Betfair Washup: Bucking The Trend

3 minute read

With all the great opportunities on the Betfair Exchange comes incredible data. The team at Betfair provides a Washup of all the key racing results across the day including biggest Betfair Starting Price winners, Bad Beats, In-play Longshots and more.

The magic man Joao Moreira put on a show as Caulfield took the stage for Underwood Stakes Day.

An expert ride delivered Buckaroo a maiden Group 1 win, and yet another for master trainer Chris Waller. The victory came with a 45% price advantage over Best tote to add more sparkle for punters.

Pericles, a regular Group 1 bridesmaid, had to settle for the podium again, rather than the gold medal, placing third.

Arguably the win of the day at Caulfield came from the popular Jimmysstar in the BM 100 sprint. Upsetting the highly fancied Commerative and shattering Ashford Street's push for glory.

In Sydney it was all about the girls, with Autumn Glow and Fangirl saluting as well supported favourites in the Tea Rose Stakes (Autumn Glow) and the 7+ Sport Stakes (Fangirl).

Perhaps Fangirl had a little extra support riding on her back after the tragic passing of stablemate and star Riff Rocket, in what proved an emotional win for connections.

The other thing Autumn Glow and Fangirl had in common? James McDonald and Chris Waller!

I am Me made it a hat trick of listed race wins for J Mac. when he got I Am Me home in the Group 2 Yarraman Park Shorts.

BEST BACKED WINNERS

It is hard to go past the two golden girls mentioned above.

Autumn Glow was the subject of a bit of lay betting, but ultimately held 55% of a nearly $500,000 pool before winning her race.

Fangirl (pictured) was even more popular, with a 70% hold of $451,000.

At Caulfield, the favourites didn't always have it their way, but Poifect was one who did. Nearly $870,000 was matched on the race with nearly half of that in his corner. Michael Dee did the rest for team Hayes!

Another Will was also very well supported on the way to victory in the Testa Rossa Stakes, with 65% of a large pool. Jamie Kah shook off a tricky week to get it done.

IN-PLAY BOLTERS AND BAD BEATS

At Morphettville yesterday, we had two runners trade at less than $1.30 in the run and get beaten, with another hitting $1.78 in the same race before going under.

Oochie Magucchee $1.20) and Aramoso ($1.27) were both short priced favourites, as was Overstated trade ($1.78) before Alibi beat all of them.

The most amazing result of the day though came at Caulfield in Race 6. Jimmysstar coming from the clouds to upset Ashford Street who looked home!

Jimmysstar traded at $400 in the run before getting the chocolates. Ashford Street was the horror beat of the day, hitting $1.04 at one point, with $272 matched at that price.

PRICE ADVANTAGE

Notable advantages

CAULFIELD

R1: Whiskey on the Hill, BSP $9.90, Top Tote $6.60, ADV 50% (PICTURED)

R6: Jimmysstar, BSP $8.20, Top tote $6, ADV 36.7%

R7: Positivity, BSP $19.61, Top tote $16.30, ADV 20.3%

R8: Buckaroo, BSP $10,46, Top tote $7.20, ADV 45.3%

RANDWICK

R3: Floating, BSP $24, Top tote $18.90, ADV 27.1%

R6: Mchale, BSP $34.15, Top tote $27.90, ADV 22.4%

(And every other race on the card held an advantage between 8 and 16%)

MORPHETTVILLE

R1: Talissay, BSP $7.20, Top tote $5.90, ADV 22.3%

R2: Overstated BSP $6.61, Top tote $5.40, ADV 22.4%

R4: Eishaa BSP $22.50, Top tote $16.60, ADV 35.5%

R5: Nury's BSP: $8.61, Top tote $6.60, ADV 30.5%

GOLD COAST

R2: Rollercoaster BSP: $13, Top tote $9.60, ADV 35.4%

R3: Bak Da Man BSP: $12.04, Top tote $10.30, ADV 16.9%

MAKYDE DIVA STAKES DAY WASHUP

Spring is all about the superstars, and few things are better than when two brilliant horses come together to produce an electric finish.

In perhaps the closest thing today's racing has to the mighty battles between Sunline and Northerly, Pride of Jenni and Mr Brightside clashed in yet another Group 1.

What made the aforementioned battles so special was the contrast in styles between the leader and the chaser.

In the modern installment, the leader Pride of Jenni has landed several blows, but this time it was the chaser Mr Brightside who got the points to win back to back Makybe Diva Stakes.

Other notable performances came earlier in the day with Point King making a Melbourne Cup statement with an excellent win in the Group 3 Archer Stakes.

