Punters smile to the bank

Sport
There were huge financial pickings for punters who placed their bets on the Merit Rated 60 Handicap at Borrowdale race course with the winning horse Queen Tara offering US$6,90 for every dollar placed for those who predicted she would win the race.

There were huge financial pickings for punters who placed their bets on the Merit Rated 60 Handicap at Borrowdale race course with the winning horse Queen Tara offering US$6,90 for every dollar placed for those who predicted she would win the race.

By Michael Kariati

The Cornie Spies trained filly was offering even more in the swingers giving out US$10.10 for her combination with second placed Expeditious and US$9 when paired with third placed Purple Turtle, another fielding from Spies.

The combination of Expeditious and Purple Turtle gave out US$9,90 in what was the highest paying race in the seven races carded for the second running of the season.

Unlike Queen Tara and Purple Turtle who are from the Spies stable, Expeditious is from the yard of champion trainer Lisa Harris.

All the three top-placed horses offered good odds as they were not among the favourites with Queen Tara offering a selling price of 7/1. Expeditious was at 30/1 while Purple Turtle closed at 14/1.

You’re So In Vain from the Ghokan Terzi yard which finished fourth was the overwhelming favourite for the race after closing at 28/10 having opened betting at 2/1.

With the placings offering US$3,20 and US$3,60 for the second and third placed horses, the Trifecta was at US$603.30 and the Quartet for which was supposed to also include fourth placed You’re So In Vain giving out a staggering US$1 434,80 for a dollar.

This means a punter who placed US$10 in the quartet went home with US$14 348. Winning tickets are paid for immediately after the race when the dividends have been declared.

The other races paid out moderate figures as they were won by obvious candidates with Casey’s Dance who was at 28/10 and Gentle Brook who was at 1/1 taking first and second positions in the main feature race of the day, the Sable Flyers.

Their combination paid out only US$2,60 for a dollar.

Three-year-old Sin Latigo who was at 4/1 took the Merit Rated Handicap, just ahead of Supa Dupa who at 6/1 was among those tipped for the race. For the win Sin Latigo, another of the Spies horses, paid out US$4,80. Along with Supa Dupa in the swingers, the pair was down to US$4,40.

Zimbabwe’s own Marumbala took the Merit Rated 80 Handicap followed by an 8/10 favoured On The Rock.

The Graduation Plate was scooped by Alyson Wright’s Tallie Two who was 0,75 lens ahead of Iron Lady. The Maiden Plate for the sprinters which was run over 1 100 metres belonged to Corne Offer who rode a 11/10 Will Pays to victory with a big gap of 6,00 lens ahead of Rawedge for what was the biggest distance win of the day.

The punters, who fill betting houses to capacity with some of them flocking to Borrowdale race course for closer action, are hoping for increased dividends in all the races when the next running comes.

The next race meeting will be on Sunday October 5, and the nominations will be released by the Mashonaland Turf Club tomorrow after the trainers have declared their horses for the third running of the season.