23/08/13

The Justracing website has singlehandedly brought to public account over the last couple of years much of the what I’d call “rot” that goes on at Tattsbet, which is the home TAB for each of Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

The “rot” involves dreadful business practices such as falsely advertising that they bet “the best fixed prices more often”, as per the Tattsbet banner (see main photo) that was up on the Racing Queensland website on “Friday, 17 May 2013.” Justracing advised that these parties that were advertising the “rot” were doing the wrong thing and questioned the integrity of those assisting to promote the false advertising. Thankfully since my articles were penned, these other websites have taken the false Tattsbet advertisement off, as I’d proved over numerous articles I’d penned that the claims on the banner that Tattsbet bet “the best fixed price more often” were in a word “crap” – with a capital C.

But as I’m a very fair man, I gave Tattsbet plenty of time to 1) put their initial Melbourne Cup market up and 2) to tweak it, before commenting on it publicly.

It should be noted that many other betting outlets went up with their Melbourne Cup market long before Tattsbet did – so when Tattsbet put a market up on the race it was a no brainer that Tattsbet were hardly vulnerable to any massive plunge being orchestrated against one of their quoted runners.

The entire racing industry – across the three codes – in each of Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory need Tattsbet to be 1) extremely competitive to take on Darwin corporate and other TABs, 2) innovative with new and successful products and 3) to achieve good constant annual turnover growth, so that each code in every one of those three aforesaid States can see increases in prizemoney happening periodically and the possibility of a rosy future, as we all know how pivotal TAB turnover is to the racing product. So to that end I always like to make sure that Tattsbet outlets offer such things as wonderful service – and sadly they don’t – but I’ve written numerous stories on that specific topic before. I personally rate Tattsbet hierarchy as “pathetic” at ensuring they are maximising turnover and I consider part of the blame of the present hopeless state of the racing industry in the three States that they are the “home” TAB for Tattsbet – is simply due to the incompetence of Tattsbet.

So here is the Melbourne Cup market that was current as at 8pm last night when I compared the fixed odds figures of Tattsbet with four of their competitors. I could have lined them up with an additional four outlets, but if I did that, I wouldn’t fit them all across the page for website visitors. These figures reveal that Tattsbet need to have a new banner advertisement constructed and showing on their mates racing websites, which could read something like “Tattsbet – for the worst fixed prices more often”.

So that the sample was done fairly – I only used the horses that Tattsbet had in their Melbourne Cup market up to and including 20/1 ($21). As per what you can see below – some 10 weeks out from the Melbourne Cup and long before weights are even released – Tattsbet are not even competitive with their prices as they aren’t the top odds, or even the equal top odds, on one solitary horse in the undermentioned market and the percentage of difference in price from their price to the best price that I could get last night is shown on the far right under “%”. The prices at 8pm last night, which will no doubt be exactly the same right now are:

 

Tattsbet

B/star

IAS

C/bet

Luxbet

%

Puissance De Lune

$5

$6.50

$6

$5

$5

30%

Fiorente

$10

$9

$11

$11

$11

10%

Sea Moon

$15

$13

$13

$15

$16

6.66%

Mount Athos

$17

$21

$26

$23

$21

52.94%

Brown Panther

$17

$26

$26

$26

$26

52.94%

Its A Dundeel

$18

$34

$21

$28

$26

88.88%

Dandino

$21

$21

$26

$21

$21

23.80%

Ahzeemah

$21

$26

$41

N/Q*

$41

95.23%

 

% = The percentage better price that a punter can get elsewhere, away from Tattsbet, by simply looking at the prices of just four competitors.

 

B/star = Betstar and C/bet = Centrebet

 

N/Q* = Not quoted in that outlet’s market.

 

Racing Queensland Chief Handicapper Lester Grimmett has sent the scaled weights through for Eagle Farm tomorrow and they read: Race 1 + 0.50 kg, Race 3 + 2.5 kg, Race 4 + 1.5 kg, Race 5 + 5.5 kg, Race 6 + 3 kg, Race 7 – 1 kg and Race 8 + 2 kg.

 

Brisbane Racing Club Assistant Track Manager Sean Bridges advised the website late today that the Eagle Farm track is a “good 3”. Sean further stated “I’ve put 21mm of irrigation on it for the week and I’m real happy with where it is late this afternoon according to the penetrometer and the rail is back in the true position for tomorrow’s meeting”.

The apprentice jockey weights for Eagle Farm tomorrow should be:

JOCKEY

WEIGHT

Tegan Harrison

50.0 claims 1.5 kgs.

Kirk Matheson

52.5 claims 2 kgs.

Aidan Holt

55.0 claims 3 kgs.

Geoffrey Goold

54.0 claims 3 kgs.

Maija Vance

55.0 claims 2 kgs.

Alisha Taylor

51.0 claims 3 kgs.

Brooke Richardson

47.0 claims 3 kgs.