Grinzinge Belle took out the Let's Elope and Arkansaw Kid delivered Craig Newitt his second listed victory of the day in the Bobbie Lewis.

Traffic Warden stole the show in Sydney with a double figure BSP and a sizeable price advantage, with Lady Shenandoah (Ming Dynasty) and Sunshine in Paris (Sheraco Stakes) also impressing.

To top things off we had a $133 BSP winner at Morphettville with Stormsarrived causing exactly that!

With a top tote price of $71 this was a huge result for Exchange punters.

BEST BACKED WINNERS

$1.6 million was matched on the Makybe Diva Stakes, the biggest volume on a race since the T.J Smith in the Autumn.

83% of that went to three horses, with Mr Brightside (pictured) ultimately the best backed winner of the day.

The best result for Cash Back 2nd punters also came in that race with Pride of Jenni.

Via Sistina, who jumped favourite, was the subject of four lay suggestions amongst Betfair's experts through Lay Back with Betfair and Pros v Bookies, with the main query being the fact they were in their first Melbourne start.

Other notables

Growing Empire: $525,000 in Race 4 Flemington

Dawn Serviec: $458,000 in Race 5 Flemington.

BAD BEATS AND BLOWOUTS

We saw some short priced favourites tumble through the day, as is often the case on the major meetings.

Storm Boy (pictured) jumped $1.98 in the James Squire at Rosehill but it was Traffic Warden who got the job done. Storm Boy held 61% of volume on the race.

Joliestar was well supported at the same meeting, jumping at $2.04 with 59% of volume in their corner.

At Flemington, Via Sistina was part of that three way avalanche in the Diva only to get beaten by Pride of Jenni and Mr Brightside.

Drifting was very well supported in Race 3 before going under as well.

Stormsarrived was mentioned earlier and he was the blow out of the day at Morphettville. With nearly $600 matched at a BSP of $133.25!

Tribeca Star was a very messy beat at Eagle Farm yesterday as well, trading at $1.01 with $533 matched at that price.

Flemington Race 6 saw four runners trade at less than $2 in play before Chrysaor, who jumped at $34.74 and hit $50 in the run got the victory.

PRICE ADVANTAGE

Notable advantages by track

Flemington

R3: Bellatrix Star BSP: $20, Top tote $15.90, ADV: 25.8%

R6: Chrysaor (Pictured) BSP: $34.74, Top tote $23.70 ADV: 46.4%

R7: Grinzinger Belle BSP: $18.10, Top tote $14.30 ADV: 25.1%

R9: Arkansaw Kid BSP: $7.95, Top tote: $5.95 ADV: 33%

Rosehill

R2: Awaygoesthebunny BSP: $10.02, Top tote $7.80, ADV: 28.3%

R5: Firestorm BSP: $26.57, Top tote: $19.40, ADV: 37%

R8: Traffic Warden BSP: $10.69, Top tote: $9.10, ADV: 17.5%

Morphettville

R2: Stormsarrived BSP: $133.25, Top tote: $69.20, ADV: 92.6%

R3: Andrews Memory BSP: $7.14, Top tote: $5.40 ADV: 32.2%

R9: Silent Don BSP: $11, Top tote: $8.10, ADV: 38.1%

Eagle Farm

R7: Linthorpe Lad BSP: $36.61, Top Tote $31.20, ADV: 17.3%

R8: Nashira BSP: $19.64, Top tote $16.90, ADV: 16.2%

Belmont

R2: Real Deluxe BSP: $4.39, Top tote $3.50 ADV: 25.3%

R5: Stop Dreaming BSP: $7.04, Top tote $5.90 ADV: 19.3%

R7: Odinaka BSP: $54.90, Top tote: $47.10 ADV 16.7%

R9: Buckets Ridge BSP: $9.17, Top tote: $7.30 ADV 25.7%

THAT WAS THE SEASON THAT WAS 2023/2024

As we reach the end of the 2023/2024 racing season we reflect on the highs and lows, as well as the unbelievable from the year that was.

With some extraordinary results on the Betfair exchange, we will dive into the BSP blowouts, the horror beats and the in-play miracles from a memorable 12 months of racing.

From Without A Fight defying 23 years of history to Pride of Jenni upsetting superstar after superstar, and in the process confirming she is indeed one herself.

From the jet-setting Bella Nipotina, to a $793 winner who no-one rated. We'll have it all in the season that was.

BIGGEST BSP WINNERS

We go to Kilcoy in Queensland for the highest BSP winner of the season.

