Lucky punter turns $10 into $120k after picking First 4 in the Doncaster Mile
ONE lucky punter was laughing all the way to the bank after winning a stunning bet at Randwick on the weekend.
THERE were plenty of upsets at Randwick on Saturday, but one lucky punter was laughing all the way to the bank after It’s Somewhat’s shock win in the Doncaster Mile.
While most people were tearing up their tickets as $31 shot It’s Somewhat dashed away to win the $3m Doncaster Mile, one punter couldn’t stop cheering after landing the First 4 in the big race and turning his $10 bet into almost $120,000.
The lucky person hit the jackpot by boxing the four horses (It’s Somewhat / Happy Clapper / Sense Of Occasion / Palentino) in the day’s feature event over 1600m. The dividend on the NSW TAB returned a whopping $283,840.
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Their $10 outlay netted them 41.66 per cent of the dividend which gave them the grand total of $118,247.
Another NSW TAB customer also had a bit of luck in the Country Championships Final, which was taken out by another roughie, Free Standing.
The punter turned $30 into nearly $19,000 after snaring 25 per cent of the trifecta in the race.
They boxed six numbers and when Free Standing saluted at $38.80 on the NSW tote, the dividend was always going to be large. With roughies After All That and Not for Export filling the minors, the trifecta paid a whopping $74,791.80.
The First 4 topped six figures at $101,918 with Careless Choice winding up fourth.
TAB BIG BETS
RANDWICK
RACE ONE
Property ($5.50-$4.80) was an impressive winner of the first and landed some good bets in the process. Settling close to the speed, jockey Hugh Bowman pulled the Robert Smerdon-trained runner into the clear and the horse did the rest as it raced away to win clearly. Condor Heroes ($4.80) missed the start but flashed home to finish second while the heavily supported Sheika ($5-$4.40) wound up third. The most popular runner in terms of money taken was Alizee, who drifted badly from $2.90 earlier in the week out to $4.60.
BETS: Property $2,000 @ $4.80, $2,000 @ $4.60
RACE TWO
Acatour ($10-$9) race right away after being given a perfect ride by Blake Shinn. While there were a few $1,000 bets rolling in late for the Snowden-trained runner most of the money was with favourite, Theanswermyfriend ($2.40). The Melbourne visitor held well over half of all bets on the race and after chasing the leader Veladero ($19), couldn’t offer anything when challenged by Acatour and finished second. Veladero held third.
BETS: Theanswermyfriend $3,000 @ $2.40, Acatour $1,000 @ $10 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE THREE
Big Duke ($2.50-$2.30-$2.40) was ultra impressive after stalking the speed and racing away to easily take out the Chairman’s Handicap. Punters were all over the Darren Weir-trained runner and such was the popularity of the Sydney Cup favourite that the next three in the market (Alegria, Aloft, Rock On) didn’t hold as much collectively as the winner did. Aloft ($4) wound up second while Rock On ($10-$9) came from the second half of the field to grab the minor end of the money.
BETS: Big Duke $2,000 @ $2.40 MULTIPLE TIMES
RACE FOUR
Free Standing ($51-$41-$31) didn’t attract a great deal of money but Blake Shinn utilised the most of barrier one to score an upset win. In taking out the Country Championships Final after cutting back to the inside on straightening for the run home, Free Standing made it four straight winners for the day from barrier one. After All That ($16) finished second while Not For Export ($201) grabbed third at huge odds. Race favourite Perfect Dare ($3.70), which held 30 per cent of all bets, was just behind the placegetters. The two biggest movers in betting today were Galaxy Warrior ($16-$7) and Pelerin ($16-$10).
BETS: Caerless Choice $1,000 @ $10 MULTIPLE TIMES, Perfect Dare $2,000 @ $3.40, Galaxy Warrior $2,000 @ $11
RACE FIVE
Diddums ($26-$21) made the most of leading for the majority of the race to take out the PJ Bell.
It was the first winner not to come from barrier one, however, it did start from gate two. The runner-up, Prompt Response ($8-$9.50-$7) did start from barrier one and followed the winner throughout. Smart Amelia ($26) grabbed third. Most punters were in the corner of Raiment who held 65 per cent of the market and was one of the best backed runners all day. Despite racing up on the speed and looking a winning chance turning for home, the John O’Shea-trained runner couldn’t pick up and was unplaced.
