MUDLARK’S WIN

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 30, 28 April 1927, Page 6

MUDLARK’S WIN

BOOKMAKERS HIT DON MOON'S DONCASTER NICE PROFIT FOR SMALL BACKERS Don. Moon’s success in the A.J.C. Doncaster Handicap took many thousands of pounds out of the ring. Generally speaking, he was a bad horse for bookmakers, as ever since the rain began he was regarded as the most unlikely mudlark in the field. Small bettors flocked to his support, but many big wagers were written against him, and among the largest winners over his success was ownertrainer R. Baillie. Don Moon is laid heavily in doubles with every fancied Sydney Cup candidate. WET—AND NO FISH. “A drenching and a bad beating” was how one leading operator summed up his Doncaster transactions when asked how he fared at Randwick. “Taken all round,” he added, “it was a very bad result. In fact, it was one of the worst our firm has experienced in set races. “Apart from what we laid against him early in the proceedings, the wet

weather created an extraordinary demand for Don Moon, and he is freely coupled in cup doubles. The largest straight-out bet we laid against him was £6,000 to £2OO to the gelding’s owner-trainer, R. Bailie.” HEAVY DOUBLES COMMITMENTS Another prominent bookmaker stated that Don Moon was as bad as any horse in the race straight-out, and left him with anything but enviable double liabilities. This man went on to say that it was remarkable the number of £1 to £5 bettors who supported the Doncaster winner. And it was not only on account of the wet weather. “The demand for him began after he won a race at Moorefield on March 12, and I laid as much as 25 to 1 about him. Looking through my double sheets, I find that Valamita is my only good cup horse,” he remarked. A leading Melbourne bookmaker stated that Don Moon was pot such a bad horse for him on the course, but he had laid substantial amounts against him in doubles. However, lie reckons he has a fair chance of getting out of it, as he has Imitator running for him in the cup. A brother ringman from Victoria did not fare so well. “I lost a lot of money over him on the course,” he stated, “and he is a very bad horse for me in doubles. To make matters worse, I backed Horoscope for the Doncaster.” Another bookmaker lost £2,000 over his straight-out book on the Doncaster, and is not at all enthusiastic about the Cup outlook. “LAUGH ON ME” One of the veterans of Randwick, a man who has owned good horses himself, and having had a long experience of the turf, is a firm believer in “wet weather horses.” To-day he said frankly; ‘Til admit the laugh is on*' me now.” “Didn’t the little book show Don Moon?” he was asked. “Yes, it did,” he replied, “but, like many others, I didn’t think he could win with 121 b more than he carried when he ran away with the Challenge. Getting too old, that’s what it is. Time to give up the game.” The reference to the little book was prompted by the knowledge that this shrewd gentleman keeps a pocketbook in which he records specially the results of races run in heavy going. On a wet day at Randwick this guide to form is in great demand in one corner of the official stand, and many a winner at a good price has been found in it. But let the man himself take up the thread of the story: “Realising that the track was sure to be heavy for the Doncaster, I went to the calling of the card, determined to have my little bit on a few of the mudlarks. I laid out £l3O, and I wrote myself a skinner. I missed Don Moon. Getting too old.” BIG INDIVIDUAL WIN One of the best winners over Don Moon was a prominent owner-punter, who had a horse of his own running in the Doncaster, and backed it very substantially. He has had dealings over horses with R. Baillie. Not long ago he paid a good price for one of Baillie’s that showed much promise at a suburban meeting,- but could not win with it, and sold it back to its original owner at a considerable loss. A few weeks later the horse was taken to an inferior meeting, and won a race easily at a nice price. However, Baillie had not forgotten the man who had had the bad luck with the horse, but had told him that a win was expected, and he was a ole to recoup what he had lost over the sale transaction. When Don Moon had won, it was suspected that this punting owner had been one of his backers, and lie is reported to have stated that he had a good win. The same man had a similar experience in the spring. He backed his own horse for a huge amount to win one of the big handicaps. He was not successful, but at the eleventh hour he supported the winner well, and cleared five or six thousand pounds over the race. TRIAL TACKLE ROUTED Bob Baillie’s difficulty has been to get good horses to gallop with Don Moon and extend him in his training gallops. Not that he is a hard taskmaster, for he realises that horses don't win by track galloping alone. It seems that Den Moon, in need of companions to keep him at his top on the tracks, has broken down two of the team. One is Tabbath, who won a modest suburban race some weeks ago; another has gone amiss since. But Don Moon has come safely through.