IN WHAT is being described as a "landmark development", Tote betting will be available in Ladbrokes shops in Ireland from today.
Punters will be able to bet directly into Irish and British tote pools, which offer such bets as the placepot, jackpot, exactas and trios. To coincide with the development, Tote Ireland have also announced that their minimum stake will rise from 50 cent to €1.
There are over 200 Ladbrokes shops in the country, and the chief executive of Tote Ireland, Alexis Murphy, said: "We expect there to be particular interest in the big placepot pools in Ireland and the UK, not to mention forthcoming jackpot guarantees at Galway and other festivals."
There will be no shortage of opportunities for punters to try the new betting avenue out on Irish action this evening, with Killarney's July festival winding up and Fairyhouse hosting an all-flat card.
Any trainers thinking this evening's six-furlong auction maiden might have been a relatively soft touch were disabused of that idea by the presence of the 90-rated Tomas An Tsioda, who was described as an Irish Derby hopeful for 2009 after being disqualified from a Curragh maiden over Derby weekend.
Jim Bolger expressed a high opinion of the Bachelor Duke colt after the second of his three starts over seven furlongs, but the third of them then yielded a slightly disappointing fifth at the Curragh four days ago.
Tomas An Tsioda took it up some way out at the weekend and it looks significant that Bolger drops him back to six furlongs for the first time.
Miss Gorica carried 9.13st into third behind Rock Moss on her last start, but a 102 rating makes a pretty convincing argument for today's six-furlong conditions race.
Aidan O'Brien and John Murtagh team up for Love To Dance in the mile-and-a-quarter maiden, but she beat only one home in a Listed race on Sunday and previously looked to have an ideal opportunity to lose her maiden behind Gentle On My Mind at Leopardstown.
She could be one to avoid this time too, and market moves for the Tommy Stack-trained newcomer Unsung Heroine would be significant.
Siege Of Ennis was frustrating on the flat last year but looked a different proposition over hurdles during the winter when his form included a sixth at the Cheltenham festival behind Crack Away Jack.
Davy Condon has been in fine form recently and he can guide Siege Of Ennis to success in Killarney's 11-furlong maiden.
Paul Carberry is recovering at home after being ruled out of action for 21 days after being badly concussed in a fall at Killarney on Tuesday night. The season's leading jockey will miss the Galway festival.
"He's fine and thank God nothing is broken. It could have been a lot worse," said Carberry's agent, Ciarán O'Toole. "He's back home and I've spoken to him."
