Punters wipe out bookies for £500,000 after backing 100-1 outsider in co-ordinated betting ring attack
A GOOD old-fashioned gamble wiped out bookies to the tune of £500,000 – after a group of punters launched an amazing betting ring attack.
Rocky’s Diamond won at 100-1 at Limerick and a photo of a betting slip showing a punt for €250 each way has gone viral online.
But that colossal €30,000 (£26,000) return was just the tip of the iceberg.
A double including Rocky’s Diamond and Diamond Nora, who was backed from 150-1 into 16-1 before winning at Ballinrobe, also came in.
According to Irish Racing, a major off-course bookie was walloped for €339,000 (£291,000) from the outlandish €30 each-way punt.
The winnings didn’t stop there, as reports of one punter at Limerick and a group at Ballinrobe working together collectively stung the bookies big time.
It is believed all their winnings combined cost the layers around half a million quid.
Both the horses are trained by Declan Queally, who runs his Irish yard alongside his son of the same name.
Declan Junior is brother of top Flat jockey Tom Queally, who rode Frankel to all 14 of his victories.
Incredibly, both brothers were on board horses who won in Barney Curley’s famous 2010 gamble.
The legendary bettor, whose ‘Yellow Sam’ coup has gone down in history as the greatest gamble ever, landed an estimated £4million from the four-fold.
On-course bookmaker Brian McDonnell was one of those hit by the latest gamble.
He explained how it came about and how he was ‘out the game’ after Rocky’s Diamond won easily by five lengths.
He told Irish Racing: “It was a really bad day for us but if I had allowed him the bet he asked for, it would have been desperate.
“The customer struck the bet six minutes before the off and if the race started 20 minutes later, he’d still have been putting money on.
“I was out of the game after laying the bet and Tocky McCarthy (fellow bookmaker), who was standing beside me, was taken next.
“There was no point going to my fellow bookmakers (to hedge) at 100-1 and 50-1, as they weren’t going to lay me and I was stuck with it.
“Bookmakers had assumed he was backing the favourite or second-favourite because they couldn’t see the price changing (on the longshot) and couldn’t figure out which horse he was backing, until he went to them.
“That helped him get around the ring and I quickly realised he was trying to take every bookmaker out – which he had a fair go at.
“In the region of €100,000 was won at Limerick and my bet was settled that day.
“I sent a message to Ballinrobe to say what was going on but as the horse passed the line at Limerick, the reply said ‘they’re at it here as well’.
“Unfortunately my father got caught at Ballinrobe but not to the same level.
“Ballinrobe has more bookmakers and they spread their bets but it wasn’t hit for the same volume.
“Limerick has a smaller ring and was done by only one man.”
Amazingly it could have been even worse with the Queally-trained Olympy De Cerisy being backed into 11-10 favourite in the bumper.
But despite going clear the five-year-old gelding finished runner-up to Willie Mullins’ 5-4 Ballygunner Castle.
Punters were in awe of the colossal gamble.
One said: “I have a feeling this is the biggest touch in Irish racing in years. Well done all concerned.”
While another posted: “That’s a beautiful thing and probably well deserved.”
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Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chases their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org