KEY POINTS:
Betting on yesterday's Melbourne Cup did not reach the heights of last year's record turnover but there was no disappointment from the New Zealand TAB.
TAB racing manager Michael Dore said $8.3 million was bet on the cup which was 4 per cent down on last year's record of $8.67 million.
Dore said it was a good result given the scratching of three-year-old Efficient who was withdrawn on the morning on the race with a knee injury.
"We are pretty happy to get within 4 per cent, especially with the bullet of Efficient," Dore said last night.
He said nearly $100,000 in bets were refunded on Efficient.
"Midway through Monday afternoon he was a $3 favourite on the tote and he was second favourite when he was scratched," Dore said. "He would have taken a lot of zip out of the betting."
The only consolation was Efficient was scratched reasonably early.
"We were glad he was scratched early. It would have been a shocking if the scratching was mid-afternoon."
A lack of depth to the Melbourne Cup field probably prevented a record turnover, he said.
"All of the no-hopers turned out to be no-hopers. It was hard for people to find a roughie.
"Most of the reports on the outsiders were pretty scathing because they were just so bad."
Dore added the lack of a strong New Zealand challenge on the race would not have inspired betting whereas last year the Australian champion mare Makybe Diva was up against New Zealand's star galloper Xcellent.
"They were two massive headline horses over here. Mandela, Kerry O'Reilly and Zabeat could not live up to the mantle of Xcellent."
Dore said $3.3 million was bet in trifectas on the Melbourne Cup and that was a record. The previous record in trifecta betting was the $3.25 million bet on last year's cup.
- NZPA
