The coup that nearly cost the bookies £10 million

Since coup conspirators nearly won £10 million from the bookies, the sport has divided into two camps. Some grinned and wished good luck to the schemers in their efforts to worst the Old Enemy; others insisted with sober faces that it was a scandal which besmirched racing and diddled honest punters who weren’t in the know.

With most racing eyes firmly fixed on the Dublin Racing Festival on 7 February, bookmakers became aware overnight of potentially huge liabilities on three horses in obscure races, each saddled by a different trainer, who had been linked together at long prices in multiple trebles and doubles. Their panic grew as first Fire Away, trained by Laura Morgan, won the 1.25 Class 4 novice chase at Musselburgh by 19 lengths. Backed originally at 25-1, Fire Away started at even money (1-1). Then, in Southwell’s 2.35, Blowing Dixie, trained by Iain Jardine, won a Class 6 Handicap over 1m 4f. Eighth of nine in his previous appearance, he started odds-on at 4-6, having opened at 9-1. All eyes were then on the third horse, Gallahers Cross, trained by Daragh Bourke. He started at 4-5 in the final race at Musselburgh, a Class 4 handicap hurdle, having opened at 33-1.

The spectacle of bookies queuing for push bikes at Halfords having traded in their Mercs was averted

The bookies were admitting that the plotters had got in under their odds-compilers’ radar. To their credit, the likes of Betvictor’s Chris Poole praised the plotters’ precision planning and said they would pay up if the third leg was landed. Fortunately for the turf accountant trade, Gallahers Cross finished only fourth and the tear-jerking spectacle of a multitude of bookies queuing for push bikes at Halfords having traded in their Mercs was averted.