18/1/2002 edition

Magic Millions Betting Markets

What's the problem bookies? The usual excuse for offering poor odds is "We can't lay all the horses so can't make a book. The punters only back the horses that win. They leave the other horses alone. "

That could hardly be offered on Magic Millions Day at the Gold Coast. So you'd obviously expect very competitive odds. Here are the market percentages for the two feature races:

Magic Millions Three-Years-Old Plate
Starting Price 128.66%
Top Fluctuation 122.39%

Magic Millions Two-Years-Old Plate
Starting Price 136.87%
Top Fluctuation 125.63%

Starting price markets should be no higher than 115%.

If bookies want punters to come to the track and make phone bets with them decent odds have to be offered. While on racetrack attendances, why are there still admission charges to racetracks?

Night racing attendances have not taken off as expected. The answer is obvious. Second rate racing is put on and admission charges are higher than for Saturdays when better class racing is held. Name one organisation that charges more for its inferior product? Name any other gambling organisation that charges admission to its patrons before they can place a bet?

Gai Waterhouse unstoppable

Once the racing media gave Gai Waterhouse the two big feature races at the Gold Coast, the $820,000 Magic Millions Three-Years-Old Plate and the $820,000 Magic Millions Two-Years-Old Plate, where she had four runners in the field of 16, including short priced favourite Snowland, you could just about guarantee it would not happen.

The Magic Millions Three-Years-Old Plate was won by her outstanding filly, Ha Ha who had been very unlucky at her previous run two weeks earlier at Rosehill.

But in the Magic Millions Two-Years-Old Plate Snowland started at the very poor odds of $2.50 and was well beaten. Mind you, the Gai Waterhouse trained Chuckle put in a nice run for second, beaten by a length.

The winner? Lovely Jubly who paid up to $17.10 on SuperTab for the win. The jockey? The "hot" Scott Seamer.

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Warning
Short Priced Tote Favourites
These are losing bets.
Look at the table below and see the percentages lost backing short priced tote favourites compared with the top official bookmaker betting ring prices.

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