Saturday's Scoop6 win and bonus fund will likely be more than GB£ 2.5 million after it went without a winner last weekend.
The game has enjoyed a surge in popularity in 2014 after a number of particularly large rollover jackpots. Now Betfred's Tote wants to capitalise on this by making changes to the way the pools are generated.
A new starting fund pool will be created to ensure there is a "rollover" prize to play for each week, regardless of whether or not the win fund is claimed.
Totepool MD Phil Siers explained: "The addition of a starting fund will mean there will always be a rollover for customers to aim at, regardless of whether the win fund is won the week before. We think this addition will prove popular with players as they will be able to look forward to big-money rollovers every Saturday."
The cost of playing will remain at GB£ 2 but the way that money is split will change:
35% to the win fund
17.5% to the place fund
12.5% to the bonus fund
5% to the new starting fund
30% in deductions to the operator
The Tote will begin the starting fund with GB£ 250,000 of its own.
29 August 2014
Top 10 horse races by betting turnover - January to June 2014
The top ten races by betting turnover in the first six months of 2014 were as follows:
1. Crabbie's Grand National
2. Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup
3. Investec Derby
4. Ladbrokes World Hurdle
5. Stan James Champion Hurdle
6. Coral Scottish Grand National
7. Qipco 2000 Guineas
8. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
9. BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
10. Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Source: HBLB
1. Crabbie's Grand National
2. Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup
3. Investec Derby
4. Ladbrokes World Hurdle
5. Stan James Champion Hurdle
6. Coral Scottish Grand National
7. Qipco 2000 Guineas
8. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
9. BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
10. Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
Source: HBLB
22 August 2014
British champions series: fantasy racing 2014
In an effort to move up the leaderboard we were trying to use our stable changes to get more horse-jockey-trainer combinations as our winning selections to earn the most points we could at York and beyond.
The plan worked beautifully in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks on Thursday when Tapestry won (90 points), ridden by Ryan More (29 points) and trained by Aidan O'Brien (34 points). One of our stables had all three selected, earning over 150 points.
Richard Hughes was a good source of points too - earning over 60 points in combination with The Grey Gatsby for coming second to Australia in the Juddmonte International Stakes and 77 points for winning the Nunthorpe Stakes aboard Sole Power.
Our leading stable has now earned more than 2,000 points, whilst the other is approaching 1,800. But large leaps up the leaderboard are still eluding us.
17 August 2014
Europe's sprint programme shaken up
The European Pattern Committee (EPC) has revealed details of substantial changes to the European sprint race programme from 2015.
The aim seems to be to create a high-class, competitive sprint dedicated sprint programme for younger horses to help them compete with their international rivals.
Part of the changes will include the running of a new Group 1 race over six furlongs for three-year-olds only at Royal Ascot.
Chairman of the EPC Brian Kavanagh explained:
“The strategic objective in reviewing the sprint programme was to implement measures that will have a long-term, positive impact, delivering meaningful benefits both for European racing and for the European horse population.
“For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid summer ... there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters."
"... we have introduced a limited number of Pattern races restricted to three-year-olds in the first half of the European season, culminating in a new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, and secondly, we have sought to deliver a more balanced overall sprint programme, providing better opportunities and greater incentives to run high class sprinters in Europe."
“We acknowledge the steps we have taken are bold, some may consider them radical. However, the Committee believes they are warranted and that they will be of considerable benefit to European horseracing and breeding.”
The aim seems to be to create a high-class, competitive sprint dedicated sprint programme for younger horses to help them compete with their international rivals.
Part of the changes will include the running of a new Group 1 race over six furlongs for three-year-olds only at Royal Ascot.
Chairman of the EPC Brian Kavanagh explained:
“The strategic objective in reviewing the sprint programme was to implement measures that will have a long-term, positive impact, delivering meaningful benefits both for European racing and for the European horse population.
“For horses performing at every distance other than sprinting, the European Pattern provides a three-year-old only programme until mid summer ... there is a definite lack of top class European three-year-old sprinters."
"... we have introduced a limited number of Pattern races restricted to three-year-olds in the first half of the European season, culminating in a new Group 1 race at Royal Ascot, and secondly, we have sought to deliver a more balanced overall sprint programme, providing better opportunities and greater incentives to run high class sprinters in Europe."
“We acknowledge the steps we have taken are bold, some may consider them radical. However, the Committee believes they are warranted and that they will be of considerable benefit to European horseracing and breeding.”
16 August 2014
Handicappers' view of Glorious Goodwood
The BHA handicappers have given their assessment of last month's Glorious Goodwood festival.
