinot.
Jumping an even money favourite in the 9mile Fresh Handicap (1600 metres), Frankie Pinot ($2.10-$1.75-$2) had been well tried in the morning and bottomed out at $1.75 before getting the wobbles late in betting.
He was easily the best backed runner in the race and was four times as popular as Hi Stranger ($3.90-$5.50) which was another that got the staggers late from a betting perspective.
BETS: Frankie Pinot $2,725 @ $2.10, $2,500 @ $2, $2,000 @ $2, $7,331 @ $1.95, $4,000 @ $1.80, $2,000 @ $1.75
RACE SIX
The money trail was spot on for Defiant Dancer who was impressive in the Schweppes David Bourke Memorial Handicap (1200 metres).
Out of the Phillip Stokes yard, Defiant Dancer opened the day a $9 chance but constant specking throughout the afternoon saw the price disappear.
Eventually the gelding would jump a $4.60 second favourite behind Ocean Beyond ($4.20) while Ranting, which began the day as a $4 favourite, was pushed down to the third line of betting at $4.80.
Munitions ($6), $11 on Wednesday, ran right up to the support for it by finishing second.
BETS: Defiant Dancer $1,500 @ $5, $1,000 @ $5, $1,000 @ $4.60
RACE SEVEN
Smokin Romans delivered a big result for punters in the Pakenham Cup (2500 metres).
Out of the powerful Maher & Eustace barn, Smokin Romans ($3.50-$3.20-$3.60) was easily the best backed runner in the race and held more than double what second favourite (Team Captain) did.
Overall, the son of Ghibellines was responsible for just over 30 percent of the money with most runners in the race attracting decent support.
Team Captain ($4.40-$5) was second most popular while the only other runners to hold six figures with TAB were Mimis Award ($12) and Mankayan ($4.60-$6-$5.50).
The money for Good Idea ($26-$10) was nearly on the mark as the Stokes galloper filled the runner-up spot behind the winner.
BETS: Smokin Romans $20,000 @ $3.60, $3,175 @ $3.40, $2,000 @ $3.30, $2,500 @ $3.20, $2,000 @ $3.20
