Racing: Punters in a scramble as Emotional's odds plunge

The biggest industry-wide ante-post gamble of the jumps season so far gathered pace throughout yesterday when Emotional Moment was heavily backed for next week's Tote Gold Trophy.

The Irish-trained hurdler was cut from 16-1 to 12-1 by the Coral bookmaking chain, before the firm trimmed the price further into 8-1. The race sponsors, the Tote, cut their odds for Emotional Moment to 8-1 from 14-1. William Hill have him the 7-1 favourite, from 12-1, for the two-mile contest at Newbury on Saturday 8 February.

A popular telephone tipping line was thought to be behind the plunge, although a Coral spokesman, Simon Clare, reported money from some of their "shrewdest sources".

"This has been a very quiet period for ante-post betting but the peace and quiet was well and truly broken by this gamble," Clare said. "We built up six-figure liabilities in less than 15 minutes. This is the biggest ante-post gamble of the jumps season and there's no sign of the flood of bets drying up even at 8-1."

In the autumn, the Tom Taaffe-trained six-year-old landed a hat-trick of victories in the mud at Wexford, Down Royal and Navan – ridden once by Norman Williamson and twice by Barry Geraghty.

If Emotional Moment won the valuable Newbury contest it would add to a rich tapestry of a race formerly known as "The Schweppes". Controversy and betting coups decorate its history.

One of many legendary gambles was landed when Elan, ridden by David Nicholson, won 38 years ago. Then, in 1977, another gamble was pulled off with the Tommy Stack-partnered True Lad, having been backed from 50-1 ante-post to a starting price of 14-1.

More immediately, racing was yesterday concerned with how bad weather will impact upon fixtures this weekend.

Henrietta Knight was one trainer still to decide whether to run Stars Out Tonight and Maximize at Sandown tomorrow. Knight said that both would prefer faster ground than they are likely to get at Sandown but she is keen to get a run into them in preparation for big race targets later on.

Stars Out Tonight is due to step up to an extended two-and-a-half miles in the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase. He was successful on his chasing debut at Exeter in October and ran third to Paul Nicholls' Azertyuiop over two miles at Cheltenham the following month.

"He hasn't been running because the ground has been too soft," Knight said. "He's being stepped up to two-and-a-half miles, which he needs. In fact, he probably needs three miles. He wants it like a road, which he won't get on Saturday. He'll probably run, but if they have a lot of rain or snow we may have to think again."

Aintree, and in particular the Grand National, is on the agenda for Maximize, who is set to reappear in tomorrow's Agfa Diamond Handicap Chase. He last ran in early December at Sandown, finishing fourth of four to the Nicholls-trained Valley Henry.

Knight warned, however, that he is unlikely to be seen at his best on the prevailing ground. "He likes to hear his feet rattle and we won't get that ground for a bit," she said. "But he definitely needs a run. He's entered in the Grand National and could go for the Irish National."

Yesterday's meeting at Kelso was abandoned because of freezing temperatures while today's cards at Catterick and Hereford must pass early-morning inspections if racing is to proceed.

Fingers are crossed at the three turf venues scheduled to provide tomorrow's jumping action. Sandown officials were cautiously optimistic that their meeting can take place after the course missed snowfalls that affected the counties west of London.

TOTE GOLD TROPHY: Coral ante-post odds: 7-1 Non So, 8-1 Emotional Moment, 10-1 Chauvinist, Puntal, 14-1 Copeland, Greenhope, Scolardy, 16-1 Valerio, In Contrast, Quazar, Benbyas, 20-1 Haditovski, Cupboard Lover, Geos, Giocomo, Gone Far, Miss Cool, Calladine, Samon, Spirit Leader, 25-1 others. Tote odds: 6-1 Non So, 8-1 Emotional Moment, 12-1 Chauvinist, Copeland, Puntal, 14-1 Benbyas, In Contrast, Valerio, 16-1 Calladine, Mr Cool, Spirit Leader, 20 others.