I don't often bet on the London Marathon or anything athletics related usually, let alone give betting tips and advice, so bear that in mind.
After a bit of athletics/marathon based research, I'll have a small play on a couple of decent priced runners in the men's and women's races. It'll give me a reason to watch the race on tele. I originally searched for marathon betting tips etc, but couldn't find anything worthwhile to bet on, so I decided to back my own picks instead. I'll be backing them win only, but each way punters are welcome to play in the marathon markets at 1/5 the odds, places 1, 2, 3.
The Donkey (equus asinus) Derby races exist, not run very fast, but the race exists, I have raced in a donkey race just outside Yarmouth racecourse. OK, it was 22 years ago while on holiday with my parents. I came last, in fact the donkey I was riding stopped running to chew some grass. As my silly ass stooped it's neck to grab a mouthfull of greenery, I nearly went arse over tit, I am no jockey. I came last, in fact I did not finish the course, I jumped off when every other runner had long finished the race.
Donkey racing is better known as "The Donkey Derby". Donkey races and rides at the seaside used to be very popular in Great Britain, but since the demise of the British seaside due to the Costa Brava style holidays and cheap airfair, the donkey is not seen at the seaside very much these days. I'd hazard a guess the donkey derby is not run at Yarmouth anymore, who knows?
The Recommended Donkey Derby Course
The donkey racecourse should be horseshoe in shape, or straight and be 100-150 yards (90-140 metres) in length.
The minimum width of the donkey derby racing course should be calculated by allowing one yard for each of the donkeys running together in the competition, plus one yard intervals between each, and also between the side barriers and the donkeys running on the left and right extremeties (outside lanes) of the course. ♠ 7 donkeys - 15 yards (13.5 metres) ♠ 8 donkeys - 17 yards (15.3 metres)
Competetive Donkey Racing
Donkey Racing is quite popular in the Caribbean. Various Donkey Derbies (and goats) are run at various Caribbean festivals. Maybe they even bet on the donkeys & goats there, I do not know. I would be surprised if there were a race going on with no odds on offer for wagering purposes.
In Pakistan, donkeys are raced towing carts(page removed - 2017). Quite a popular sport, or so I read. The Pakistani donkey and cart racing jockeys are adults, but are not heavy-set men weighing in at 14 stone.
In Great Britain, there are "Donkey Derby" guidelines. Adults are not generally allowed to ride donkeys at amusement parks or seafront beaches. The recommended age is 9-15 years of age and the children must be no heavier than 8 stone in weight.
Adults can ride in competetive donkey racing derbies, but they must stick to the 8 stone and under weight restriction.
More Donkey Derby Rules/Code
♠ Donkeys used for races or riding as side attractions should be atleast 4 years of age. ♠ Donkeys used for races or riding as side attractions should be passed fit by a vet. ♠ Donkeys used for races or riding as side attractions should not be in foal. ♠ The riding tack should fit properly, and stirrups or saddles are discouraged.
"Greyhound Racing" is gambled on extensively in the UK, and across the world, mostly the US and Australia. Dog races are just run for fun in some countries. Greyhound racing origins go back through the years to it's more infamous brethren - Coursing.
"Greyhound", I gather, is derived from the anglo saxon language meaning - first grade of hounds. The greyhound is a running machine. Top sprint greyhounds can go from 0-45mph in 1 second flat, as evidenced here by this greyhound versus a car race video.
The Race
The greyhounds chase an artificial rabbit or hare (lure) around a circular racetrack when they are let out of the traps by the race starter. The lure circumvents the dog track at speed on the running rail, just in front of the dogs to keep them chasing it. If the lure goes too fast, the greyhounds will lose interest and will not be racing, they'll just busy themselves doing what dogs normally do. If the hare malfunctions and stops, or goes too slowly, the dogs don't race to the finishing line at top pace. They attack the lure instead and jump about argueing and fighting with each other to get to the lure. The fact the dogs are muzzled does not stop them having a go.
Most greyhound races have 6 runners, although some races are run with 5 runners at smaller tracks. The last 5 dog greyhound meeting I attended was at Poole Greyhound Stadium, but Poole is now a 6 dog racetrack.
Some greyhound races are staggered handicaps, with the 1 dog receiving a start from the 2 dog, and so on. The traps are positioned in different positions on the track, rather than level, thereby creating a handicap race. There are also a few 8 dog races run at the Bags meetings. I have never liked 8 dog races. It's hard enough to pick a winner from 6 runners with all the bumping at the first bend that goes on. It sometimes seems not to matter if I back a fast starter, a wide runner, a rails runner or a strong finisher. My dog always manages to find trouble in running it seems. I do bet on the greyhounds quite alot, especially if it's an ante post bet on the greyhound derby or other large greyhound racing event aired live on the television.
Greyhound Racing Trap Position Jacket Colours
The 6 dogs are easily undentified in running, by their coloured jackets.
