On The Money - Saturday 24th September

Matt Rigby | On The Money | Mon 26 September, 2011

It was a black day for bookies at Belmont Park on Saturday and a purple day for most punters as 7 of the 8 favourites rolled in. Ian Lenton from Burswood Bookmaking has labeled it "Green Saturday" after the Irish "pineappled" each and every bookie on course with their best of Irish luck. Lenton was philosophical: "At least next year, they'll remember how good this day was, and they'll be back in force and they'll give us a chance to get our money back".

Just by virtue of the day being one to remember, we'll go back to our old format in a blow by blow description!

Race 1:

Shady Bet was the big mover in the first, backed from $4 into $3.50. Due to technical problems, we were left helplessly exposed to the well supported Neville Parnham charge. Red Hot Sax, while a lot better result for us, was still a loser and was specked from $4.60 to $4. Demimonde was impossible to lay, wobbling from $5 to $7.50. Nine Tenors was the risk, but was least fancied of the top few runners, drifting from $3.80 to $4.40. The best two backed, finished one / two, a result we were going to see more frequently thoughout the day.

Race 2:

As much as $2.40 was bet about Philby in pre-post markets, but the best available on race day was $2.10. Without being backed off the boards, he was strong and finished up a shade of odds on. It was a similar story with Big Ted, steady and well backed around the $4 mark, finishing in the high three's. Western Jewel ($7 - $11) and Hide the Loot ($4.80 - $5.50) were both drifters. Philby killed them and started the rot of seven favourites in a row.

Race 3:

In what would be the closest the bookies came to a result all day, Shezapro flashed home to go down a head at $26. Despite this, the first two favourites still finished in front of her! Keystone Rose was crashed in the ring from $3.50 to $2.60 and the attack was unrelenting and in two waves. As much as $4 was bet on Thursday. Full Clip was also fancied ($3.90 - $3.60) but it was the Pontiff who looked best in the straight, lifting the heavily backed favourite over the line. There was little else to help make a book in this race. Fort Courage drifted from $6 to $10, Private Business only attracted cursory interest around the $7 mark and Palmdale was specked from $8 to $6.

Race 4:

Chester Road was always going to be the short priced favourite in the third. Adam Durrant's stayer was backed from $2.40 to $2.20. Offer Me Jewels was specked with Harvey in the saddle ($5 - $4.40) while Sound Barrier ($4.40 - $5) and particularly Malaika ($4 - $7) were drifters. Chester Road proved he was the best horse in the race, taking up the lead and fighting off all challengers. Another shortie was home by 3/4 lengths, with the third favourite into the placings.

Race 5:

Return to Rio had toyed with his easier midweek competition and deserved to be the favourite in the fifth. While not heavily backed, the flow of money was enough to keep him the firm favourite throughout at $2.40 adn $2.50. New time challenged and was also steady at $3.80 and $4. Celebration Girl was unwanted, wobbling from $4.60 to $8. Donnyonetime was specked from $20 to $15 and Jappaloop was steady at $6. Return to Rio toyed with this lot aswell, making the $2.50 look like a gift in hindsight.

Race 6:

If the nails weren't already being banged into the coffin, then this race was the beginning of the end. Victab posted $3.40 about Luckygray on Thursday and he was promptly crushed into $2. There were no such black odds on Irish Day however, with $1.85 becoming $1.50 at start time. The money for Luckygray was out of this world and the only way it could have been any worse was if it was called Luckygreen! They belted Luckygray to the exclusion of all others. Ginsberg $8 - $10, Military Secret $8 - $15 and Rebel Fury $4.60 - %6 were all unwanted in the ring. Luckygray prevailed in unconvincing fashion by 3/4 lengths...but as we know, that's enough!

Race 7:

Two weeks ago, the bookies made a miraculous comeback, after being belted in the first six races. Could that happen again this week? Absolutely not.! Rubitawny, much like Return to Rio earlier in the day, had toyed with lesser opposition in the midweeks. She was the short priced favourite and like most first elects on the day, she was steady in the ring, easing only slightly from $2.20 to $2.30. Senhor Da Gama ($5 - $7) and Doutable ($10 - $11) were easy but the saving grace was Fortescue Flyer, smashed from $4.60 to $3.60 in a confident move against the favourite. Once again it was the first two favourites down the page and the each way bookies by now were copping a hiding.

Race 8:

With tail planted firmly between legs, it was a matter of self preservation in the last. One blowout result could see us back to a reasonable losing day but it really looked a race in two. Galoubay was hammered from $4.80 to $4 to beat the favourite Rafferty. Bob Peter's More Than Ready gelding was surprisingly easy, despite his winning record as compared to that of Galoubay. Opening at $2.80, he eased to $3.20 and was thereafter steady into $3 and $3.10. Thankfully, the better money was for Galoubay but that was only a small saving grace. Rafferty looked buried on the corner as Galoubay shot away. The undertaker had run out of nails by this time, having hammered more than his fair share into the coffin. As if the day weren't bad enough, the first two favourites finished 1st and 2nd in the last, topping off the worst day for bookies (or the best for punters) I had ever seen.

R.I.P knights of the satchell!