AS LOCALS celebrate the success of Darren Weir’s historic win of the coveted Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, local TAB agents have been forced to close dry cash draws.
Such was the support for ‘the boy from Berri’, even those who rarely bet took a flutter in celebration of the fact he had a runner in the world’s richest horse race.
And when Darren Weir-trained Prince Of Penzance galloped across the line a length clear of the field, many locals threw their arms in the air with tickets clenched tightly.
Prince of Penzance paid a handsome dividend on the Vic Tote of $65 for a win and a very reasonable place dividend of $16.60.
Fixed odds saw betters collect $100 for the win and NSW tote paid $85 for the win.
And Swan Hill and district must have seen the heaviest betting in the state for the long shot who rode into the history books at Flemington on Tuesday.
Sharna Fruend, duty manager at the Commercial Hotel, said the venue’s TAB ran out of money on Tuesday and was unable to pay cash to winners.
“We paid out $50,000 to happy locals on Tuesday before the money ran out and we were forced to issue some people a voucher to redeem when our cash levels were restocked,” she said.
“Our biggest winner collected $10,000 and I’ve heard all venues felt the pinch from here to Wedderburn.”
For more on this story, grab a copy of Friday’s Guardian (November 6).
