By Michael Guerin
MELBOURNE - Kiwi champion Courage Under Fire has Melbourne bookmakers fighting among themselves.
Harness racing's mighty mouse will start the hottest group one race favourite in Moonee Valley history tonight when he goes around at 20-1 on ($1.05 to win) in the $A100,000 Victoria Derby.
But that is if you can get a bet on at all. Courage Under Fire is so dominant bookmakers, and everybody else who has seen him, rate him a certainty.
Last week they offered a $1.12 win price on the unbeaten pacer when he made his Australian debut and one punter placed over $50,000 on Courage Under Fire in the first minute of betting.
He won $6000 and warned the bookies he will be back tonight for more.
So bookmakers want to open betting on the race with Courage Under Fire excluded, meaning punters will be backing who they think win run second.
But that is where the bookies have a problem.
Under Victorian harness racing rules only 40 per cent of bookies can open a book with the favourite excluded from betting - the rest have to have him in the market, meaning they are vulnerable to big punters who want to simply buy money.
But which bookmakers will be allowed to exclude Courage Under Fire will be decided by a ballot at Moonee Valley tonight, a lottery nobody wants to lose.
While the Derby will not be worth betting on it will be worth watching for its historic value alone.
It has been 25 years since Noodlum set the New Zealand standardbred record of 15 consecutive wins and that mark has eluded some champions. Ironically, only an act of God looks capable of stopping Courage Under Fire equalling tonight.
He should cap another dominant night for the Kiwis at Moonee Valley, with Buster Hanover expected to secure his place in the Australasian Trotters Final next week by winning a weak heat tonight.
The second heat will be far tougher and should provide a fine betting race as Special Force, Sundon's Way and Solar Fire take on Aussie legend Knight Pistol.
The latter will be shooting for his 50th career win but will earn it, with Special Force expected to be better than when beaten by Sundon's Way last Saturday.
Horse Racing: Under fire bookies show little courage
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