Tom Waterhouse slams fellow bookies after snub for $1 million punt on Fiorente

TOM Waterhouse slammed his fellow bookies after they denied him the chance to back his mum’s horse Fiorente to win $1 million in the Melbourne Cup.

TOM Waterhouse slammed his fellow bookies after they denied him the chance to back his mum’s horse Fiorente to win $1 million in the Melbourne Cup.

Waterhouse attended the traditional Call of the Card event at Crown Casino yesterday, and was the first person to try and back Fiorente when he was put up at the odds of $7.50.

But the bookies on stage, including leading Melbourne bagman Alan Eskander, refused him the seven-figure windfall, and instead capped his earn to a measly $100,000.

The decision to deny Waterhouse his bet was met with boos from some parts of the room.

While Waterhouse said he could have copped such treatment on track, it was a different story at an event like the Call of the Card, which was supposed to allow punters to win a minimum $100,000.

Eskander said the Call of the Card was "to get a price for the punters, not to accommodate bookmakers".

Gai Waterhouse Tom Waterhouse

But Waterhouse told The Daily Telegraph yesterday: "It’s really upsetting, it’s really disappointing I couldn’t get on for what I wanted.

"This wasn’t the betting spectacle it should have been. It was embarrassing really. I’ve been going to this event every year since 2008, and you’ve always been able to get bets of $1 million. Today was dreadful."

Waterhouse - Australia’s most recognisable bookie - said he found it impossible to look beyond Fiorente in today’s big race, with the horse prepared by his trainer-mother, Gai Waterhouse.

"He deserves to be favourite, you loves horses who are on an upward spiral, he had the light preparation with one run in the autumn, then had the typical Lloyd Williams `Green Moon’ spring preparation," Waterhouse said.

"His third in the Cox Plate was sensational. He’s got the perfect barrier and I expect him to start around the $7 or $7.50."

The Call of the Card featured plenty of monster bets on Fiorente, with one bet of $50,000 at the $7.50.

Eskander, like Waterhouse, said the favourite would take plenty of beating around Flemington.

"I think there will be money for this horse, we laid a bet of $50,000 at $7.50, and I think the money will continue for him," Eskander said.

"People will open the shoulders, they’re just waiting for the market to settle down. I think he’s the horse to beat."

Star import Mount Athos was put up a generous $11, while Ibicenco, the Geelong Cup winner, was backed to win more than $1 million.

After opening at $61, the bookies wound him out to $101 before the punters loaded up. One punter tried to get set for $1 million, but was knocked down to $500,000, while another punter stands to earn $200,000.

The 2011 Cup winner received one bet of $400 at $41, while last year’s victor Green Moon was the subject of ten lots of $200 bets each-way at $41.

Ethiopia was backed to win $150,000 at $91, there was a bet to win $200,000 on Mount Athos, while Fawkner ($17), Red Cadeaux ($91) and Super Cool ($61) were all backed to win $100,000.