Racing: pounds 100,000 Ascot Trifecta

THE TRIFECTA, which got off to a flying start at the weekend, will continue only on a once-a-day basis for the immediate future. The Tote's new bet was launched in the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood on Saturday with a guaranteed pool of pounds 100,000.

However, the pool swelled to pounds 127,909 as punters endeavoured to predict the first three home in the correct order. With big-priced horses filling the first three places there was a dividend of pounds 6,311.00 to a pounds 1 stake from 14.39 winning tickets.

Outsiders again filled two of the three places in yesterday's chosen race, the 49's Handicap, at Newcastle. There was no guaranteed pool, but punters staked a total of pounds 13,241.60 and there were 5.54 winning tickets paying pounds 1,697.00 to a pounds 1 stake.

The Tote's spokesman, Rob Hartnett, said yesterday: "We are pleased with today's race and the dividend was 40 per cent larger than the Tricast."

The Tote will give punters another incentive to tackle the Trifecta next Saturday with a guaranteed pool of pounds 100,000 on the inaugural running of the pounds 150,000 Tote International Handicap at Ascot. Today's Trifecta race is the Showcase race, the 3.45 at Ripon.