Monday, November 15, 2004
betfair.com JOCKEYS' CHALLENGE SHAPING UP
The battle to win this year's betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge at Aintree on Saturday, November 20, stepped up a gear today following the publication of the five-day entries.
Kicking off this year's challenge is the betfair.com 0870 90 80 121 Novices Hurdle (12.45pm), which has received 14 entries, including Cherub from the Jonjo O'Neill stable and a Grade One winner at Punchestown in April, Nicky Richards' promising duo Sobraon and Turpin Green as well as No Refuge, formerly a Listed winner on the Flat for Sir Mark Prescott and now with Howard Johnson.
A total of 10 entries have been received for the second leg of the challenge, the Sharp Minds betfair Novices' Chase (1.20pm). Included amongst these are the Nicky Henderson-trained Chauvinist, winner of the competitive Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot in 2001. and Howard Johnson's Chivalry, successful in the Cambridgeshire at Newmarket in 2003 before going on to win three
of his four starts over hurdles last season.
Leg three of the British versus Irish jockeys competition, the betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge Handicap Hurdle has 13 entries including Grey Report, second in the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree last season while the bang in-form Martin Pipe could be represented by Ilnamar, victorious in the Grade One Aintree Hurdle in 2003 and Tango Royal.
Bringing the challenge to a close in spectacular fashion is the betfair.com Grand Sefton Handicap Chase, run over an extended two miles and five furlongs over the Grand National course, which has 24 entries. Last year's winner Dark Room could attempt to follow up and is one of three entries for Jonjo O'Neill. Other interesting entries include Forest Gunner already a winner over the famous fences when taking the Fox Hunters Chase in April, and Cassia Heights, from the Grand National winning yard of Steve Brookshaw and also victorious over the big fences, having landed last season's Topham Chase. There are also three entries from Ireland, including the 2001 Irish Grand National victor Davids Lad.
Former Liverpool FC boss Roy Evans and triple totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup winning jockey Jim Culloty will respectively manage the Great Britain and Ireland teams in the betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge this year. Jim has stepped in to replace Norman Williamson, who will be working for the BBC on the day.
Alongside the managers, the Great Britain and Ireland teams will be captained by Grand National winning riders Carl Llewellyn and Tony Dobbin.
This is the second betfair.com Jockey's Challenge of 2004, with Britain beating Ireland by 56 points to 38 in the first event at Limerick in July.
Last year's betfair.com Jockeys' Challenge at Aintree saw Great Britain overcome Ireland by 67 points to 30.
All races will be broadcast live by the BBC on Saturday.
The winning team receives the betfair.com Perpetual Trophy while the trainer whose horses score most points will get £1,000 and their yard will receive £2,000. The jockey gaining the highest level of points wins dinner, bed and breakfast and a four-ball at a top UK golf course. Additionally, the trainer and jockey scoring most points will be awarded a £1,000 donation to a charity of their choice.
The scoring system is 10 points for a win, 7 points for a second, 5 points for a third, 3 points for a fourth and one point for a fifth place. The team captains will make their selections following the overnight declaration stage on Friday.
Roy Evans, the Great Britain Team Manager, formed an integral part of Liverpool Football Club's set-up since his playing debut in 1969. Having been an important member of the coaching team during a golden era at Anfield, he served as manager from 1994 to 1998 and nurtured the careers of players such as Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. He also had a spell as Swindon's manager in 2001.
Ireland's manager Jim Culloty has won the last three renewals of the totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup on the great Best Mate but is currently on the sidelines after breaking his thumb at Exeter on November 2.
Carl Llewellyn and Tony Dobbin are two of the most successful jockeys currently riding. Llewellyn has won the Grand National twice, aboard Party Politics in 1992 and Earth Summit in 1998, while Dobbin landed the world's greatest steeplechase in 1997 on Lord Gyllene.
Carl said: "Last year's betfair.com Jockeys Challenge was a very successful event and I will be hoping to swot up on the form over the next few days to ensure that the British boys retain the title!"
Tony Dobbin added: "Things didn't go our way last year but with a bit more luck this time around I'm sure we can make it much more of a contest. All of the races look very competitive."
SPORTING OPTIONS - BETA MEMBERSHIP REVOKED
New code of practice enforced against Sporting Options
BETA has today revoked the membership of Sporting Options Ltd with immediate effect. The decision was taken by the BETA Executive Committee on the basis of Sporting Options Ltd having been found to be in material breach of the Code of Practice for Betting Exchanges.
Andrew Silverman, BETA's General Secretary, said: "BETA is committed to maintaining the highest standards of probity and integrity in the betting industry. That is why we have acted swiftly to revoke the membership of Sporting Options Ltd. There is no room in BETA for companies that fail to meet the standards set in the betting exchange code of practice."
CLIENT DEPOSITS ARE SAFE WITH BETFAIR
London 15/11/04 - In the light of recent events concerning Sporting Options, Betfair has reassured its customers that their deposits are completely safe.
"All client funds are held on trust in ring-fenced client accounts with the Royal Bank of Scotland and are completely segregated from company funds," said Stephen Hill, Betfair's chief executive.
Both the trust account and Betfair's accounts are rigorously audited by KPMG, one of the big four accountancy firms. Under no circumstances could third parties have a claim on Betfair clients' money.
"Betfair has built up its reputation on fairness, integrity and transparency. Simply put, your money is as safe (if not safer) with Betfair as with a bank and Betfair will always have 100 per cent of its customers' money available for them to withdraw whenever they want it," said Mr Hill.
BETDAQ STATEMENT ON SPORTING OPTIONS BETTING EXCHANGE GOING INTO ADMINISTRATION
BETDAQ is surprised by the news that the Sporting Options betting exchange has today (Monday, November 15th) gone into administration. We have sympathy for those who may be adversely affected, and are keen to assure our customers that BETDAQ remains in rude good health.
BETDAQ customer funds have always been fully ring-fenced from the daily operating expenses of the exchange. In addition, and in recognition of the absolute priority we give to customer confidence, and to the security of customer funds, we placed a cash bond of $10 million with our bank in 2001. This instrument was a first in the betting industry and continues to give
BETDAQ users an unprecedented level of financial protection in their dealings with the exchange.
BETDAQ is a professionally run, very well funded company enjoying a significant share of a still rapidly expanding market. The low margin on which the exchange model is based does require a rigorous control of costs, but that is a discipline which successful exchanges adhere to.
We continue to have great confidence in the future growth potential of the exchange industry as a whole, and look forward to playing our part in that growth in Britain and around the world.
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