‘Probably the most amazing coup that I will see’
“Probably the most amazing coup that I will see in my lifetime,” was the opinion of one seasoned tipster.
On Monday evening up to 200 couriers powered out of the capital to separate locations around Dublin and Kildare carrying only a very small load, a simple envelope.
The tiny parcel was to remain sealed until the bearer reached the betting shop to which they had been assigned.
Once there they were finally able to unveil the contents – a watch, a pre-filled betting slip, €200 in cash and a letter giving very specific instructions.
Those instructions read: “Dear employee, enclosed you will find (1) A completed betting slip for the betting shop that you have been sent to. (2) €200 in cash for which you need to place the bet. (3) A watch with the alarm set to go off at 6.55pm.”
At that appointed time each was to advance to the counter, present the money and the docket and announce: “I will take the price.”
Each docket bore the name of the same horse, the Douglas Taylor owned “D Four Dave” which was due to race in Kilbeggan just five minutes later.
At the point where the bets were placed, each was offering odds of around 14-1 to 16-1. The fact that all the bets were placed so late meant the bookmakers had no warning and were unable to slash the odds in time for the race.
Despite laying down up to €40,000, a few minutes later and it was clear those behind the coup were more than €500,000 richer as D Four Dave recorded a seven-length victory in the Hurley Family Kilbeggan Handicap Hurdle.
After the race, trainer Conor O’Dwyer said: “Three miles suits him well and he jumped great – he handled the ground well enough, but I’ve no plans from here. His part-owner, Douglas Taylor, was married on Saturday so today will help pay for that party!”
However, the win came as a shock to even the most seasoned of bookies.
Sharon Byrne of the Irish Bookmakers Association said D Four Dave had run quite a few times “with nothing worth talking about”.
“It was 21st of 24 in January at Navan,” she said. “It ran in Kilbeggan in June and was 9th of 16. But it was first of 16 on Monday. The horse ran and won in a style that every owner and trainer would dream of.”
