Blue Square and Bet Direct Banking on Big Breeders' Cup
The two bookmakers providing British punters with access to American pools are predicting a betting bonanza on Saturday's Breeders' Cup.
Both Blue Square and Bet Direct began accepting bets into American racetrack pools, a facility which Blue Square spokesman Ed Pownall believes could prove attractive to both punters and bookmakers alike on Saturday.
"Business could go through the roof on Saturday night turnover-wise, and there's no reason why other bookmakers shouldn't lay off with us through the pools as they are bound to have huge liabilities on the European horses."
With the bookmakers turning to Blue Square to balance their books, Pownall said the event could bring in a record amount of turnover.
"I'd imagine that we'll get a lot of professionals involved and, while there may only be a few people playing, there could be massive, massive bets," he said. "The beauty of what we're offering is that if someone wants to have £100,000 on Rock of Gibraltar, there is no reason why they cannot get on with us through the pools. Whatever happens, it's great for us and, with the fixed, guaranteed margins, we can't lose."
Bet Direct's public relations manager, Russell Wiseman, is "expecting a bonanza" with the usual range of exotic bets, and in particular the prospect of a huge Pick6, in which the winners of six specified races must be found for a $2 stake.
"Arlington will boast the ultimate Pick6, with a guaranteed pool of $2 million and expected to reach $3 million. I believe that makes it the biggest Tote racing pool in the world," he said. "Where we have lost out in the past is that big players won't participate in small pools for fear of their bet affecting the return. However, the pools will be so gigantic on Saturday that even the biggest bets will get lost."
Scam Artist Gets Jail Time
Terry Kirby, who passed himself off as Dean Gallagher when chatting up an American tourist in Galway, Ireland in May, was jailed for 22 months this week.
Kirby, 36, who at one time had ambitions to become an amateur rider, also robbed Jamie Codd of his wallet containing 250 euros.
The Galway District Court was told that American visitor Robin Ward met Kirby in a pub, where he told her that he was the jump jockey Dean Gallagher.
The following day, the pair went off to tour Connemara in a Nissan Almera that Ward had rented.
Ten days later, when she was due to return the car to the hire company, Kirby offered to fill it with petrol and leave it with the company. She never saw him again and when the car was eventually found she had to pay 3,500 euros to cover lost rental income.
ADW Numbers Staying Strong in California
At its October meeting, officials with the California Horseracing Board informed its board that the state's nearly year-old Advance Deposit Wagering system, which allows for telephone and account wagering, continues to generate a high amount of activity from its licensees.
The group's staff reported that handle from ADW totaled $121.4 million from Jan. 25 through Sept. 29. The figure represents 6.8 percent of the $1.78 billion combined California on-track, off-track, and ADW handle during that period.
Officials also reported that these figures and other aspects of ADW were thoroughly discussed at a committee meeting. CHRB Chairman Alan Landsburg, a member of the PMO Committee, indicated his desire to expand ADW to more than the current three providers (XpressBet, TVG, and YouBet).
UK Officials Stick With Proposal
The U.K. government said this week that it is sticking to its proposal for a voluntary levy on licensed operators in the betting and gaming industries to fund research into problem gambling, despite a call from a parliamentary select committee for the introduction of a statutory obligation.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport told its select committee that the Gambling Bill, which is being drafted in the wake of the Budd review, will contain legislation for a statutory levy to support problem gambling prevention and treatment programs.
The DCMS said these provisions would only be brought into force if a voluntary scheme were not seen to be working effectively.
In the meantime, a spokesman for the Gambling Industry Charitable Trust, which was set up soon after Sir Alan Budd’s committee reported last year, revealed that industry commitments totaling £2.3 million had been received towards the government target of £3 million by the time the new legislation is enacted.
Racecourse Association Wins Court Battle
Towcester racecourse lost its High Court legal action against the Racecourse Association, in which it alleged the trade organization was in breach of contract over the conduct of a "bung" inquiry last year.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Patten ruled there is no legal basis for Towcester’s claim for damages and ordered the racecourse to make an interim payment of £30,000 towards the RCA's costs. The balance will be assessed later.
The case arose from the RCA's inquiry into allegations that Towcester made against Racecourse Holdings Trust managing director Richard Johnston in November 2000, during negotiations on the sale of racing's media rights. Neither Johnston nor RHT was involved in the action.
The inquiry concluded that Johnston had acted in an "inappropriate" manner over the issue of a possible consultancy role for RHT, but that though he was guilty of a "momentary error of judgment," it was not of "the utmost seriousness" and "had no effect on the outcome" of one of the bids.
Towcester's High Court action sought substantial damages from the RCA for breach of contract, a declaration that the inquiry was not properly conducted, and delivery of a full version of the inquiry report. Towcester was given only two of the four appendices to the inquiry report.
Martell pulls out of Hong Kong racing
The Martell brand ended a nine-year association with Hong Kong racing by withdrawing sponsorship of a Happy Valley meeting to coincide with a live simulcast of the Grand National from Aintree.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club announced the end of the sponsorship deal and said the Grand National would no longer be broadcast live in Hong Kong.
The move follows the purchase of the Seagram spirits business, which includes Martell, by French company Pernod Ricard last December.
Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the HKJC's director of racing, said his group was disappointed with the decision.
"Martell has had a change in management, and we have also looked at the meeting in terms of our simulcast policy and decided that it does not fit," he said. "In terms of turnover and its overall interest to Hong Kong racing, the Grand National does not have much significance for us."
Martell broke new ground in 1994 when it became the first company to sponsor a whole race meeting in Hong Kong, at an initial cost of £100,000.