Horse Racing: Why Big Bookies Will Make Own Sps

Before the unfortunate events of Monday unfolded, the betting week began on a somewhat bizarre note at Windsor. Pelican Key, a two-year-old newcomer from David Simcock's yard, made a winning debut in the hands of Ryan Moore in Sunday's totesport.com Conditions Stakes and in the process seemed to land an on-course gamble.

Bookmakers shortened the winner from 14-1 to 13-2, yet not a single bet of any note was struck at the Thames-side course. Betting details in Monday's Racing Post do not record any wager on Pelican Key, on a day when, I am told, the Hill's pitch took the princely sum of £100 on the opening race on the card.

As is so often the case nowadays, the Windsor bookmakers were reacting to activity on the exchanges, where Pelican Key was reportedly a lively late order from a high of 19 down to 7.6. It can only be a matter of time before the major firms return industry prices as the on-course market grows ever weaker.

Meanwhile, it was mostly pat-on-the-back time for the betting exchanges and their "audit trail" which has apparently informed the City of London police investigations that led to charges of conspiracy to defraud punters being levelled at Kieren Fallon and 10 others on Monday. Without wishing to comment on any individual case, will racing's situation improve while the ability to profit from horses losing is clearly at the heart of the problem?

As one trainer said earlier this week: "The Jockey Club should never have sanctioned Betfair in the first place. They shot themselves in the foot by doing so." Whatever the court's verdict, the Horseracing Regulatory Authority and its director of security, Paul Scotney, will surely spend more time beating a path down a few more audit trails.

On the racecourse, Kieren Fallon's brilliance at reading a race and maximizing a horse's requirements were never better illustrated than in Sunday's Budweiser Irish Derby. Having worked out that Dylan Thomas was "a different horse" when leading with his right foot, he proceeded to ride a copybook race on the Aidan O'Brien-trained colt, who stepped up dramatically on his Epsom form to win with real authority.

Ascot, another right-handed track, and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes would look tailor-made for Dylan Thomas. But ante-post betting is all but ruled out, unless you are truly in the know, as Coolmore interests also revolve around Hurricane Run here. The even-money King George favourite probably had an off-day when turned over by Pride at Saint-Cloud recently, but after seeing Dylan Thomas on Sunday I know which one I would want to be with at Ascot.

For the notebook


My Gacho 6f Newcastle

David Barron's sprinter has been quietly progressive since returning from a five-month break to win at Haydock in early June, and he deserves full marks for finishing fourth behind Indian Trail in this Class 2 handicap. Racing alone in the centre of the track from his low draw, he stuck on well but had no chance of getting involved in the main action stands' side.

Rallying Cry 7f Newmarket

Despite racing a shade keenly in the early stages on this debut run, John Gosden's colt found plenty on meeting the rising ground and ran on strongly for an impressive victory. Next month's Solario Stakes, in which his trainer has a good record, looks a suitable target for Rallying Cry. This result was further evidence that Gosden's first-time 2-y-o runners over 7f-1m are worthy of particular note at the major tracks.

Ron Cox's tip of the day


Blue Tomato 3.20 Haydock

Milton Bradley has few peers when it comes to freshening up out-of-form sprinters. It has taken him a while to figure out Blue Tomato, but this five-year-old is on a roll now and looks set to complete his hat-trick under 5lb claimer Liam Treadwell, who rode a cool race on Blue Tomato when beating 18 rivals at Newcastle last week. Despite a penalty, Bradley's sprinter remains well handicapped.