Punters who backed Auckland Reactor into favouritism in Interdominion pre-post markets are likely to take advantage of a TAB Sportsbet refund policy after the New Zealand champ was a flop as odds-on fancy in Friday night's Auckland Free-For-All (2200m) at Alexandra Park.
Anyone holding TAB tickets for bets placed on the Interdominion before the championships were moved to Auckland can opt for a refund or let their bet ride. TAB Sportsbet is giving customers until 11.59pm on Monday, March 14, to claim refunds.
Markets were reset after the event was moved from Christchurch to Alexandra Park because of the earthquake. The heats will still begin on Friday, March 25. Round two will be held the next week and the final on Friday, April 8. The final will be run over 2700m, not 2600m, and prizemoney has been reduced.
Auckland Reactor had been the best- backed runner with TAB Sportsbet before Friday and was $3.60 top pick, but after he faded badly to finish last in the Free-For-All, his price drifted to $4.20. It was only the weight of early money keeping him at that price.
Fifty-to-one shot Power Of Tara caused a boilover on Friday, beating stablemate Monkey King and Themightyquinn, which was the run of the race in third.
Most Interdominion contenders will now head to Friday's Auckland Cup. The final of the Northern Derby will be held on the same night. Victoria Derby winner Sushi Sushi will start as the dominant favourite after his comfortable heat win.
CAROUSEL APPROVED
Bankstown Harness Racing Club has approval to host this year's Carousel series, but by the end of next month it has to prove it has the financial base to return to full-time racing. A dispute with Bankstown Trotting Recreational Club, which adjoins Bankstown Paceway, has left a $187,000 shortfall in the club's racing budget.
Racing was suspended at the track in early December when the dispute with the licensed club came to a head and Bankstown was made temporarily insolvent.
Heats of the Carousel will be held on Thursday and the final on Friday, April 1.
Club president Les Bentley is confident full-time racing will return soon. Funds from events held at the paceway, including markets, wedding receptions and a motorcycle show over the Easter long weekend, can help the bottom line. The Carousel has a rich history at Bankstown. It was first run there in 1969, when it was won by the champion Queensland pacer Lucky Creed.
ABUSE CRACKDOWN
Harness Racing NSW has implemented a demerit-style disciplinary system aimed at reducing aggressive behaviour towards officials. It will be aimed at repeat offenders and policed by the Harness Racing NSW board after a glut of cases involving abuse of officials, particularly stewards.
PRICES TAKE A HIT
A combination of natural disasters and a weak New Zealand dollar kept prices low at last Sunday's Australian Pacing Gold yearling sales at Newmarket. Yearlings across the Tasman have been scooped up by Australians this year and it showed in the sales results in Sydney. In total, the APG Sydney Sale averaged $13,213, down 2.3 per cent on the $13,522 achieved last year. Emilio and Maria Rosati paid $67,500 for the sales topper, a superb McArdle colt out of Erin Brockovich.
BULLI IS BULLISH
Bulli's Carnival of Cups meetings were a huge success, particularly last Saturday's fixture, which featured finals of the Linden Huntley Little Memorial. Extended to three meetings this year, Bulli attracted record crowds and a marked increase in turnover.
''We had $1.2 million turnover, and that's not including fixed-odds, bookmaker and corporate bookmaker turnover,'' said Bulli Harness Racing Club president Dave Wonson.
mcox@illawarramercury.com.au
Email a friend