Betfair | Betfair and the Grand National

Betfair and the Grand National - The Story So Far...

Jack Houghton flicks through our scrap book of memories and asks himself a question. How come an event as popular and unpredictable as the Grand National hasn't produced any great Betfair moments?

Take two lead characters. One, a punchy start-up betting company, born in 2000, about to experience beanstalk growth, and a pioneer of in-running betting. The other, the biggest horserace in the world, renowned for its unpredictability. On stage together, they would surely create drama the likes not seen before?

Unfortunately not. Not so far at least. In much the same way that, despite their awesome individual talents, Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand's recording of Tell Him never really hit the right note, Betfair and the Grand National are yet to combine to create a story of real in-running import.

The closest they have come was when Amberleigh House won the race in 2004. Matched in Betfair's ante-post market at a high of [90.0], he was available at a solid [28.0] pre-race. However, despite coming from a long way back to take the lead in only the last 75 yards, he reached a high of just [36.0] in-running.

Last year there was a monster gamble on Monkerhostin; he was backed down to [9.0] immediately pre-race when he had been available at [25.0] and bigger in the morning. The winner, Silver Birch, with a starting price of 33-1, had been matched at a high of [320.0] in the ante-post market and was a [60.0] chance at the off. Runner-up Mckelvey traded at a low of [1.5] in-running and third-placed Slim Pickings at a low of [2.0]. But still, no front page story.

Clan Royal tried. In 2005, thousands were punted on him in-running - at prices as low as [3.0] - despite a slipped saddle and the fast early pace he had set. But before the in-running story could develop further, he was taken out by two loose horses approaching Becher's. The only other in-running story the race could manage was that the eventual winner, Hedgehunter, briefly touched [12.0] mid-race.

And that's about it. Numbersixvalverde, Monty's Pass and Bindaree all raced prominently throughout, and as Red Marauder's slog through the mud came before the days when Betfair offered in-running betting (the first in-running market was the Embassy World Snooker Quarter-Final between Stephen Hendry and Matt Stevens a few weeks later) there's nothing to get excited about there either.

But although the race and the exchange haven't yet produced the in-running fireworks you might expect, the Aintree spectacular does offer an interesting marking post against which to measure Betfair's rise to prominence.

A press release from Betfair after Red Marauder's win in 2001 trumpeted a landmark occasion: on the Thursday of the Grand National meeting, the exchange broke through the £1m turnover mark for the first time. That's £1m in a WEEK. Considering over £10m was traded on the recent Denman-Kauto Star clash in the Gold Cup, it is plain how quickly things have changed in less than seven years.

And whereas just 4,000 punters placed their Grand National bets with Betfair in 2002, by 2005 and Hedgehunter, that figure was touching 40,000 - a ten-fold increase in three years. Presumably, it can't be long until over 100,000 choose the exchange as their Grand National bookmaker of choice, if they haven't already.

But what's really needed is that massive in-running story: the [1.01] loser or the [1000.0] winner. And with a race as dramatic as the Grand National, surely the story we're all after is just around the elbow.

25 March 2008 / About Jack Houghton

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Comments (1)

The year was 1928, every one wanted to win the this years Grand National this was proven by the 150 entries, perhaps the near miss in the previous year of a one eyed no hoper called Bovrill the Third. who ran 100 yards further than Sprig to get beaten an ever deminishing length. may have been the reason why.
What ever the reason 42 horses made there way to the start it had been raining for days and the going was bottomless.
The starter seemed to give firm instructions the jockeys were to take there time. they were off perfectly. all jockeys taking notice of his orders.

At the first one horse the leader seemed to take the fence like a Champion Hurdler, all the other 41 runners also cleared the fence and there were no fallers. a miracle in itself.
The leader was a Class act, called Easter Hero it appeared from the stand that the Jockey had forgoten it was a 4 mile chase however and perhaps thought it was the Gimcrack at York, it was not long before he was clear, at a scorching pace with all the others being stretched to there limit.
As they approuched the The Canal turn an Open Ditch, Easter Hero took off to early landing right on top of the fence, struggling to get off he caused havoc the approuching field didnt know what to do, go right, or left, there was a calamity never been seen at Aintree before and not again for 40 years when a loose horse called Popham Down did a similar trick.
The field, was descimated, and the leading Bookmaker on the rials, Tom Cartright, well know as a great In Running, Expert, had to take his Binoculars down for a few seconds and clear his mind.
He immediately looked for the 5/1 heavily supported Favourite Master Billie. not seeing the horse his 100/1 was ignored.
Before long, a crowd of Americans requested a price for there champion chaser Billy Barton its colours had been seen but of course they were only looking for one horse, and one only. as they approuched Beachers Brook second time round, only 5 horses remained.
Cartright had cleared his head and was ready for buisness.

6/4 Billy Barton came the cry. there was a scurry as requests for various wagers some small other large, the Bookmaker took the lot,he then began to offer others May King was lying second but the offer of 5/1 was ignored, The French runner Mageulonne was also called at 5/1 but a blind man with a white stick would have walked the other way, for that horse was going backwards. and soon to pull up.
There was then a cry from within the ring,
What price Great Span, at first, Cartright was not willing to offer any more than evens, but at that second May King Crashed out sending his jockey into the mud. with 3 fences to go. Billy Barton was certainly going, best, however close behind the leader was Great Span, and the 1/2 was beiing offered and taken,sitting like a proverbial church mouse was a young 17 years old lad, Great Spans jockey,either he was confidant or he didnt know what to do finding himself, pulling a cart in his first very Grand National, with only 3 horses standing, it was then that it became clear, to the lad, that he was in trouble, and although odds were being bet on, those with only the very best of Binoculars would have seen that his saddled had slipped,
No possible chance was there for poor, Paine who went one way the horse the other.
At no time had there been any requests for the only other horse standing, if they had known that it was the one paced and tubed Tipperary Tim, I doubt that they would have requested a price. although still second to Bill Barton, there was something about the horses,s action that gave no confidance.he was certainky one paced.
At the last fence, the great big American Champion with hundreds of Fans shouting and scheaming, his name, and with Cartright having placed his Carl Zeiss Binoculars back in there leather case,
There was a cry of disbelief,
The Horse had jumped like a stag but catching his front legs at the top of the fence, he over ballanced sliding on to his stomach,
He was down, not even then, with Tipperary Tim, over and away,alone was there many request for a price and odds of 1.1 were being offered as the leader past the post, it wasnt who or what the horse represented for a winner is a winner,
No it was a accumalation of shock after shock.

Having layed 1/2 Great Span, evens and odds on Billy Barton, Tom Cartright the Betfair in Running Expert of the day, and 83 years before his time was a very Happy man.

There had been many shocks in ths race before, and many after this date however,

To see a £50 Tubed Plodder, come home alone in front of the remounted, American Champ, was something,the millions, of radio listeners and the thousands of those who saw what happened.in person, wished to forget.
Even to this day, Tipperary Tim would hardly ever get a mention whilst the great race was being discussed.not in any Pub Quiz, is there ever a question who won the 1927 National and why was it such a shock.

The winner was unknown before the race, and not much better known afterwards,He was worth £50 before the race, and retired back to Tipperary spending the rest of his life giving friends of the family, a piggy backs at birthdays and weddings.

Cubone

don butler | 13 May 2008