Their thoughts can be found here: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/gosdens-goodwood/
Some of the comments are below:
QIPCO Sussex Stakes
"Whilst Kingman was undoubtedly the star of the show in asserting his superiority over Toronado in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes the slow gallop and subsequent bunched finish prevented the star milers from running close to their lofty pre-race marks."
Nassau Stakes
"The race itself was rather difficult to get a handle on. Firstly, there was quite a spread of opinion from the International Handicappers on the runner-up Narniyn’s level of ability for all she was rated 112 at home in France, and then Venus de Milo compounded matters by failing to run her race."
Lennox Stakes
"The 7f Group 2 Bet365 Lennox Stakes on Tuesday was a slowly-run affair and this played into the hands of Es Que Love who had been showing plenty of foot in 6f Group races this season.
I have Es Que Love running to 113, which is higher than Garswood (111) last year and Chachamaidee (112) in 2012, but some way below Finjaan (117) in 2009. This is a career high and despite having plenty of miles on the clock he seems on an upward curve since joining Clive Cox this year."
Artemis Goodwood Cup
"To the Group 2 Artemis Goodwood Cup and it was nice to see Cavalryman register another success, not least because he was the highest rated on BHA figures. It was a good race for Godolphin too, with Ahzeemah completing a one-two for the organisation and trainer Saeed bin Suroor."
Their thoughts can be found here: http://www.britishhorseracing.com/gosdens-goodwood/
Some of the comments are below:
QIPCO Sussex Stakes
"Whilst Kingman was undoubtedly the star of the show in asserting his superiority over Toronado in the QIPCO Sussex Stakes the slow gallop and subsequent bunched finish prevented the star milers from running close to their lofty pre-race marks."
Nassau Stakes
"The race itself was rather difficult to get a handle on. Firstly, there was quite a spread of opinion from the International Handicappers on the runner-up Narniyn’s level of ability for all she was rated 112 at home in France, and then Venus de Milo compounded matters by failing to run her race."
Lennox Stakes
"The 7f Group 2 Bet365 Lennox Stakes on Tuesday was a slowly-run affair and this played into the hands of Es Que Love who had been showing plenty of foot in 6f Group races this season.
I have Es Que Love running to 113, which is higher than Garswood (111) last year and Chachamaidee (112) in 2012, but some way below Finjaan (117) in 2009. This is a career high and despite having plenty of miles on the clock he seems on an upward curve since joining Clive Cox this year."
Artemis Goodwood Cup
"To the Group 2 Artemis Goodwood Cup and it was nice to see Cavalryman register another success, not least because he was the highest rated on BHA figures. It was a good race for Godolphin too, with Ahzeemah completing a one-two for the organisation and trainer Saeed bin Suroor."
Racing review: Saturday 16 August
20:20 Vision
Horses priced at 20/1 played a large part in my betting fortunes on Saturday. Unfortunately, they were not always in my favour.
In the opener at Ripon (2.15) Marsh Pride (20/1) beat my selection Fast Dancer (13/2), who had held the lead for a large part of the race but was not in front when it mattered.
Then a few minutes later at Newmarket in the handicap for grey horses (2.20) my choice of Baby Strange (7/1) was out battled by Moonspring (20/1).
Both winners had me searching back through the racecard again to make sure they were actually there because I hadn't given either of them a second glance beforehand.
Moonspring also ripped up a lot of tickets in the Scoop 6, which went unclaimed for another week.
But later in the afternoon Confessional (20/1) helped salvage matters a little bit by claiming third place (and some each-way winnings) in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap (Ripon 3.30).
Go Far gives Lynch first winner
Go Far (12/1) gave jockey Fergal Lynch his first winner since being granted his licence again to ride in the UK.
Alan Bailey's four-year-old won the five furlong sprint at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon (4.50).
Horses priced at 20/1 played a large part in my betting fortunes on Saturday. Unfortunately, they were not always in my favour.
In the opener at Ripon (2.15) Marsh Pride (20/1) beat my selection Fast Dancer (13/2), who had held the lead for a large part of the race but was not in front when it mattered.
Then a few minutes later at Newmarket in the handicap for grey horses (2.20) my choice of Baby Strange (7/1) was out battled by Moonspring (20/1).
Both winners had me searching back through the racecard again to make sure they were actually there because I hadn't given either of them a second glance beforehand.
Moonspring also ripped up a lot of tickets in the Scoop 6, which went unclaimed for another week.
But later in the afternoon Confessional (20/1) helped salvage matters a little bit by claiming third place (and some each-way winnings) in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap (Ripon 3.30).
Go Far gives Lynch first winner
Go Far (12/1) gave jockey Fergal Lynch his first winner since being granted his licence again to ride in the UK.
