Talking Horses: Bookies vent anger after Tote bets taken on track

On-course bookmakers have reacted with anger after discovering that Tote bets were being accepted from owners at two British race meetings on Wednesday, even though racecourse betting rings remain shut under a strict British Horseracing Authority rule that only “essential” workers are permitted at meetings behind closed doors.

Wednesday’s meetings at Southwell and Kempton Park were “test” events at which two owners per horse were allowed to attend, ahead of a full return of owners to British tracks from Saturday, when the action includes the Derby at Epsom.

Related: Leicester meeting in balance as BHA plans for further Covid-19 disruption

While owners will shortly be back on course, however, and potentially able to place cash bets with the Tote, racecourse bookies have had no indication of when they will be able to return to the ring. Their businesses have been hit particularly hard in recent months, first by the suspension of all racing in Britain from mid-March and subsequently when the sport returned behind closed doors with no spectators and thus no-one to bet with bookmakers on track.

Many have invested significant sums in buying racecourse pitches and are infuriated that the Tote has been allowed to open its betting windows while their own businesses remain in limbo.

“It’s just incredibly frustrating,” Ben Johnson, whose firm has pitches at 14 courses, said on Wednesday. “We as on-course books have literally had no information from anyone about when we might be able to return to work and then we find this. It’s a bit of a kick in the teeth really.”

The British Horseracing Authority’s protocol ahead of the resumption of racing on 1 June included a “stated strategy of minimising [racecourse] access to essential personnel only”, and also stated that “there will be no betting facilities or on-course bookmakers in attendance until further notice”.

Nigel Roddis, the managing director of Britbet, which runs on-course pool betting at Kempton Park and Southwell, said on Friday that one window had been open to accept bets as “a trial, with one member of staff, operating within the excluded area and adhering to all required precautions.”

Roddis added that the Tote had not been attempting to gain an edge on its competitors in the ring.

“There needs to be a degree of perspective,” he said. “The betting area wasn’t open, we had a facility within the zone that owners were allowed to be in, and this was a small token gesture to the small number of owners there. I’ve got nearly 600 people on furlough. It’s very hard, and I’m acutely aware of that for all the bookmakers as well. We want people back at racing, and that includes bookmakers.”

There is no indication as yet on whether owners will be able to bet with the Tote at Saturday’s meetings.

“I genuinely don’t know,” Roddis said. “That’s down to the BHA and individual racecourses. I’d like that and it wouldn’t be done in any way to be divisive, simply a reflection of the fact that owners are allowed in a very limited area and we have a facility in that area, so if we can provide a service, we will.”

Thursday’s tips

There has been plenty of rain at Bath racecourse this morning ahead of an eight-race card – 13mm since 5am, in fact – but that has only been enough to ease the going at what is generally the quickest track in Britain to good-to-firm.

That might be a slight inconvenience for some of the real course specialists which can handle the firm ground which often prevails at Bath, but it should not be an insurmountable problem for Motamayiz (4.15) as he attempts to follow a win over track and trip last week.

Roger Varian’s gelding is quite short at around 6-4, but he is the most progressive horse in the race and finished nearly four lengths clear of his field last Thursday in a very strong time and looks well in under a 6lb penalty. Dartington, also lightly-raced, is the obvious danger having got off the market at Lingfield in early June but all his racing so far has been on artificial surfaces and Bath is a tricky track for a turf debut.

Real Estate (3.40) is another solid bet on the same card after getting no luck in running here seven days ago. Newsical (12.45) and Calevade (2.50), who is back at a more suitable trip after a good run over 12 furlongs last time, while Fuchsia (5.30) makes some appeal on a tricky card at Wolverhampton.

Catterick 12.15 Crown Princess 12.45 Newsical 1.20 Prissy Missy 1.50 Sepia Belle 2.20 Kaafy 2.50 Calevade 3.20 Sly Minx 3.50 Roman’s Empress 4.25 Lady Shanawell

Bath 2.10 Awsaaf 2.40 Julie Johnston 3.10 Princely 3.40 Real Estate (nb) 4.15 Motamayiz (nap) 4.50 Arabian Moon 5.20 Rock Of Fame 5.50 Competition

Wolverhampton 5.00 Tabaahy 5.30 Fuchsia 6.00 Dark Lion 6.30 Dublin Rocker 7.00 Zapper Cass 7.30 Wrath Of Hector 8.00 Billie Beane 8.30 Musee D’Orsay 9.00 Labeebb