The TAB bookmakers - and perhaps punters as well - have dodged a sizeable bullet after the abandonment of Saturday's Windsor Park Plate at Hastings.
The fixed-odds department at Petone was carrying a $250,000 liability on option 985 - an option which gave punters the chance to back Kawi to win the Hastings triple crown.
Almost $50,000 had been placed on Kawi to win the crown - the only selection available on the option at prices ranging from $7 to $4, TAB bookmaker Richard Wilson said.
The refund of all bets placed on that option was the only fair choice after the Windsor Park Plate - a 1600m affair - was rescheduled to October 24, three weeks after the 2040m Livamol Classic.
Kawi's trainer, Allan Sharrock, indicated on Sunday he would bypass the middle-distance test of the Livamol, as he felt the step up in distance was too much of a step up from his previous run over 1400m in the Makfi Challenge Stakes.
TAB bookmaker Stephen Hunt said all futures bets on the Windsor Park Plate had been refunded due to the abandonment and subsequent date change.
This included all horses that were originally nominated but withdrawn.
Futures bets on the Livamol Classic will stand, as the race will still be run at the same venue at the same date as first scheduled, Hunt said.
In the New Zealand Trotting Cup market, Ohoka Punter ($9) has drawn some money after his fresh-up win at Alexandra Park on Friday night. No Doctor Needed ($36) and Belkmyster ($41) have also been the subject of some speculative bets, Wilson said.
Jag's Invasion ($13) has been a popular multi option in the Dominion market, while money has continued to come for third-favourite Sheemon ($4.80) in the same market.