Alan Bailey's four-year-old won the five furlong sprint at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon (4.50).
11 August 2014
Doped - a bookie sets the record straight
Last month I wrote a review of Jamie Reid's book Doped about the doping of racehorses in the 1960s. In the review I said the book would have benefited from more references and notes because some of the details would only have been known to the participants. Now the retired rails bookmakers Michael Wallis has written an article in the July/August 2014 edition of BOS magazine to set the record straight about some of the facts in the book.
Wallis is in a good position to express his opinion because he was a rails bookmaker in the 1950s and 60s when the events were taking place.
He points out that Reid accuses various bookmakers of being in the know about the doping "without a shred of evidence". Also, if a bookmaker tried to offer "over the odds" about a horse that was subsequently found to have been got at, then that bookmaker "would have been a marked man" in the betting ring.
Wallis says, "we racecourse bookmakers were at the sharp end of the market i.e. at the receiving end of hot money for horses backed to beat the ones that had been doped. It was in our interests for the dopers to be found out .."
The article also highlights that Bill Roper was a 'runner' for bookmakers at the racecourse rather than a bookmaker in his own right and that he was never known as "Mr Racing".
BOS magazine - if you are interested in the history of bookmaking in the UK and the various firms and bookmaking dynasties of previous decades then BOS magazine is a must read.
There are fascinating articles about the characters of the betting industry - past and present, the lost racecourses, as well as interviews with current independent bookmakers.
Wallis is in a good position to express his opinion because he was a rails bookmaker in the 1950s and 60s when the events were taking place.
He points out that Reid accuses various bookmakers of being in the know about the doping "without a shred of evidence". Also, if a bookmaker tried to offer "over the odds" about a horse that was subsequently found to have been got at, then that bookmaker "would have been a marked man" in the betting ring.
Wallis says, "we racecourse bookmakers were at the sharp end of the market i.e. at the receiving end of hot money for horses backed to beat the ones that had been doped. It was in our interests for the dopers to be found out .."
The article also highlights that Bill Roper was a 'runner' for bookmakers at the racecourse rather than a bookmaker in his own right and that he was never known as "Mr Racing".
BOS magazine - if you are interested in the history of bookmaking in the UK and the various firms and bookmaking dynasties of previous decades then BOS magazine is a must read.
There are fascinating articles about the characters of the betting industry - past and present, the lost racecourses, as well as interviews with current independent bookmakers.
07 August 2014
At The Races feature on Timeform operation
An interesting video taking the viewer inside the Timeform operation in Halifax.
Top 10 horse races by betting turnover - April to June 2014
Top 10 races by betting turnover in Q2 2014, according to HBLB data:
1. Crabbie's Grand National
2. Investec Derby
3. Coral Scottish Grand National
4. Qipco 2000 Guineas
5. Investec Oaks
6. Ascot Gold Cup (Royal Ascot)
7. Prince of Wales's Stakes (Royal Ascot)
8. Qipco 1000 Guineas
9. St James's Palace Stakes (Royal Ascot)
10. Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Royal Ascot)
1. Crabbie's Grand National
2. Investec Derby
3. Coral Scottish Grand National
4. Qipco 2000 Guineas
5. Investec Oaks
6. Ascot Gold Cup (Royal Ascot)
7. Prince of Wales's Stakes (Royal Ascot)
8. Qipco 1000 Guineas
9. St James's Palace Stakes (Royal Ascot)
10. Diamond Jubilee Stakes (Royal Ascot)
Top 10 horse races by betting turnover - January to March 2014
The Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) has published the top 10 races by betting turnover in Q1 2014, using data provided on a confidential basis by the leading bookmakers. Not surprisingly all 10 are from a few days in March at the Cheltenham Festival.
1. Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup
2. Ladbrokes World Hurdle
3. Stan James Champion Hurdle
4. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
5. BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
6. Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
7.Grand Annual Chase
8. JCB Triumph Hurdle
9. NIM Novices' Hurdle
10. Ryanair Chase
1. Betfred Cheltenham Gold Cup
2. Ladbrokes World Hurdle
3. Stan James Champion Hurdle
4. Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle
5. BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase
6. Sky Bet Supreme Novices' Hurdle
7.Grand Annual Chase
8. JCB Triumph Hurdle
9. NIM Novices' Hurdle
10. Ryanair Chase
04 August 2014
British champions series: fantasy racing 2014
There is now the chance to make two changes to jockeys and/or trainers in the stable before the next British Champions Series (BCS) race, the Juddmonte International Stakes at York on 20 August.
So it is useful to look at performances so far this season and see who could be a useful addition to the stable and who is not cutting the racing mustard.
