Wayward Lad
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- Joined
- Apr 2, 2024
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I have zero issue with connections backing a horse for a race, as long as they are not laying it.
Also, I'm pretty sure in one of the interviews Paul done he does state that Kandoo Kid was 'ready to go' and should run a big race. It's then down to whether you trust or believe said trainer.
We don't know for sure the bookmaker knew it was Pauls money that was being placed, I can't imagine he strolled up to his local bookmakers and chucked down a bag on Kandoo Kid, however, him after timing the shit out is something completely different!
I agree connections should be able to back their horse and not publicly announce it
However a trainer is different in my opinion, as they are regularly quoted on their horses chances in the press etc and I would suggest that if a trainer backs a horse for a race ante post then this indicates that the horse is intended bar injury to run in that race…….that is key information that the bookmakers are technically buying if they lay the bet to the trainer. They can then hedge the bet, go short about the selection and maybe lengthen others in the book. This bet could well have been placed a fair few weeks before the race being 25/1?…..well before he said anything about ‘ready to go’ and ‘will run a big race’…..it’s the ‘intention to run’ and the confidence behind the horse at the ante post stage that is key here IMO
As to whether the bookmaker who laid Nichols the bet knows it was Nichols, then the bookmaker would not necessarily need to, as they would get trends from the potential pseudonym the bet was placed under, that most/all bets were on Nichols horses etc. However you would hope that with the tight financial transparency around betting to ensure ‘crime free’ and betting within acceptable levels to income, that they would know.
Putting the Nichols bet to one side and looking at the principle, then under existing ‘fair and open’ Gambling Act rules, we as the public should not be at a disadvantage around information that could effect markets that we bet on. If a bookmaker pushes out the ante post price on a horse because they have information that they trust that the horse is injured and will not run and shortens others in that race as a result, then this is either insider trading or fraud IMO. How is it ‘fair’ to the customer? When have the GC prosecuted a bookmaker from doing this?
It just doesn’t sit well with me Nichols telling us after the race that he had £100 EW @ 25/1, as this information may or may not have influenced decisions around betting in the market for the public and should IMO been know at the same time between bookmakers and the public
The Gambling Act says ‘fair and open’…..thems the rules !:livid: