RACING'S WORST YEAR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16230, 3 January 1927, Page 9

RACING'S WORST YEAR

tona TOLL OF OUTSIDERS BOOKMAKERS WANT TO LOSE LONDON, November 17. Many course, club, and office bookmakers are actually hoping that an automatic strong favorite in Sir Alfred's Butt's Perfect Son will win the Derby, and thus break the monotony of one long priced outsider after another in the big English races this year. The bookmakers have become anxious on account of the rapid decline in public support owing to the continued failure of every well-backed horse to benefit alt classes'-of punters. Layers realise that it cannot bo a case of all coming in and nothing going out, and they want to lose once or twice ni order to bid for fresh custom! ENTHUSIASM DAMPED.

even worse for future business than the combined effect of the new Bets Tax and industrial troubles," said a prominent office layer in the north after another of the long shots, in Doushka, had won-the Liverpool Cup. " There must be an end to the resources and the enthusiasm of all punters on these big races," he added, " and I am convinced that it would be profitable to the layers in the long run if backers got-home on us in the Derby Ctop and -in the Manchester November Handicap, which winds up flat racing next week." Many prominent club and office men in .London and in the north endorse-this view, . and say that business on future events has been practically at a standstill since Insight 11. in the Cambridgeshire, another 50 to 1 winner of. the Cesarewitch. The favorites continued tobe beaten m important- handicaps at Newbury—where the Cesarewitch disappointment, Perfect Sen, was ■ disqualified after finishing first—Lincoln, ancj Liverpool. So far as minor events are concerned, not one favorite won during the second day at Leicester, and only one on the opening afternoon. Even the oldest racing enthusiast cannot , recall a blacker year than 1926, though it has come to be regarded as a fact for many years past that few big ante-post betting races are won by the best-backed horses. Several leading professional backers vow that the best policy is to cut out investment altogether on " important handicaps." EARLY REBUFF. The Black List of 1926 began in the first week of the season at Lincoln and Liverpool last March, and has increased practically all the time during the eight months since. When Coronach broke the spell by adding to his Derby successes the Eclipse Stakes and the St. Leger he started at odds-on, which would pot appeal at all to the modest backer, who had 1 lost over him when Colorado beat Lord Woolavington's colt in the Two Thousand Guineas. They had then proceeded to lose over Colorado when Ccronach turned the tables in the Derby! * The record of the leading newspapers' "prophets," with their special selections, has very naturally been the worst they have ever experienced. Some of the notable long-priced winners of the important ra§es this season include:— King of. Clubs (Lincolnshire) ... 100 to 1 Jack Horner {Grand National ... 25 to 1 Rock Fire (Newburv Spring Cup) 100 to 6 Cdjbrtdo (Two Thousand Gns.) 100 io 8 Pillion (One Thousand Guineas) 25 to L Cross Bow (Hunt Cup) 53 to 1 Capture Him (Wokingham) ... 90to 1 Perljaps So (Stewards' Cup) ... 100 to 6 Sunstcne (Portland H'cap) ... 100 to 8 Foxlaw (Jockey Club Stakes) ... 20 to I Myret Gray (Cesarewitch) 50 to 1 Insight II (Cambridgeshire) ... 50tol ."Buoyant (Gt. Tom Plate) 100 to 7 Doughka (Liverpool Cup) 100 to 8 There are many other instates of winners at 10 to 1 or a little less bowling over red-hot favorites for important races. In most cases, too, rank outsiders have been» placed -with winners, an 4 each-way backers of automatic choices have been further disgruntled.because- the Book of Form has been valueless! If bookmakers were hoping to give money 'awry on a strong favorite, as suggested above, Perfect Son failed them. The Derby pup was won by Invershin, ■with Nem Soha second, and Hercules .third. . The cable message did not state the starting-price of the winner.