Day one at Ascot and the punters on top!

Layers report 'carnage' on day one of Ascot


THE opening day of Royal Ascot left one major bookmaker surveying a scene of "carnage" after heavily backed favourites Scenic Blast, Mastercraftsman and Canford Cliffs proved the major culprits on a day of expensive woe for the layers.

While Strike The Tiger offered bookmakers some relief by taking the finale at 33-1, the afternoon's two other winners, Paco Boy and Judgethemoment, were also popular with punters.

Victor Chandler spokesman Neal Wilkins said: "Mastercraftsman, Canford Cliffs and Judgethemoment were truly awful results. Canford and Judgethemoment were massive losers in the book, and it was hard to take. It's been carnage here. They are going out of the trading room on stretchers."

In similar vein, Totesport's George Primarolo said: "The victory of Scenic Blast might have left us reeling, but it was Mastercraftsman that provided the knockout blow.

"The punters definitely have the upper hand going into the second day of the royal meeting."

More losses were incurred by bookmakers in the ring, from where Colin Webster said: "The results today have been very bad. I've lost about £20,000, but with the way the results went, that was a good performance. The worst for me were Mastercraftsman and Canford Cliffs, and even a 33-1 winner in the last didn't help much as it was difficult to take money on that race."

After an opening day treble, Richard Hughes is 4-9 to be crowned the meeting's top jockey with William Hill and 8-15 with Totesport, who quote Ryan Moore at 2-1 and Johnny Murtagh at 8-1.

Hughes said: "If I didn't ride three winners today, I thought I had no chance. My next best chance would be Monsieur Chevalier in the Norfolk."

The hunt cup winner will probably keep them just infront today!

As suggested by scotia

lol

Just watching an interview with bookie barry Dennis and he has a massive grin on his face,money back it looks like...

Balance of power rests with punters on day two


SOME bookmakers won and some bookmakers lost on day two of Royal Ascot, but with 18 races to go, the balance of power still rests with punters.

While the afternoon's first three winners left most layers smiling, the heavily backed Forgotten Voice, Jealous Again and Moneycantbuymelove ensured that pleasure was followed by pain.

Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: "What started as a great day for the bookies quickly turned sour as the Hunt Cup favourite cruised home followed by the hottest horse of the day in the shape of Jealous Again in the Queen Mary. When Moneycantbuymelove won the last, we knew it was time to go home."

66/1 last race!

BOOKMAKERS large and small were cursing the name of Yeats tonight after the record-breaking stayer cost what the industry reckoned was a £10 million payout.

Yeats, available at 9-4 at the startof the day, was backed into 6-4 favourite. He won at 11-8 last year, 8-13 in 2007 and 7-1 three years ago.

Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: "Yeats has cost the bookies more money than any horse in Royal Ascot history.They'll have to erect a statue but there's no way we can afford to pay for it now."

Coral's Dave Stevens said: "Everyone in the country was on. It was the worst result of the week for bookmakers but I think on this occasion we will be cheering him on with everyone else as we've seen history made."

Paddy Power were counting the cost of "one of the worst results of the year" and there was similar gloom in the betting ring where rails bookmakers Geoff Banks laid a bet of £35,000-£20,000 on Yeats.