Anthony Allen

50.0 claims 1.5 kgs.

Rikki Jamieson

50.0 claims 3 kgs.

Ashley Butler

53.0 claims 2 kgs.

Tiffany Jeffries

49.0 claims 3 kgs.

 

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au I preview the main race at Eagle Farm tomorrow, the Open Handicap. On www.sydneyracing.com.au I look at 39 horses to avoid backing in Sydney and Melbourne tomorrow, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Matt Nicholls looks at Moonee Valley.

The Postman has sent through his thoughts on racing tomorrow and they read:

This week punters I’m keen on Kneeling in the Penny Edition in Adelaide. This mare has come along very well since joining the Peter Moody stable and I think he’s picked a very good race for her to attempt to get some black type against her name. I’d like to highlight in particular her last two runs in Melbourne, which were both full of merit. Two starts back @ Moonee Valley against the boys, Kneeling drifted back after beginning on terms & settled near the rear of the field. Approaching the turn she got a cart into the race behind the eventual winner Henwood, working home solidly under hands & heels out wide to finish second, beaten just over a length. Last start Kneeling was pitched into the G3 Cockram for mares @ Caulfield where she was once again restrained back to the tail of the field from a wide gate. The leader & subsequent winner, the smart mare Octavia, got away with some cheap sectionals mid-race, making it very difficult for backmarkers to figure in the finish. Despite that, Kneeling tracked up approaching the turn & peeled wide on straightening, then finished hard under hands & heels again for a solid 6th. In the process, Kneeling recorded the fastest final 600m & 400m splits of the day, and the second fastest last 200m of the day. Tomorrow Kneeling crosses the border to contest the listed WFA Penny Edition in Adelaide, and I think she will well & truly measure up in this company. She’s drawn to most likely secure a midfield position in the running line, and I’m expecting the tempo to be fairly solid with Budriguez & Taat Sensation going forward, and perhaps a couple of others. If Kneeling can get a good run in transit, she should be able to chime in on straightening & prove hard to hold out. The softer track is a big plus here, & whilst her record @ 1400m isn’t a happy one, she’s come along in leaps & bounds in the last 6 months under Peter Moody, so I’m not overly concerned with that stat. She’s used to racing late in the day too, with both her last runs being the final race of the day. The race favourite Just Discreet looks hard to beat, but the wide gate may cause a few issues and she may get stuck on a limb & have to be snagged back.

Kneeling has opening around the $6 mark in most quarters, and keep an eye on Betfair for slightly better as per normal. This mare is flying at the minute, and I think she’ll give this race a real shake at the each way odds.

Morphettville Parks 8-9 Kneeling (each way)

Reid Sanders the Manager Integrity for Harness Racing NSW late this afternoon released this important information on positive swabs in his jurisdiction:

TRAINER MR TREVOR MUNDAY– POSITIVE SWABS – 23 August 2013

Harness Racing NSW has been advised by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) that the prohibited substance capsaicin has been detected in the post race urine samples taken from

· – ONETHINGFORCERTAIN after it raced and won Race 2, the C91.3FM Pace (1,609 metres) at TABCORP Park Menangle on Tuesday 18 June 2013 and Race 6 the Mach Beauty Pace (1,609 metres) at TABCORP Park Menangle on Saturday 6 July 2013.

· – FRANKIE VALLEY after it raced and won Race 6 the Paceway Sky Lounge Two Year Pace (1,720 metres) at Penrith on 18 July 2013.

The findings in relation to ONETHINGFORCERTAIN have been confirmed by the Racing Analytical Services Laboratory (RASL) in Melbourne. Confirmation analysis has not been conducted on the FRANKIE VALLEY sample at this stage.

An inquiry into these findings will be conducted on Thursday 29 August 2013 at 2pm at the offices of HRNSW 22 Meredith Street Bankstown.

In light of evidence forthcoming from a stable inspection conducted by HRNSW Officials on Wednesday 31 July 2013, Mr Munday pursuant to AHRR 183 (a) (b) and (c) will not be permitted to enter horses owned or trained by him in any race. Further, Mr Munday will not be permitted to drive in any race or trial. These embargoes will remain until the completion of the inquiry or otherwise directed by the Stewards.

TRAINER MR MICHAEL MUSCAT– POSITIVE SWAB – 23 August 2013

Harness Racing NSW has been advised by the Australian Racing Forensic Laboratory (ARFL) that the prohibited substance capsaicin has been detected in the previously frozen post race urine sample taken from BO SPARTA following its win in Race 9, the Wards Accounting Group Pace (1,609 metres) at TABCORP Park Menangle on Tuesday 27 November 2012.

This finding had been confirmed by the Racing Analytical Services Laboratory (RASL) in Melbourne

An inquiry into this finding will be conducted on Thursday 29 August 2013 at 11am at the offices of HRNSW 22 Meredith Street Bankstown.