Horse Racing News is the source of thoroughbred racing information with horse racing odds, betting tips, racing picks, race results, and handicapping. Latest news and articles on top horse racing contenders, jockeys, trainers, three-year-olds, race tracks, and major stakes races such as the Triple Crown races: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes as well as the Breeders' Cup horse races.Der Ali Wins Quicken Tree Stakes at Hollywod Park
Posted on Tuesday, June 20th, 2006
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Der Ali beat Cut Trail by a half-length Sunday in the $65,000 Quicken Tree
Stakes at Hollywood Park.
Ridden by Juan Ochoa, Der Ali ran 1 1/2 miles on the turf course in 2:30.05 and paid $12, $4.40 and $3. It was Ochoa’s first victory in a stakes race.
Cut Trail returned $2.60 and $2.20, and Sultry Bard paid $3.20 to show.
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British government set to abandon Tote sale to Racing Trust
Posted on Monday, June 19th, 2006
The British government has reportedly given up on its plan to sell the Tote at a discounted value to the Racing Trust following the European Commission’s investigation into whether such a sale would constitute an abuse of state aid rules.
The government nevertheless still wants to deliver on its manifesto commitment to sell the Tote to "racing," but to in order to do so and still comply with state aid rules, it must sell it at market value. The Commission began investigating the matter in June 2005 following lobbying efforts from private British bookmakers who were considered potential bidders for Tote betting shops.
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UNiTAB v Tabcorp v Tattersall’s
Posted on Monday, June 19th, 2006
Gaming group Tabcorp Holdings Ltd. launched a takeover bid June 1 for UNiTAB Ltd. that would trump rival lottery/gaming operator Tattersall’s Ltd.’s offer.
Tabcorp offered A$14.25 per UNiTAB share, assuming Tabcorp shares remain at a value of between A$15.00 and A$17.00 - either between 0.84 and 0.95 Tabcorp shares per UNiTAB share, or A$8.25 cash and between 0.35 and 0.40 Tabcorp shares per UNiTAB share. Tattersall’s offer was at a value of A$12.90–offering 4.33 of its shares for each UNiTAB share, plus A$522 million for an alternative cash offer of A$14 per UNiTAB share.
UNiTAB’s board on June 6 rejected Tabcorp’s offer, however, stating that it prefers the merger deal with Tattersall’s. The A$1.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) bid from Tabcorp would value UNiTAB–the continent’s second largest gambling company–at A$14.25 per share, which is 60 cents below its current trading price.
On the other hand, the proposal from Tattersall’s, Australia’s largest lottery company, values UNiTAB at a lower price–about A$1.7 million, but it would give UNiTAB greater control of its business, with half the board of the newly merged company coming from UNiTAB. The merged company would also have the opportunity to extend its wagering services into Victoria, but only if it is successful in winning the license away from its current holder, Tabcorp.
Tabcorp has now attacked Deloitte Corporate Finance , who conducted an independent review of the merger proposal between UNiTAB and Tatt’s, saying it gave UNiTAB an inflated valuation. The report endorsed the proposed A$1.7 billion "merger of equals" in the absence of a higher offer.
UNiTAB chief Dick McIlwain said yesterday that the attack is doing nothing to help shareholders decide which offer is more attractive and that both companies might want to now consider upping the ante.
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Fasbet signed a ??500,000 deal with BetEHorse.com
Posted on Monday, June 19th, 2006
Scottish software start-up Fasbet has signed a deal worth £500,000 (US$939,722) with U.S.-based online horse race betting operator BetEHorse.com to bring "peer-to-peer" betting on a large scale to the North American gambling market. Fasbet was founded 18 months ago by Tom Mathews and Ian Gilfillen. Mathews said the company plans to launch a financial betting package within the next six to eight months.
As online betting has grown rapidly over the past two years, so has peer-to-peer gambling, which offers backers the chance to bet against each other rather than accept odds from a bookmaker.
"P2P" gambling is growing fast in the UK and Europe with companies such as BetFair, but in the US the system has yet to take off.