Roar Hide has just one victory from 28 career starts, but that one win was a gem. With a BSP of $793.33 Roar Hide would roll forward and just keep going to produce a stunner that seemingly came out of nowhere.

Catch Me Out at Muswellbrook won a 900m maiden at $455.40 in October, whilst Aureus Miss did similar over 1600m in a Pakenham maiden at $440.

Of the metro runners to do it, the highlight was Makram at Flemington in the Listed Elms Handicap in February.

Makram (pictured) jumped at $316.52 which dwarfed the best tote price of $151 by over 200%!

Jimmysstar was $1.30 in the same race, and traded as low as $1.12 in play.

Eight runners in total would produce victories in the season with a BSP of $300 or higher, with three of those in city class racing.

TOP 10 BSP WINNERS

THE BAD BEATS

For every high their must also be a low! With some short priced favourites coming unstuck through the season.

With the lay function a unique feature of Betfair, these results can be as good as tipping something at a blowout price.

Tapa Kick was expected to bolt in during a 1600m maiden at Gunnedah in July, pinging the gates with a BSP of $1.12.

It was not to be though, with Tapa Kick being one of ten runners beaten despite a BSP of $1.25 or shorter.

The Messara runner did go on to win twice for the season as a consolation.

Jimmysstar as mentioned earlier was one of the worst in a listed race, with the $1.30 BSP before the Makram defeat.

Six of the worst eight beats for the season came in maidens which could perhaps underline the difficult punting nature of those races.

TOP 10 BAD BEATS (BSP)

IN-PLAY BOLTERS AND HORROR SHOWS

Bella Nipotina would run in Group 1 races in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne during the season, winning a pair of them as well as appearing in the feature even "The Quokka" in WA.

Of all Bella's achievements, the effort to win the Giga Kick after hitting $280 in-play was probably the most remarkable.

Private Eye fans would have experienced that race very differently, with the runner trading at $1.01 before Bella Nipotina found a gap and poked her nose through to win.

A number of horses "maxed out" at $1000 in-play during the season, with Offspring once such example over the 1400m at Wagga in March.

Barry the Poet by chance produced a $1000 in-play win at Dubbo just 18 minutes after Bella Nipotina's result in the Giga Kick.

Mi Rock Aly in April at Bendigo was three lengths clear with 100m to go at $1.02 with over $5000 traded at the price before Samuel Langhorne got home from $700 in-play as well.

It is worth also mentioned Left Turn Clyde at Morphettville in April who opened at $226 despite a best tote of just $81. He hit $609 in the run before winning handsomely.

HISTORY

We had Imperatriz (pictured) become the first horse to be backed for a million dollars twice in the same season with the Kiwi champion the star of the year.

Without A Fight became the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to win the Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double despite the heavy support for both Gold Trip and Vauban on the first tuesday in November.

Pride of Jenni is the other horse who deserves to be in the votes for the year, with three group 1s, two of them coming during the same week in the Flemington carnival, and both of them at double figures.

Happy birthday to all the magnificent Thoroughbreds out there who make following this sport a pleasure.

PRICE ADVANTAGES

The top 20 BSP's for the season also came with a substantial price advantage.

These BSP's ranked from $240 all the way up to $793.

With the scale as follows.

On Roar Hide a $10 outlay would generate an additional $6400 for Exchange punters which is extraordinary.

STRADBROKE DAY WASHUP

Jeff Lloyd won 94 Group 1 races amongst over 5500 victories in his career.

Son Zac has been a fine jockey for a number of years and has now cemented his name on the Group 1 honor role with victory in the Stradbroke Handicap yesterday.

His expert steer got Stefi Magnetica home at Eagle Farm at a tidy price with the All Too Hard mare toughing it out impressively.

First to greet Zac on his return to scale was his old man, and that was when it struck home.

"I was fine the whole time cantering back, but to see my dad has got me emotional," Lloyd said post-race.

"It is really good just to get that group one on my resume. I've had some great opportunities in the past year or so and I haven't been able to capitalise. To get the job done today in a very big race, it is very special."

Earlier in the day we saw Broadsiding blow them away in the J.J.Atkins en route to a possible Cox Plate later in the year.

These were two highlights on an overall brilliant day of racing across Australia.

BEST BACKED WINNERS

We mentioned Broadsiding earlier, and he takes the cake here.

The star colt (pictured) got up at $1.70 with 68% of the market hold ahead of his Group 1.

It won't be the last time he's the best backed runner on the card.

Earlier in the day we had Freedom Rally kick off the Eagle Farm program with a very well supported victory.

At Sandown it was Miss Roundini, Hard to Cross and Mrs Chrissie who were the best supported winners.

