jj`s pace setter? Ascot 2009!

$5,000 bet in Budapest on Overdose double

HUNGARY: While the global economic crisis is said to be hitting Hungary worse than many other nations, at least one Budapest-based punter seems intent on betting their way out of recession.

Injury has forced the nation's star sprinter Overdose to miss his intended British debut in the Temple Stakes later this month.

According to a Coral press release issued on Tuesday, however, a Hungarian-based customer has had $5,000 on Overdose at 10-1 to complete the Royal Ascot sprint double by winning both the King's Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee five days later.

According to Coral, the bet was placed on Eurobet.com, Gala Coral's international sports betting website, by a customer based in Budapest who opened his account specifically for the purpose.

Simon Clare, Gala Coral spokesman, said: "It is very rare that we see four-figure racing bets on Eurobet.com and we can only assume that this customer is either placing a patriotic bet on his country's equine hero or is connected in some way to the horse and is expecting him to make history at Ascot next month.



"We had already laid two bets of 1,700 euros to other Hungarian Eurobet customers which suggests there is serious confidence behind this horse's prospects when he comes to Britain."

In single race betting, Overdose is 3-1 favourite for the King's Stand with Coral and 4-1 for the Golden Jubilee.

Royal Ascot sprint double prices

10 Overdose, 16 Scenic Blast, 18 Marchant D'Or, 22 JJ The Jet Plane.

Main Aim cut for Golden Jubilee after victory


SIR MICHAEL STOUTE, who has been without an outstanding sprinter for some time, might well have found one in the opinion of bookmakers, who have heavily cut his Newbury winner Main Aim for Royal Ascot glory.


Latest on Jubilee: Overdose 7/2, Scenic Blast 8 Takeover Target 8 and "JJ" is 10/1!

After running away with a handicap race off a BHA rating of 99, Main Aim is sure to be raised to a significantly higher mark.



However, the major layers believe that handicaps will be a thing of the past for the four-year-old, who is 10-1 from 40-1 with Stan James for the Golden Jubilee Stakes and 14-1 from 50-1 with William Hill.

Stablemate Patkai is now just 2-1 from 11-4 for the Gold Cup with William Hill, who made Saturday's Aon Stakes winner Tastahil 25-1 from 50-1 for the same Royal Ascot highlight.

Tuesday's decisive Tattersalls Musidora Stakes winner Sariska continues to shorten for the Investec Oaks and is now into 7-2 from 4-1 with Stan James.

However, support has also come for 1,000 Guineas flop Rainbow View, who was a drifter recently but has been cut back down to 9-2 from 6-1 by Victor Chandler and to 5-1 from 11-2 by Skybet.

This could be due to the fact that Lucky is not going?

Ascot reports ticket sales down for royal meeting

ASCOT has reported ticket sales for the royal meeting down "10 to 15 per cent" following the close of the advance booking discount offer on Thursday night, and also that cutbacks on corporate areas will be made to stem costs.

Since the booking window for Grandstand and Silver Ring tickets opened last October, discounts of up to 16 per cent have been available for Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, which has boosted sales, according to racecourse spokesman Nick Smith.

"We sold twice as much this week for the three days as we had done for all five in the three weeks previous," he said.

Paco Boy to stick to mile after Lockinge defeat

PACO BOY is to stick to a mile and head for the Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 16 after his defeat as 11-8 favourite for the Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes over the trip at Newbury on Saturday.



Trainer Richard Hannon, commenting on his website the day after Paco Boy kept the debate raging about his abilityto stay a mile at the highest level, had no doubt the top-class performer has what it takes.

"It was a shame that the rain came [at Newbury] as it turned the ground soft," said Hannon, "and while our horse enjoys a bit of cut, it made the race a stamina test over the mile, which, as everyone knows, is Paco Boy's maximum distance.

"In contrast, it suited Virtual, who had finished well behind us in the Sandown Mile last month - he is a ten-furlong horse who is heading for the Eclipse, so it was always going to play to his strengths.


"However, Paco Boy was not beaten far, and, in the circumstances, I am more than happy. With luck we will get good ground at Royal Ascot, and all roads still lead to the Queen Anne Stakes. He gets a mile no problem, whatever they say,and all we want at Ascot is a decent surface."

Virtual, Alexandros and Twice Over, the 1-2-3 from the Lockinge, could all re-oppose in the Queen Anne, whose other entries include Gladiatorus, runaway winner of the Dubai Duty Free in March.

UNBEATEN Hungarian wonder horse Overdose, the ante-postfavourite for both the King's Stand Stakes and the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot, is to miss the meeting as a foot injury has proved to be taking longer than expected to clear up.

"The inflammation spread from his left fore leg to the right, possibly because of the fact that he was standing on the right leg," owner Zoltan Mikoczy said on Tuesday.



"Today's x-ray showed no change in the structure of the bone in Dozi's hoof. The inflammation is going away and Dozi is now standing on both his feet and is turning around in his box on both feet.

"If all goes well, he can come out of his box on Thursday for his first walk. This will be decided after the result of tomorrow's x-ray.

"The sad thing is that he has no chance of running at Royal Ascot because there is no time left to prepare him for it. But there will be a Royal Ascot again next year."

The truth, was with the connection of JJ last week and told them to take the 25/1 and 20/1 the horse as the fav might be scratched? to pay for the trip.