WELLINGTON - Bets were last night flooding in on the TAB's fixed-odds market for the group three $50,000 Winter Cup (1600m) in Christchurch today.
TAB bookmaker Mark Stafford said that the late flurry would result in the total takings for the race ending up in a healthy state.
"We are pretty happy with the turnover," Stafford said. "It has shaped up as a really good book for us."
Stafford expected the splurge to continue until fixed-odds betting closed late last night.
"About 20 per cent of our total hold has been taken today," he said.
"And it will probably get to 25 per cent by the end of the night. There is usually a late flurry."
The biggest bet yesterday was $2000 on the Les Didham-trained Diaga. She was backed at a dividend of $9 which makes for a total return of $18,000 if the horse wins. Diaga was subsequently shortened to $8.50.
Another large bet was on the Jim Wallace-trained Fly Away Home which would also return $18,000 if successful. The wager was $1500 at a dividend of $12.
There were two $500 bets of note. One was on Whyte Handicap runner-up Clarify at a dividend of $10 for a $5000 return. The other was on second favourite Nothing Lika Tango at $6.50 for a return of $3250.
Stafford said that, from a TAB viewpoint he would be cheering Jolly Rodger from the Mark Oulaghan stable.
"Of the more favoured runners I would say he is our best result."
Jolly Rodger has long shown promise but has had a tendency to do things wrong in his races.
The six-year-old gelding by Yachtie has nonetheless racked up a good record of six wins from 31 starts and goes into today's group three Riccarton feature a last-start winner at Matamata on July 13.
The Winter Cup is wide open affair with many looking likely chances.
One who may be underestimated is topweight The Red Express who carries 58.5kg.
However, that weight should not put punters off as the Foxton visitor scored with 61kg at Riccarton in June.
The Exploding Success seven-year-old gelding is trained by Grant Laursen but is almost like a local having raced at Riccarton 17 times for eight wins and five minor placings.
A genuine local to be respected is top mare Diaga. She has not raced since being unplaced in the Brisbane Cup (3200m) on June 12 but has won first-up over 1600m in the past.
Diaga took out the Timaru Cup (1600m) in December in her first start for nearly seven weeks.
The favourite for the Winter Cup is the Ashburton-trained Say Magic who has shown much promise in his brief career.
Say Magic, a four-year-old gelding by Magic Ring, only began racing 10 months ago but in that time has run up the excellent record of six wins from 13 starts.
Say Magic goes into the Winter Cup with an effortless last-start win in a 1600m open handicap at Timaru on July 23 and remains well down in the weights with 52kg.
Another down in the handicap is Waikato visitor Nothing Lika Tango who is weighted on 51kg.
Nothing Lika Tango has shown much promise with five wins from 14 starts and Cambridge trainer Royce Dowling is recognised as astute at setting a horse for a race.
- NZPA
Racing: Punters in flurry for Winter Cup
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