Talk about one leg out today!
It took a 5yo maiden just over 80 seconds to set the tone for a series of disasters at the first coupling free Pick 6 run at Arlington on Monday. While innovation is unique in horseracing parlance, and we get excited quite easily, punters may be running for insurance cover rather than extending overdrafts after this.
The Pick 6 was identified as jaded and in need of revitalisation and refurbishment when Tab announced the first of a series of rule changes recently. The first of these was the abolition of the coupling security pin.
In a centre like Port Elizabeth, where a few stables dominate, large couplings have been the death knell of healthy Pick 6 dividends, and the additional net of fractional betting, has seen a marginal decline in interest by those looking for a lifechanger of a dividend.
Winning 4 percent of R1200 after an entire afternoon of sweating and having your hundred bucks tied up in an illiquid instrument that guaranteed sweet fanny, just never made sense. Even to the sickest and staunchest amongst us.
With a kickstart of a R100 000 carryover from who knows where, today’s Arlington exotic soared to a net pool of R937974.77 just before the off of the fourth race.
And then No Question arrived, compliments of George Uren and Luyola Mxothwa. The 40 to 1 no hoper downed the Snaith and Fourie favourite and everyone’s banker, The Mentalist by a short head.
How’s that? No Question and The Mentalist for an ironic combination of names for a blockbuster psychic twist?
The 5yo maiden son of Tobe Or Nottobe, who had never earned a dime in seven previous starts, decided that today was the day.
No questions. Bugger the excited punters. Bugger the Phumelela marketing gurus.
The horse somehow, always has the final say. Which is not something we’d argue.
For those who had somehow found No Question, there was worse to follow.
Silverano and Goolgoola weren’t impossible to find at R9 odd a tote win.
But then those of us who had praised the rule amendment, got nailed good and solid.
Snaith’s Velvet Lady won at R28,80 a win.
Bitter. Awful!
Why? Because she was coupled with a scratching and the recent maiden winner Misty Day.
On the old rule, we would have gone through. Sadly, not today.
Gianduja won the next at R10 a win. The former Paddy Kruyer charge had been knocking and wasn’t exactly impossible to find.
We went into the last with the first tote favourite to arrive. Rum And Raisin won.
But Muzi was too late to save us. Not a single ticket survived.
So all the excitement. All the anticipation. Up in smoke.
Now we have to focus on the Vaal on Tuesday and try and find out how the carryover rules work.
Does it get held over to the next day? Do we get interest on our money?
Probably not.
But hey, we will be back for more!