Jockeys
There are 14 jockeys who have scored more than 100 points so far, with Kieren Fallon (group B) leading the way with 380 points.
Not unexpectedly, 10 out of the 14 jockeys come from groups A (4) and B (6). Maxime Guyon (E) is the best performing jockey from the other groups and has earned 175 points thanks to Miss France in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
At the other end of the board, 13 jockeys have scored fewer than 50 points and 7/13 come from groups D and E.
Jockeys in group B - Dettori, Doyle, Hanagan, Atzeni, Fallon, Crowley, Soumillon - seem to have been the key to success so far. Fallon (380) and Hanagan (233) are in first and second on the leaderboard and have won 5 races between them.
But getting any points from the lower groups D and E is a big bonus. Five jockeys have scored no points at all, having had no rides, and 4/5 were from groups D and E.
Trainers
Trainers in group A have won 15 out of 22 races in the BCS so far in 2014. Richard Hannon and John Gosden account for 9 of these wins between them.
But with only one trainer allowed per group, a stable can only have a portion of group A's overall success.
Again, the lower groups are low scoring and anything your stable can pick up is a bonus. 9/15 of the trainers with fewer than 50 points are from groups D and E.
Mark Johnston (330 points) is clear at the top of the table thanks to Somewhat (100/1) holding on for third place in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
Overall, only 8 trainers have earned more than 100 points and the remainder are quite close together.
There is much to ponder before the York meeting and inevitably whoever you switch out of your stable will then pop up with a 25/1 winner in the very next race!
So it is useful to look at performances so far this season and see who could be a useful addition to the stable and who is not cutting the racing mustard.
Jockeys
There are 14 jockeys who have scored more than 100 points so far, with Kieren Fallon (group B) leading the way with 380 points.
Not unexpectedly, 10 out of the 14 jockeys come from groups A (4) and B (6). Maxime Guyon (E) is the best performing jockey from the other groups and has earned 175 points thanks to Miss France in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
At the other end of the board, 13 jockeys have scored fewer than 50 points and 7/13 come from groups D and E.
Jockeys in group B - Dettori, Doyle, Hanagan, Atzeni, Fallon, Crowley, Soumillon - seem to have been the key to success so far. Fallon (380) and Hanagan (233) are in first and second on the leaderboard and have won 5 races between them.
But getting any points from the lower groups D and E is a big bonus. Five jockeys have scored no points at all, having had no rides, and 4/5 were from groups D and E.
Trainers
Trainers in group A have won 15 out of 22 races in the BCS so far in 2014. Richard Hannon and John Gosden account for 9 of these wins between them.
But with only one trainer allowed per group, a stable can only have a portion of group A's overall success.
Again, the lower groups are low scoring and anything your stable can pick up is a bonus. 9/15 of the trainers with fewer than 50 points are from groups D and E.
Mark Johnston (330 points) is clear at the top of the table thanks to Somewhat (100/1) holding on for third place in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at Sandown.
Overall, only 8 trainers have earned more than 100 points and the remainder are quite close together.
There is much to ponder before the York meeting and inevitably whoever you switch out of your stable will then pop up with a 25/1 winner in the very next race!
British champions series: fantasy racing 2014
We managed to find the winner of all three of the BCS races at the Glorious Goodwood festival last week but unfortunately they were split over our two stables, so neither stable made giant strides up the leaderboard. Nevertheless, one stable has now accumulated more than 1,750 points and sits in around 4,500th place.
This stable earned more than 100 points from the Nassau Stakes on Saturday by selecting Sultanina (11/2) and Narniyn (7/4). Earlier in the week it also earned 62 points from the QIPCO Sussex Stakes, won by the impressive Kingman and over 50 points in the Artemis Goodwood Cup mainly thanks to Richard Kingscote riding Brown Panther (11/4) into third place.
Our other stable had its best result in the Goodwood Cup earning almost 140 points through a combination of Cavalryman (5/1), Ahzeemah (12/1) and Richard Fahey.
We really need to use our trainer and jockey changes wisely to get more points from them in the remaining races.
This stable earned more than 100 points from the Nassau Stakes on Saturday by selecting Sultanina (11/2) and Narniyn (7/4). Earlier in the week it also earned 62 points from the QIPCO Sussex Stakes, won by the impressive Kingman and over 50 points in the Artemis Goodwood Cup mainly thanks to Richard Kingscote riding Brown Panther (11/4) into third place.
Our other stable had its best result in the Goodwood Cup earning almost 140 points through a combination of Cavalryman (5/1), Ahzeemah (12/1) and Richard Fahey.
We really need to use our trainer and jockey changes wisely to get more points from them in the remaining races.
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