Now BetEHorse.com is launching a new website called EHorseX.com in a move to capitalise on what is expected to be a fast-booming US market – with the help of Fasbet’s software.
The deal struck with BetEHorse.com is expected to see the company’s technology process millions of dollars of online bets from race courses across the US.
Founded 18 months ago by Tom Mathews and Ian Gilfillen, and supported by Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow-based Fasbet expects the deal will mark a major breakthrough in a market that is estimated to be worth more than $16m a year.
According to research group Forrester, 76% of the UK’s adult population bet regularly, with a growing number doing so online.
BetFair currently processes more than £20m in a single sports event.
Mathews said: "Online betting has exploded over the past two years as access to the internet has increased and security issues around money transfers have improved."
Fasbet’s exchange platform differs from other P2P options because it is an off-the-shelf product which can also be applied to numerous other sporting events.
Mathews also said the company plans to launch a financial betting package within the next six to eight months.
"The potential returns are massive and our technology platform is cheaper, simpler and more effective than anything currently available in the head-to-head betting sector," Mathews added.
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Chris Brand to take over BHB chief executive post
Posted on Monday, June 19th, 2006
British Horseracing Board’s 36 year-old Finance Director Chris Brand will take over the helm of the governing body when Greg Nichols leaves his post as chief executive at the end of the month. BHB’s directors decided to give the job to Brand in an acting capacity from July 3 until the BHB is merged into the new British Horseracing Authority, expected to come into being on January 1, 2007.
In the meantime, the search for the first BHA chief executive and chairman is about to start, and a nominations panel, comprising BHB chairman Martin Broughton, John Bridgeman, chairman of the Horseracing Regulatory Authority, and Rob Hughes, chairman of the Levy Board, will make the appointments by the end of September. Brand is said to be a prime candidate for chief executive.
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Totesport to launch UK text betting
Posted on Friday, June 16th, 2006
The service will be available on all handsets and networks and will be powered by TextbeT ™ courtesy of technology partner Onionsack, the Irish based text betting provider. Customers simply follow a set template for each bet before sending it to 60021. They will receive a text back to confirm that the bet is successful. For example, to put £20 on England to win the World Cup simply text “Wcup Eng 20” to 60021.
Spokesman Paul Petrie said. "Now you will be able to have a bet with every phone on every network wherever you are in the country. If you are in the pub and you want £2 or £200 on a football match or a horse you can get the bet on without whoever is set next to you knowing how much you have bet."
Keith McDonnell, Business Development Director commented, “The World Cup is going to be the biggest betting event in history with an estimated £1billion gambled and we are always looking for ways to make it easier and convenient for our customers to have a bet. We will be the only major bookmaker offering this service and it gives us a fantastic platform to stand out from the crowd during the World Cup and Royal Ascot.”
Text Betting will be available on selected football fixed odds markets and both SP and totepool horse racing bets with the plan to roll it out over the other sports in the near future. The full betting template codes are available on the totesport website, whist everyone who registers will receive a booklet containing the codes.
Further Examples
£100 Starting Price bet on horse number 5 in the first race at Ascot – “SP Asc R1H5 100”
£2 placepot at Ascot with one selection per leg – Text “ tppot H7 H9 H3 H6 H5 H2 2”
£20 on England to beat Paraguay in World Cup – Text “ eng 20”
Customers register by creating a new text message and send the word “register” to 60021. They will then receive a call from a member of the totesport customer care team. Alternatively they can register online at www.totesport.com
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Rakuten expand to online horse race betting
Posted on Friday, June 16th, 2006
Rakuten Inc., a Japanese Internet mall operator, has announced Wednesday that it will form mutually beneficial business alliances with 12 horse racing operators in Japan to sell horse-betting tickets via the Internet. Rakuten aims to start sales by the end of this year, it said.
The alliance will benefit local race operators by attracting horse racing fans from outside their areas, while Rakuten can cash in on Net users who visit the Web site to buy the betting tickets.
Rakuten says it still needs to work on its purchasing system to prevent anyone under 20 years of age from illegally buying the tickets. The company’s 12 partners include horse race operators in the Hokkaido, Aichi and Kochi prefectures.
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