COLOSSAL PLUNGE GOES ASTRAY

Chronicle (Levin), 21 August 1946, Page 6

COLOSSAL PLUNGE GOES ASTRAY

The plunge on the New Zealand horse Gav Fort in the Australiau Steeplechase at Caullield last Saturday was Ihe niost sensational on a steeplechaser on a Mel l)Oii rne racecourse for many years. w rites a Melbourne correspondent. lf he had won, paddock bookmakcrs would have had to pay out about £70,000. Bookniakers were unprepared for tlie reniarkable betting deiuonstratiuii iu i'avour of Gay Fort, so mucli so that from (i to 1 tlie price of the New Zealander (irnied at oue stage to 5 to 2. lf the plunge on Gay Fort caught the fielders unawares, liis perforniaace in the ra-e was tui unpleasant shock to his backers. A visitiug Nevv Zealander led tlie Gay Fort sortie, and tliis probably was tlie reasoti for the public demand snowballing lo the extent it did. Oue 6f the lirst items iioliced about Gay Fort was £1200 to £200, but tliis price quicklv shorlened when the rush began. Light separalo wagers of £1000 to £200 were takou along the rails, in a*ddition to £1500 to £300 and £500 to £100 (five times). Still the Gay Fort punters persisted, taking bets of £1.800 to £400 (four times), £900 to £200 (three), and £450 to £100 (four). it graduully developed into tlie biggest plunge on a steeplechaser on a Melbourne racecourse for many years. Other items in the voluines of rails fielders incliuled: £2000 to £500 (two), £250 to £50 (four), £240 to £(30 (three), £2000 to £400, £700 to £2(10 (five), £400 to £10(1 (four), £500 to £200, £1200 iu £400 (twob £1400 to £400 (two), £900 (o £300, £350 to £100 (three), and £(300 to £200. The plunge on Gay Fort was not eonfined to the ring, as totalisator bettors waged £4 178 on hiui, wh'icli means that iu the paddock alone inore than £20,000 was bot on him.