Fixed odds gets foot in door in France.

The good news will be that Betfair will have a market indicator on the big races and allow us to have a punt with our bookies at a realistic price, no hit and hope with the tote "the bigger the punt, the less the payout" :)o look forward to the race NOW!

You can gamble without bookmakers. Most of the world has proven it.

Anyway, Jack, this discussion is specifically about France, a country whose racing (and thus its punters) have managed just fine without bookies. I am not advocating a Tote monopoly in SA, we are decades past the point where that could be even remotely contemplated.

Tote Monopoly,with the current Organ Grinders doesn`t bare thinking about!

You got that right, Hib!

Special Duty takes centre stage in Classic trial

Preview: France, Thursday 2.10pm BST (live on ATR)

Maisons-Laffitte: Prix Imprudence (Group 3) 7f, 3yo fillies

SPECIAL DUTY, the sponsor's 5-2 favourite for the StanJames.com 1,000 Guineas on May 2, reappears in the Group 3 Prix Imprudence over 7f at Maisons-Laffitte on Thursday.

The Classic trial, live on At The Races, appears a formality for the Criquette Head-Maarek-trained star, winner of the Cheveley Park Stakes last October, despite her facing testing conditions for the first time.

Head-Maarek reports Special Duty to be "exactly how I want her", having been "delighted" by how she has wintered.

Before her Group 1 success, Khalid Abdullah's daughter of Hennessy split Arcano and Canford Cliffs in finishing second in the Darley Prix Morny, while she also lifted the Group 2 Robert Papin last season.

The Imprudence has been a good guide, as Natagora won the race before going onto take the 1,000 Guineas, and last year's winner Elusive Wave later picked up the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches.

Elusive Wave was trained by Jean-Claude Rouget, who relies on the ex-Italian Joanna (Christophe Soumillon). The daughter of High Chaparral landed the Group 3 Prix du Calvados at Deuaville in August, after which she was bought by Hamdan Al Maktoum and finished her two-year-old term with a third to Rosanara in the Prix Marcel Boussac.

Omar El Sharif's Lixirova (David Smaga/Gregory Benoist) was sixth in the Calvados and ended her juvenile campaign by making virtually all to win the Group 3 Prix Miesque over course and distance, beating Wonderfilly (Philippe Demercastel/Flavien Prat), who reopposes.

Trained by Francois Rohaut, Evading Tempete was the easy winner of the Listed Prix Rond de Nuit at Deauville on the all-weather in March, and should again beat Ascot Glory (Stephane Wattel/Raphael Marchelli).

Saying (Freddy Head/Olivier Peslier) is out of Pas De Reponse, who won the Imprudence in 1997. She wears blinkers for the first time and landed two of her three races last year, including the Listed Prix Herod.

David Toft's sportlight verdict: Special Duty

What they say

Criquette Head-Maarek, trainer of Special Duty
"She is exactly how I want her at this time of the season. The filly is just fine and working nicely. Her coat is getting better but it has been rather cold in the early part of the year. I am delighted by the way she wintered and the testing ground will be the same for all the runners. She has never run over further than six furlongs but the extra should pose no problem."

Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, owner of Joanna
"We will find out a little more about her after this trial but the trainer is very happy with her and she has been working well at home. Obviously there is Special Duty to beat and if she does well, we will probably be looking at the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches."

Freddie Head, trainer of Saying
"She is in good form and condition and has been working well. It is a very good race and I think we are a little below some of the others on form. I have put first time blinkers on because I think she goes much better in them."

I guess we'll be watching the Presstheredbuttonandgetallthelatestsnookerodds Maiden Claiming Selling Stakes from Leicester instead.

Hey Magic ,I'm sure that you have often stated that you don't gamble...well then, with respect mate,your opinion on gambling is worth the same as the popes opinion on sex lol

I can have an opinion on gambling, Rob. It is just as valid as anybody else's, especially as I actually know a little about this industry. I also have an opinion about food and clothes even though I can't cook and I can't sew.

You didn`t mention sex there magic ...lol

Every punter I have met in 40 years has made use of fixed odds prices,in some form or other,as long as they are available.A poll amongst punters on this subject would be a "no contest"

Tad dissapointing to say the least