Latest news with #Merchant
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot bookie loses £367,000 after five favourites win on Ladies Day
Star Sports described it as 'a black, black day' which started with the shortest priced favourite of the week, Charles Darwin, landing the first race A Royal Ascot bookie lost £367,000 on Ladies Day after favourites won five of the seven races. The five day royal meeting is the biggest betting event of the year in Flat racing when many high rollers are present to place large bets with the bookmakers in the betting ring. Star Sports, which has two pitches on the site, has a reputation for accepting bets of up to six figures. But once the day started with the odds-on Aidan O'Brien-trained Charles Darwin capturing the first race, there was little respite thereafter. Kaan Hughes, head of Star Sports on course, said: 'It's a painful start after yesterday was good. We've given it all back and more in the first, a bad, bad result. 'All the faces were on and they knew. We've done six figures in the first and we done the each way money in the third. Between the two firms we are on the back foot early. It's only going to get worse at this stage.' More detail was shared on Simon Nott's Star Sports blog which related that one punter placed a £40,000 bet to win £50,000 on Charles Darwin with Star Sports and in the next the firm paid out one of £20,000 staked on second race winner Merchant, collecting £70,000. The pitch lost nearly £60,000 on the race. The biggest bet taken on the Gold Cup was one of £42,500 on Trawlerman, who made all the running to take the feature prize. In the sixth race Trinity College was the fourth favourite to win with Nott commenting: 'It appeared the big punters wanted to finish Star Sports off on the day, not just the meeting.' In the final race, won by another favourite Never So Brave, the firm had taken a bet of £10,000 which earned them £50,000. 'The Tatts book lost £15,849 but the rail won £2,781 on the race and copped £15,276 on the day, the Tatts pitch fared less well, losing £367,990. A black black day." The results were bad for bookmakers betting off course as well and William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: 'When five winning favourites go in on a Royal Ascot card, us bookies are always going to be licking our wounds. 'Charles Darwin, Merchant, Trawlerman, Trinity College and Never So Brave's wins have seen the punters begin to claw back after the first two days saw us well clear, but it's still all to play for in the final two days. 'Friday's business looks to be defined by the Coronation Stakes and the Commonwealth Cup. If we can get either Falakeyah or Zarigana beat in the Coronation, that'll be a real touch, and the same can be said for Shadow Of Light in the Commonwealth Cup.'
Powys County Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Powys County Times
Merchant overcomes wide draw for King George V glory
Tom Marquand extricated himself from a difficult position to win the King George V Stakes on Merchant for William Haggas. Drawn in stall 20, Marquand had chosen to drop in behind horses while Ryan Moore on Serious Contender, who was also posted out wide, opted to go forward. Moore was still in front as they entered the final furlong but Merchant picked up well to defy an 8lb rise for winning at York last time out and justify 3-1 favouritism by a length, with Pantile Warrior a further neck back in third. 'It was difficult to watch because all I was watching was the time per furlong and they set off like scalded cats,' said Haggas. 'I then thought they hadn't gone fast enough because in every race this week on the round track, they've gone so fast and everything has come off the speed. 'He was plenty far back and I knew when he turned for home he'd be able to sit a bit, I knew he'd come home. I was really pleased with him. 'You hope (they are good enough). He's clearly progressive and I'm afraid I don't know how far he will go. It's extremely exciting.' Arabian Story provided Saeed bin Suroor with a 40th Royal Ascot winner in a dramatic finish to the Britannia Stakes. Having just the fourth run of his life and his first on turf, the 15-2 chance had to be brave under Oisin Murphy. La Botte and Fearnot both threw down late challenges but it was Arabian Story who prevailed by a neck and a head. Bin Suroor said: 'We took him to Dubai and physically he improved a lot. He always works well in the morning and I said to Oisin keep him handy and he gave him a great ride. Oisin is the best – he is world-class and one of the best around. 'He is still improving and it was only his second race in the UK. We'll have to maybe find a Group race for him now and Oisin said he is definitely a Group horse. 'He's good at the mile but he could go further, maybe up to a mile and a quarter.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Royal Ascot winner survives late injury scare kept secret from punters
After Merchant landed the King George V Stakes, his trainer William Haggas revealed the horse nearly missed the race after coughing and slipping in the saddling box A Royal Ascot winner survived a late injury scare that was 'kept secret' from connections and punters. Merchant, trained by William Haggas for posh syndicate Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, was strongly fancied for the King George V Stakes. The three-year-old had won two of his five starts in the style of a progressive colt and added a third success to his record with victory in front of the packed Ladies' Day enclosures, going off the 3-1 favourite. But the success was only half the story with Haggas confessing afterwards that Merchant had nearly been taken out of the race, but he had not told anyone about it. Victory, under Tom Marquand, was achieved in relatively straightforward fashion but the Newmarket trainer, speaking to ITV Racing interviewer Matt Chapman, sought to explain that behind the scenes it had not all been plain sailing. He said: 'A lot of people don't understand what trainers go through. Yesterday the horse coughed ten times at exercise, never coughed at all, then the seeds of doubt come in, the sleepless nights, 'Are we doing the right thing? Do I tell Harry? No, no. Yes, we're doing the right thing. The horse is fine.' 