Close to record turnover on Melbourne Cup

Media Release
3 November 2009

Close to record turnover on Melbourne Cup

Kiwis got right behind the excitement of the Melbourne Cup with close to a record amount of money being bet on the race through the New Zealand TAB.

TAB Racing Manager Michael Dore says turnover on the New Zealand TAB tote was $7.91 million for the Melbourne Cup alone.

“This is the third highest turnover on record and it was up 4.1 per cent on last year,” Mr Dore says.

The previous highest record turnover years were 2005 when $8.13 million was spent and 2006 when $7.95m was put through the New Zealand TAB tote. Last year, Kiwis bet $7.60 million on the race.

“This is literally the race that stops the nation on both sides of the Tasman,” he adds.

The 2009 Melbourne Cup was won by the Mark Kavanagh trained Shocking (Win: $9.90 and Place $3.60) with Crime Scene coming in second ($10.80) and the Mourilyan coming in third (paying $8.20).

The Quinella dividend was worth $230.10, the Trifecta dividend was worth $8,762.90 and the First4 dividend was worth $81,938.30.

One of the biggest New Zealand bets on Shocking was $2,000 at odds of $12 meaning that lucky punter collected $24,000.

The best of the New Zealand bred horses was Master O’Reilly, which finished fourth. The New Zealand trained horses – Daffodil, Harris Tweed, Capecover, Gallions Reach and Spin Around - finished out of the running. The last horse home was Warringah.

ENDS

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