Most Spectacular Gamble You've Ever Witnessed

Colonel Sanders

I remember a similar thread appearing on the betfair forum a while back and decided to pinch the idea

In my limited years going racing a few stand out in my mind.

Model Son was punted from 8s into 5/2 AIG day in 2004 when trained by Donal Hassett. Looked to be cruising under a typical Ruby Walsh ride two out but was nailed on the run in by a francis flood horse whose name escapes me. I think i remember the post reported he opend 5/1 or 11/2, not a bit of it. was backed for good money all the way from 8/1. I remember seeing one bet of 20000/5000 and the horse was still attracting 4 figure bets at 5/2. Davy Hyland stood it to the hilt and must have been sweating!!

Vintage Treasure in a navan bumper in 2004. I remember having a look around the ring and there didn't seem to be much happening. Vintage treasure drifted and drifted then there was a mad stampede of people trying to get on. It was crazy. there was a girl no older than 16 or 17 legging it around the betting ring with a wedge of cash in hers hands, low and behold she was in the parade ring with the owners after the race. Sold very soon after for big money and punted again in a leopardstown bumper which he lost and a listowel maiden hurdle which he won.

Altho while not a spectacular price decrease the most money I have ever seen won or lost in a betting ring was surely on Liberman in the 2003 champion bumper. 3s into 2s and it took a savage amount of money to do that. every second bet i heard was 10k. Bookies were on the ropes after Moscow and xenophon and this JP McManus/David Johnson led charge landed a knockout blow.

While it was well before my time was anyone at Punchestown for the famous Big Ben Dun gamble or has anyone any information about it? Have heard countless people mention it but am very light on the facts surrounding it. Any other contributions welcome especially re. some of the major Galway Festival gambles over the last few years.

fr wishy washy

Fair Along 6/1 -7/2 in the County this year, took some wedge and never raised a gallop.

TOm Kelly

The best I have seen was the guys winning the lotto - the time of the big (at the time) jackpot - I knew a couple of them and it was a massive job - the logistics of writing out all the dockets - checking them ... imagine if you left out the winning line ...

and finally getting the bet on ... this nearly scuppered them - something they thought would not be a problem ... they ended up driving around with boxes of dockets trying to take over lotto terminals to get on ... of course shops had to facilitate their 'normal' customers at the same time ...

it was a real panic that Saturday evening ... they did not get all on as I recall - but they got on the one that counted -- or it would have been a real disaster ...

worked out ok ... I think they shared jackpot with somebody ... an old lady with a 1 euro quickpick lol ... they got a divvy on their investment ... but they earned it!

One of them is very well known in punting circles - i'm sure you guys know him ... a gas man - I remember him having 25 grand on in Leopardstown ... I placed some of it myself ... ... when 25 grand was 25 grand ... and Losing! The sessions in the Stillorgan Orchard afterwards ... memories ...

slowlyin2stride

Colonel

I was there both days u mention and would agree that both were well backed animals. I remember the former with fondness as I backed Shivermetimber to get me out of trouble!

That said, the Vintage Treasure gamble took place when Byrnes had caned the books a few times on the trot and it didn't take major money to move it from 3s into 6/4. Derek O'Connor was due to ride it but missed the ride that day as his father passed away. Lenny Flynn was an able deputy.

In terms of the biggest gamble to take place in Ireland in recent years, Bocaccio (recounted by Francis Hyland in "Taken For A Ride") was head and shoulders above the rest. Expertly planned and executed and ablely assisted by the handicapper so generously dropping him with aplomb!:eek:

Colonel Sanders

slowly, was that Grassicks horse in Leopardstown about 2-2.5 yrs ago? Wasn't there but read about.

Frances Hyland taken for a ride? what did he lose on it? a few hundred LOL

TOm Kelly

described by leading on-course bookie David Power as the ‘best job I’d ever seen’ - was landed by connections of Boccaccio at Leopardstown in 2004.

An army of operatives, who were not given the horse’s name until 30 minutes before the start, placed hundreds of bets off-course, taking the on-course prices relayed to the betting shops. The bookies contracted the horse’s starting price (SP) from 6-1 to 9-4 but the damage was already done.

Boccaccio waltzed home and won a reputed €1 million for connections.

masterK

Another major recent gamble that springs to mind is that of Nickname when making his Irish debut, his early morning price was circa 33/1, he was backed off the boards and ended up going off around 5/1.

Nonoperational

Sixtino in Thurlas Dec 2003

Hoofer

I remember Cloone river winning the Galway hurdle in 2004.He opened in the shops at 7/1 and was hammered on the track into 7/2.I backed it myself and all my friends backed it as well.Was a great day shouting him home in the stands....actually everone in the stands backed him.A real stinger for the bookies that day.He is owned locally in Gort Co. Galway

Colonel Sanders

gpf101 wrote:

Sixtino in Thurlas Dec 2003

I remember this one as it was when the bookies used to price the sunday irish racing up on the saturday. some guy who reeked of booze told me to back it on the saturday afternoon. Of course I took no notice of him and the rest as they say is history!!!