It has been a torrid week for SA racing. Hopes that tracks would reopen this weekend proved false when Government failed to give the green light, and there are still great financial challenges to be overcome with the business model of racing’s operations stretched past breaking point. The German racing authorities also got knocked
Odds on favourite Exultant won the G1 QE11 over 2000m in Hong Kong, just as the masses expected, but it was a hard- fought victory. He battled to get past frontrunner Time Warp after a protracted duel and then required extra reserves to hold off his stable mate, Furore. Punters taking a short price
All over the world people are grappling with an unprecedented public health crisis and a dramatic decline in economies curtailed due to the Covid -19 pandemic. Racing fans are hoping that their favorite game will resume in early May when the extended national lockdown might be is lifted. SA Government approval is still required
The Jackpot as a bet type has been around for a long time in SA. Called the Pick 4 in America and the Quaddie in Oz, it requires forecasting the winner of four successive races. With Interbet clients now able to bet into huge daily Quaddie pools in Australia, constructing smart Jackpot perms can
Most horseplayers sense there is a home court advantage to betting on their local circuit where they know each horse’s respective abilities well enough, together with the nuances of the track and specific competencies of each trainer and jockey. The downside, however, of such a narrow focus is sometimes getting locked in to betting
Punters are obviously familiar with wagering on the outcome of horse races or sports events but there is a weird sub-category of “proposition” or “side-bets” that can keep true gamblers entertained when more conventional wagering opportunities are lacking. Former England Cricket captain, Mike Atherton put together an illuminating read, “Gambling, a story of triumph
With SA racing on hold for the time being and most citizens subject to lockdown, this is an opportunity to catch up on some reading. Two excellent books crossed my desk recently and they are well worth sourcing. Pro gambler and writer, Barry Meadow’s The Skeptical Handicapper is a dense, technical treatise based on
SA racing continued over the weekend in spite of the Covid 19 pandemic. Full credit to all those hardy and determined participants who made it happen, enabling isolated, couch- potato fans to wager comfortably from home. It’s quite remarkable that Born to Perform has managed to win half of his 12 starts despite being
Soft conditions prevailed over the weekend at Turffontein, whilst the Durbanville track is currently hard and fast. These varying circumstances aided some horses and worked against others and are just another tricky piece of the puzzle form students battle to solve. The very fast Potalo Palace filly, Singforafa outdueled Che Bella as both recorded
Summer Pudding (speed score 99+) was strongly fancied to win the Fillies Classic and duly got the job done for trainer Paul Peter, to remain unbeaten from five starts. The Silvano ex Cherry on the Cake filly is now poised for the Triple Tiara after seeing off the challenge of Marygold in Saturday’s 1800m