BAD BEATS AND IN-PLAY BOLTERS

Watch for the Euros and the T20 World Cup to throw up some specials (for the wrong reasons) over coming days.

In the NRL it was the Gold Coast Titans who produced a horror beat for backers, after trading at $1.13 against the West Tigers when seemingly in control.

They were matched for nearly $1000 at that price.

In racing the worst beat or beats came at Belmont, where five horses traded as a sub $2 favourite in the same race!

Climb on Top was one of them, and duly saluted but Ginger Green (pictured) ($1.41), Fortunes Luck ($1.53), El Patron ($1.61) and Elbow Lounge ($1.98) were all short priced favourites in the last 300m.

PRICE ADVANTAGE

Alegron was an early standout at Eagle Farm, with a 17% price edge on the $9 BSP result in Race 4.

Broadsiding was somehow 13.3% better despite being heavily backed in the J.J.Atkins, with Fawkner Park (pictured) the best overall in Qld in the very last of the day at 19%.

At Sandown we saw Ten Deep win Race 2 with a 29% edge for Exchange punters with Name Dropper going even better in Race 3 at 34%.

Hard To Cross, Mrs Chrissie and Gentleman Roy all went at a double figure edge with Cadmus doing the same in the last.

THE BOOL DAY 2: OFF THE CHAIN

Day Two at Warrnambool is in the book and with it came another series of brilliant racing stories.

A jockey winning the Galleywood just 10 days after first winning a race in Australia, and a class galloper shone brightly in the Wangoom.

Chains of Honour (pictured) went around over the mile at Flemington in March and seven weeks later he was charging home in the Galleywood at a double figure price for Ciaron Maher.

It was his first start over the jumps in more than two years, with a recent trial delivering the team all the confidence they needed.

French jockey Luca Remondet won his first Australia race in Pakenham less than two weeks ago and now has a feature in the book.

"It's unbelievable and you can't describe it," Remondet said after the race.

"This feeling is amazing, he's an amazing horse, we have an amazing team, so thanks to everyone for that and now we will enjoy it."

Tuvalu followed the value path with a double figure win in the Wangoom for Lindsey Smith.

Tuvalu's last start was the Railway in Perth in November and his last win was the Group 1 Toorak Handicap in 2022.

His price on reflection certainly seemed overs.

Cotton Tree kicked the day off with a 16% price advantage when winning the first for the Price/Kent team.

Whistle Down kept the Symon Wilde party going with a victory in the second at a 6% edge.

La Pleine Lune planted the French seeds for the day in Race 3 with a victory at a 156% advantage for team Hayes.

Tom Foolery was close to the best backed runner of the day in Race 4 when saluting for John Leek, whilst Ti Tri Lad delivered impressively in the fifth.

Linda Meech is usually good for a victory during the Warrnambool carnival and she did so in Race 7, thus delivering the best price advantage of the day at 21% aboard Whistlefield.

Kimmorley gave Maddie Raymond a second victory in two days in the penultimate at a 17% edge, before the superbly named Jabbawockeez closed out the day in style.

The Warrnambool Cup and the Grand Annual will headline Day 3 from the fabulous Bool!

All tips are live from Expert Jackson Oldham, and check out the daily watchlist from jumps expert Nick McQualter.

WARRNAMBOOL DAY 1 WRAP

Day one at the Bool has been run and done with some terrific racing, headlined by  herculian performance in the Brierly Steeplechase.

Stern Idol was the short priced favourite but had to pull out all stops to lug 73kg across the 3450m to record a victory. Headed in the straight and severely challenged the Maher/Eustace runner was brave in the face of an 8kg weight difference to outlast Instigator.

The day had started well for the local Maher/Eustace team with Alakahan opening the carnival with a victory in the first at a 6.5% edge over best tote.

Symon Wilde's team have had the best strike rate of any trainer during the Warrnambool carnival over the last five years, and they were quickly into work with Bazini in race 2.

The aptly named Leaderboard won at $10 in Race 3 with a 14% price advantage befor Maher/Eustace followed up the first hurdle win of the carnival with the first flats win of the carnival as well over the 1200m in Race 4 with Cazini.

One of the best price advantages came in Race 5 when team Hayes got Harpalee home with a 28.8% edge…#tokillabesttote

The Brierly threw up amazing betting activity with Stern Idol hitting $50 in-play when looking out on his feet.

Instigator had $500 matched on him at $1.04 in the run whilst Brittanicus traded at $1.65 in the run as well.

Vivideel won Race 7 whilst Maddie Raymond's quest for back to back Warnambool Cups ticked it's first box when Rolls got it done over the 1700m.

