Trying to catch lightning in a bottle

In news from the UK, a Tote Placepot paid out a £30,013 dividend to a £1 stake at Newbury on Saturday, with just three units surviving the six legs. No favourites won and two short-price favourites were unplaced.

The Brits have generally preferred fixed odds punting and multiples like the Lucky 15, but their rejuvenated Tote is trying hard to attract custom by promoting pool bets. South African horseplayers are accustomed to PA’s – the Placepot in the UK is similar, except it’s over six races not seven.

The Racing Post details a succession of surprises, “Hurricane Lane was sent off 6-4 for the Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes in the opening leg but finished last, while second favourite Mojo Star finished fourth, leaving 1,109 units remaining.

That figure was reduced to 349 after the Dubai Duty Free Fred Darling Stakes, in which the 11-4 favourite Magical Sunset was fifth, and by the time of the third race on the card, the Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes, only 44 units remained.

That Group 3, a key pointer to next month’s 2,000 Guineas, featured the shortest-priced runner on the card in Chaldean, but he unseated, Frankie Dettori at the start. Isaac Shelby won the race at odds of 15-2.

Favourites performed to market expectations in the BetGoodwin Spring Cup Handicap, but only 3.57 units remained after the 1m maiden when 12-1, 4-1 and 13-2 chances filled the first three slots.

The final dividend of £31,514 was paid out to 3.06 units. The final pool size was £91,629.74.

Jamie Hart, spokesperson for Tote, said: “The whole idea of guaranteeing these big placepot pools was to generate the opportunity for placepot punters to win massive payouts. After two five-digit paydays at Cheltenham it’s great to see the pattern continuing into the Flat season with this £30,013 placepot at Newbury.”

That has always been the allure of Tote/pool betting – being able to win a lot, sometimes with just a small outlay. Startling things need to happen across the sequence to make the bet pay. That’s exactly what KZN P6 players experienced on Saturday where there was a large carry forward after SP’s of 10/1, 3/1, 66/1, 33/10, 5/1 & 12/1 proved hard to find at accumulative odds of 988 758/1!