'Going into the saddling boxes he slipped just as he was going in. He then held his leg, the left hind all through saddling. So then we went out and trotted him up twice. He seemed all right. I said to Tom, 'If you're not happy with him at the start, take him out'. 'I couldn't tell anyone. We've got 50 people here, but it's not all plain sailing. So when they win it's absolutely fantastic and I'm thrilled to bits.' Chapman suggested that many punters 'will be shouting at the screen to say we should have known that' on hearing Haggas's admission. The trainer replied, 'No, no, no. That's complicated. No one knows why he coughed, but he did. When they don't and they suddenly do, it's a bit of a nerve-wracking situation. 'I've been doing this quite a long time. You take a decision, you stick by it and it's paid off. We can now relax and drink another glass of sparkling water.' He added: 'I don't know whether the punters trust us but I think the Highclere shareholders and Harry Herbert and his management team trust us. We will make a decision for the horse's benefit.' FREE £2 William Hill Shop Bets every day of Royal Ascot inside your Mirror We've teamed up with racing experts William Hill to offer your a £2 FREE shop bet every day of the iconic Royal Ascot festival. Pick up your Mirror from Tuesday June 17 -> Saturday June 21, 2025 to get your hands on this great offer. With 12 pages of incredible pullouts every day, PLUS a £2 shop bet, the Mirror is ready to bring you all the runners, riders, and winners of Ascot 2025.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Value Scope: Each way horseracing tips for Royal Ascot on Thursday on ITV
Two days down, three to go, our in form tipster has run the rule over the action for Ladies Day at Royal Ascot and is particularly keen on a runner in the King George V Stakes Go into the King George V Stakes battle with a GUNSHIP (3.05) on your side. The form of all four of his races is extremely solid. He beat Merchant – one of today's rivals – on Newcastle's all-weather track in December and he chased home useful Michael Scofield under a penalty at Southwell. His handicap debut third behind another of today's runners - Sing Us A Song – at Sandown was better than it looked as he came from further back than ideal. The way he brushed aside dual subsequent winner War Hawk at Southwell last month suggests he is improving at a rapid rate and the step up to 1m4f for the first time should help. Have 2pts each-way at 9-1. Sky Bet is paying out on six places. ICEFORD (5.00) has been progressing nicely and he looks just the right type for the Britannia Handicap. Johnny Murtagh's Irish raider came good at the sixth attempt when getting on top of Shameful in the closing stages of a competitive 7f Curragh handicap last month. The step up to a mile in this big-field handicap will suit him perfectly. Have 1pt each-way at 25-1. Plenty of firms are offering five places. William Haggas has only had one previous runner in the Hampton Court Stakes in the last ten years. That was Mohaafeth and he was successful in 2021. ARABIAN FORCE (5.35) is a typically-progressive three-year-old from the same yard. He only made his debut little more than two months ago but he has since notched up wins at Wetherby and Salisbury. The way he sauntered clear of last weekend's Sandown winner Gladius to record a five-length victory on his most recent start was most impressive. This Group 3 will require another personal best but that is highly likely. Have 1pt each-way at 20-1. Several bookies are going four places. WITCH HUNTER (6.10) won the Buckingham Palace Stakes two years ago and he looks to have an excellent chance of regaining the trophy. He had a shot at the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and he ran a cracker to finish fourth. His nose second behind Tiber Flow in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes was another example of his class and he's had excuses in recent handicap starts. Have 2pts each-way at 16-1. Sky Bet is paying out on seven places.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Security guard injured in Bandra road rage incident involving motorist
Mumbai: A security guard suffered head injuries after a motorist assaulted him with a stone during a road rage incident in Bandra (West) on Sunday. Bandra police apprehended the accused motorist, Samir Merchant (38) a Chandivali resident, who allegedly committed the offence when his car hit the guard, Sushant Mahadik (29), who was riding his bike and reversing on the busy road near Lucky Junction in Bandra (West). The guard received medical assistance and later lodged a complaint against Merchant at the police station, who was subsequently released on bail. The incident occurred at 6.30 pm while Mahadik was returning home to Kanjurmarg. "The matter escalated after Mahadik shouted at Merchant, asking him to be watchful while driving. The situation worsened when a woman accompanying Merchant began filming the verbal feud. When Mahadik requested to stop filming, Merchant exited his car and struck Mahadik on the head with a stone," a Bandra police officer stated. Earlier, at 11 am on Sunday, Mahadik visited his cousin's residence in Khar for personal work. In his complaint, Mahadik stated: "It was the motorist's fault. He first reversed his car into the busy lane shortly after the signal turned green. When I questioned him, he became annoyed and hurled abuses. When I responded and asked him to drive carefully, the woman in the car started filming." The altercation lasted over thirty minutes until a crowd gathered and intervened, halting the fight. Police transported both individuals to the station and charged the motorist. Merchant was booked under the BNS sections for voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, criminal intimidation, and insult.
