Racing: Long odds cause shock as horse is pulled up

Some disturbingly large odds being offered on a betting exchange internet site yesterday caused consternation among punters when the horse in question, Royal Insult, was pulled up during the race and subsequently put down because of a broken shoulder.

Royal Insult, trained by Karl Burke, was 6-1 in the betting forecast in the trade press and offered at odds of 8-1 when betting opened on Britain's biggest person-to-person betting exchange site, Betfair. However, at the off, the five-year-old was being offered at 50-1, although the on-course starting-price was only 10-1.

In the race, a Class G selling stakes on the Lingfield all-weather track, Royal Insult, who had been off the course for almost a year, was pulled up by his jockey, Darren Williams, three furlongs from home.

"He cracked a shoulder and the course vet had to put him down," Burke said. "I've had him since he was a yearling and he won at two and three but he's had joint problems and it's been difficult to train him. I've no idea about the betting. I don't get involved with that side of things."

Betfair's spokesman, Mark Davies, said: "We work closely with the Jockey Club and always report any suspicious betting patterns, but I cannot comment on individual cases."