BETS: Raiment $5,000 @ $2.35, $4,500 @ $2.35
RACE SIX
Invader ($7.50-$8) landed a long-range move after producing a booming finish down the centre of the track. TAB had him at $15 once Final Field betting was active but money throughout the week saw him firm dramatically by Friday afternoon into as low as $6.50. Summer Passage ($11-$15) did it tough outside the leader but stuck on gamely for second while Trapeze Artist grabbed the minor end of the prizemoney. Early leader Sircconi ($31-$41) held fourth. The majority of the investment, 65 per cent to be exact, sat with Frolic ($4.40-$3.80) and Tulip ($5-$4.40).
BETS: Frolic $3,000 @ $3.80, Invader $4,600 e/w @ $8/$2.64
RACE SEVEN
Jon Snow ($8-$7.50) took out the ATC Derby after stalking the leaders. Issuing a strong challenge to the leader Harper’s Choice up the straight, the Tulloch Stakes winner overpowered the frontrunner to score a narrow win. Harper’s Choice ($31-$41) had little interest but ran a bottler while Hardham ($15-$16-$41), which was up on the speed, wound up third. Hot favourite Gingernuts ($3-$2.60) was near the rear of the field along with Inference ($4.40-$5) and although they made sweeping runs approaching the turn, couldn’t maintain the rage and were unplaced. Gingernuts was one of the best backed runners in Australia all day and held four times the amount of money than the second pick, Inference. The Kiwi also held 10 times as much as the winner Jon Snow.
BETS: Jon Snow $2,000 @ $8, Gingernuts $30,000 @ $3, $7,000 @ $2.90
RACE EIGHT
Chautauqua ($4.60-$6) was a constant drifter throughout the week but the ‘Grey Flash’ defied the pattern of the day to win. Although he did blow in the betting he still held more money than any of the runners bar Russian Revolution. Last on the turn, Chautauqua flashed home down the centre of the track to beat English ($11-$16) who looked all over the winner after sitting behind the leader throughout. Fell Swoop ($16) took all the pressure served up by the heavily backed Russian Revolution ($4-$2.80-$3.40) but still held third. The move for Russian Revolution, which began once Final Field betting commenced, saw him crunched from $7 on Tuesday into as low as $2.80. He held nearly 30 per cent of all bets. One of the other moves today was for Voodoo Lad who firmed up from $16 in the morning into $10.
BETS: Russian Revolution $9,100 @ $3.10, $4,000 @ $3.30, Chautauqua $5,000 @ $6.50
RACE NINE
It’s Somewhat ($35-$31) led throughout to score a big upset in The Star Doncaster Mile. The John O’Shea-trained galloper didn’t attract any real support and only held more money than Arod, Endless Drama and Euro Angel. Zac Purton dictated terms to perfection to hold off the well supported Happy Clapper ($9-$6.50-$7.50) in a thrilling finish. Sense Of Occasion ($51-$61-$41) grabbed the minor end of the prize. Le Romain ($5.50-$4.80-$5) was sent out the popular pick and held nearly 33 per cent of the total investment on the Group One. The Kris Lees-trained was three times as popular as Redkirk Warrior ($10-$6.50), Antonio Giuseppe ($15-$14) and Happy Clapper. The late move came for Spectroscope ($12-$7.50) who tumbled in late but was well back in the field and couldn’t get back into the race.
BETS: Le Romain $3,000 @ $4.80, Redkirk Warrior $10,000 @ $11 (taken earlier in the week), Happy Clapper $3,000 @ $8, $3,000 @ $8.50
RACE 10
Waking Moment ($41-$26) was specked late in betting and arrived just in time to knock off Perfect Rhyme ($6). In a wide open betting affair, Baysa ($8.50-$4.80) was backed confidently as was Dancing Hare ($26-$18) while High Impulse ($7-$9.50) and Almalita ($13-$9.50) also had their share of admirers.
Originally published as Lucky punter turns $10 into $120k after picking First 4 in the Doncaster Mile
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