He followed the same path 12 months ago.

"But I am happy I have got the runs into him I need to, to have him on song. "And I think he's going as good as what he was last year." Raymond told racing.com

Prince Sonic's $42.31 win the penultimate beat Sportsbet by 21% which was a lucrative result and Romantic Choice brought it home with a $16 win in the final event.

The Galleywood Hurdle and the Wangoom will headline Day 2 from the fabulous Bool!

All tips are live from Expert Jackson Oldham, and check out the daily watchlist from jumps expert Nick McQualter.

SANGSTER DAY WASH UP

Group 1 racing hit Adelaide and the Sun and the Stars were visible at Morphettville as the SA carnival launched in spectacular fashion.

Vibrant Sun claimed a thrilling photo finish in the Australasian Stakes whilst locally trained Climbing Star delivered a stunner in the Robert Sangster, upsetting the highly fancied Estriella who finished a long way back.

The top three in the feature event were all in double figure odds when they jumped, meaning those who played the Exotics could have had a very strong afternoon.

Learning to Fly who ran second happened to hit $1.03 in-play as well…oh and we had a horse win on the Gold Coast with a $400 BSP…just quietly.

Vobis day at Caulfield threw up some terrific racing, and we had listed events in Queensland and WA for good measure.

With price advantages, some huge firms and some epic upsets, this was another memorable day of racing.

Next stop Warrnambool! Where we will be providing daily feature interviews and Washup pieces for our Hub readers.

BEST BACKED WINNERS

Berkeley Square (pictured) drifted a fraction before the jump but was still the best backed runner of the day to salute at Caulfield.

Holding nearly 55% of over $600,000 in matched volume his victory was a popular one for punters. It also came at a price advantage.

Aviatress kicked the day off strongly in Adelaide with a victory as clearly the best supported runner in that race.

Growing Empire in the second was another well supported runner who got the job done.

FIRMERS AND DRIFTERS

The firmers and drifters were on point early in the day!

Aviatress (pictured) firmed from $2.52 into $2 before winning the opener at Morphettville as mentioned earlier, with Growing Empire also shortening from $3.70 into $2.44 ahead of Race 2

Jemoma Alpilage moved from $3.60 into $2.54 at Eagle Farm before winning Race 3.

Berkeley Square was a drift as stated above, from $2.30 out to $2.80 but was able to win that race regardless.

Shamrock Sally ran second after a large drift at Kembla Grange in Race 4 whilst Skirt the Law was unplaced in race 6 at Eagle Farm after the biggest drift of the day.

Hedged also drifted in the penultimate race at Caulfield before running third.

BAD BEATS AND IN-PLAY BOLTERS

An extraordinary last ball finish in a Women's Cricket ODI between Pakistan and the West Indies is a standout here.

Pakistan needed 1 run to tie and 2 runs to win but lost a wicket off that final ball to go down by the smallest possible margin.

They had traded at $1.02 in-play with the West Indies matched for over $1000 at $34.

At the Gold Coast we saw one of the highest BSP winners you could ever imagine!

Gus the Bus got up at $394,48 in Race 3, and wait until you see the price advantage. An extraordinary result.

Rosehill also saw some crazy action with three runners losing in the same race despite all of them trading at less than $1.70.

Broadway Bouncer ($1.23), Sumo Star ($1.51) and Xtra Gear ($1.69) were all favourites before Everyone's a Star got it done.

Everyone may be a star, but they can't all be winners.

Learning to Fly (pictured) was the sickest beat of them all though, going down in the Robert Sangster Stakes from $1.03 in play just before the post!

I am Me ($1.47) and Estriella ($1.88) also got very short in that same race.

PRICE ADVANTAGE

Gus the Bus should have this entirely to his own.

$394.48 BSP is one thing, but how about a 243.3% price advantage over best tote?

The Best Tote was $114.90 which means a $10 outlay leaves you $2,700 better off. That is extraordinary.

Back on planet earth Seonee was the best of them at Morphettville with a 42.3% edge in Race 6, whilst Skybird was 21% better in Race 5.

Climbing Star's 9% edge was solid in the Sangster given the $33.60 BSP.

Chicago Storm brought it home well with 34% in the last.

Caulfield threw up a belter in the first, with Awapuni Princess's (pictured) $48 BSP producing a 150% boost on best tote!

Albanian I am  (25%), Belles Saviour (35%) and Extra Two (33%) continued a rollicking start at the Heath.

Stanley Express was a crazy 66% better in Race 8 as well.

Did we mention Gus the Bus on the Gold Coast?