Racing: $500 Pick6 at Matamata

The Pick6 in Matamata will be guaranteed $500 after it jackpotted in Pukekohe. Photo / APN

The Pick6 at next Wednesday's Matamata races will be guaranteed after it jackpotted again at Pukekohe yesterday.

One full unit was live going into the last leg yesterday, with Empathy racing to win $330,000 for that punter.

But the long-striding maiden never looked a winning chance, running on late but giving the ticket holder little reason to cheer, the race being won by local galloper Pablo, ridden by Chad Ormsby, at long odds.

Yesterday's jackpot was the largest ever for a Wednesday Pick6 but will be eclipsed next week, when a final pool approaching $600,000 is likely.

"We are guaranteeing it to $500,000 but really it is a soft guarantee," said TAB spokesman Michael Dore.

"To be honest, $500,000 was the best round number we could come up with.

"It will definitely get past that and I think it will go close to $600,000.

"This is totally uncharted territory for Wednesday racing and will enormously boost the profile of the Matamata meeting. "And, of course, could make for an incredible Christmas present for somebody."

But Ellerslie bosses will be hoping the pool is not struck because if it jackpots again it could be guaranteed to $1 million at their meeting on December 28.

And the jackpots, should they continue, come with no limit.

"The Pick6 jackpot rules, where it had to go once it got to $1 million, are no more and effectively if $33 chances keep winning the last leg, like they did yesterday, we could see it jackpot up to $5 million," said Dore.

The TAB will resist any temptation to divert the huge jackpots to a premier day like Ellerslie on Boxing Day, a meeting that doesn't really need any financial help.

Meanwhile, star 3-year-old Antonio Lombardo has drawn barrier six in a field of nine as he takes on the older horses in the $70,000 Challenge Stakes at Awapuni on Saturday.

He is reverting to 1400m after his luckless third over 1600m in the Levin Classic last start, an indication he is more likely to end up in the Railway Stakes or Telegraph Handicap this summer than the NZ Derby.