Sport is made for betting

Here's a heart-warming story from Australian racing - a bunch of pompous prats who want to see the continual decline of racing into a sport of a bygone era have formed an 'alliance' to keep racing in an era where punters wore flares and wide-collared shirts, or worse, safari suits (which until recently, was a requirement during summer at some metropolitan racing clubs). Alliance Lobbies Commission for a Better Deal Wednesday, 23 December 2009: A newly formed body of prominent racing industry participants is calling on the Federal Productivity Commission to support the campaign for racing to receive a better deal from wagering operators. The newly formed National Horse Racing Alliance, representing a large number of owners, trainers, breeders, agents and organisations, has made detailed submissions to the Productivity Commission inquiry into gambling in a bid to secure better returns to the racing industry from corporate bookmakers, parimutual operators and betting exchanges...

Went to the races as a paying punter today for the first time in ages. UK racing isn't cheap at the best of times, flat racing doesn't have the excitement most of the year and it's rather cold during jumps season. TV coverage is decent enough if you can't get to the track as often as you'd like. The two main races today at Newbury, the Long Distance Hurdle and the Hennessy showed just why National Hunt racing is miles ahead of flat racing in popularity in the UK & Ireland. Big Buck's is the best staying hurdler in training, he won the top races at Cheltenham and Aintree in his class, and is going around again to repeat the feat. He faced a small, but quality field at level weights and won very, very easily. Special thanks to the bookies who put up 1/2. It is very rare I bet at those odds, but this horse should have been 1/3 at best, so the value had to be taken. The Hennessy is the best handicap chase of the season. Note that key word which some purists dete...

Betfair's link into US pools finally begins with the peak meeting of the year. Betfair, Breeders’ Cup reach deal on wagering revenue Now if they could just start slapping the US tracks around on some of their exorbitant takeout rates, the interest in American racing would soar....

TVG-Betfair to add $400,000 to purse for Beldame Stakes if Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta race SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (AP) — Two online wagering businesses are offering to add $400,000 to the purse of the Beldame Stakes, hoping to entice Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta into running against each other at Belmont Park. The pledge announced Friday by TVG and Betfair Ltd. would create a $1 million purse for the Oct. 3 race if the two female stars are in the starting gate. ------- With connections of Rachel Alexandra afraid to run on synthetic surfaces, the Breeders' Cup is out, so will the American racing public get to see the clash they are dying to see before these super female horses head to the breeding barn? We can only hope so....