Trap 1 - Red Trap 2 - Blue Trap 3 - White Trap 4 - Black Trap 5 - Orange Trap 6 - Black & White Stripes
Greyhound Betting Information
Most betting shop punters seem to back the dog forecasts, ie first and second in the correct order. Forecast doubles are regularly backed across all races at a dog meeting. Gamblers pick their favourite traps, maybe 1 to beat 2, or 6 to beat 5, and hope 2 or more races finish with the winner and second in their selected trap order. There are some gamblers who bet the win single on the dogs, or even the tricast (1,2,3), but the forecast is the punters favourite wager in my experience.
The forecast dividend is worked out by a mathematical formula involving the price of the winner and 2nd placed dog, multipled incorporating the trap order. Trap 1 is a favoured berth along with 2, 5 & 6. Therefore a forecast with the 1st and 2nd finishers both priced at 3/1 each, run from traps 1 & 2, will pay less than 3 & 4 at the same 3/1 price on each dog.
There are greyhound races run in the mornings and the evenings at various dog tracks around the UK. Most popular though are the Bags meetings (B.A.G.S. - bookmakers afternoon greyhound service). Ladbrokes and William Hill bookmakers actually own various dog tracks in England. Allegedly, the bookmakers prefer to own the greyhound tracks that punters find it hard to pick winners at - go figure..
Mistreatment Of Greyhound Racers
Personally, I don't mind greyhound racing as a spectator sport and betting medium, but some people do.
♠ Every year thousands of greyhounds are either drowned, poisoned, beaten to death, shot, bludgeoned, starved or dumped (often muzzled) on the streets.
♠ Many greyhounds are sold to research laboratories.
♠ Large numbers of greyhounds are exported to Spain each year for racing, hunting and coursing. They live in appalling conditions and are locked in cages for 23 hours a day. Many dogs have been raced on Spanish tracks with horrific injuries and some Spanish trainers believe the dog will run faster if the end of its tail is cut off. In Spain it is tradition to hang dogs at the end of the hunting season which only lasts for four months.
Official Worldwide Greyhound Racing Federations & Clubs (alphabetically listed)
Professional camel racing is quite a popular sport in Australia and some Middle Eastern Arab states and attracts it's fair share of foreign tourists. Gladly, some of those tourists were journalists who likewise were disgusted to learn of the barbaric practise of the child slaves used as jockeys in some Middle Eastern countries such as the UAE and Qatar, and published what was really going on.
Young children were sold on by their terribly poor parents, or kidnapped (30 a month), some as young as 2 years old, while out playing near their homes in the Indian sub-continent, Pakistan and the Sudan and forced to work as camel jockeys. Escape was futile, they were told their parents were dead, or told their owners were their parents. Most never even knew where they were from either way.
These young boys were made by way of a beating and starvation, to tend the camels 7 days a week, even in the searing heat of the afternoon sun, where their owners and/or camel trainers would not even dare to work. The child jockeys were not fed properly, if atall, for days before a race, to keep their weight down. Many child jockeys were severely injured riding camels for their sub-human masters, some even killed.
The injured racing camel is treated at special animal hospitals, no expense was spared by their rich Sheikh owners. The injured child jockeys allegedly got no such treatment, instead they were discarded and replaced. The intervention of Unicef has been instrumental in eradicating the practise of slave child camel jockeyship, so we're told.
Robotic jockeys have gladly taken the place of the child slaves in more recent times. Let's hope it stays that way.
Camel races are held between the winter months of October to April, finishing with the annual camel race festival on the sand at Al Wathba, UAE. The meeting attracts entrants from all over the world.
The fastest sprint racing camels can run at speeds of up to 40mp/h, or 64km/h) in short bursts. The camel can also steadily maintain speeds of 25mp/h, or 40 km/h, for about an hour at a time.
Camel Racing History
Camel racing is a long time traditional sport with roots in the Arab Peninsula, the North African deserts and across the Middle East. The races were originally staged anywhere in the desert really, but now camel race meetings are held at specially built racetracks.
Camels are better known as ships of the East and have played a vital role in the region for many aspects of every day life. Desert racing among the Bedouin Arabs remains a lucrative spectator sport.
Over the years, as technology replaced the camel, camel racing became more popular as a result. Gambling on camel races is not allowed in the UAE, but no such restrictions stop the Australians from betting on camel race results. I gather one should study the form very very carefully before placing a bet. Go figure.
Robot Camel Racing Jockeys
The UAE Camel Racing Association developed the first camel racing robot after the use of child jockeys was banned in the state in March 2004. In July of 2005, the age limit for human camel racing jockeys was increased to 18.
The camel racing robots are remote controlled via handheld radio units. The robots have mechanical legs for balancing and leaning and mechanical arms to control the reins. The first automatic camel racing jockeys were used at the Al Wathba camel racetrack in Abu Dubai in April, 2005.
Elephant racing is a celebration of the elephant itself, and a tributory event to celebrate the skill, sacrifice and hard work of elephant tamers past and present.
Asian elephants are used as racing elephants. I can find no reports of the African elephant being used as racers.
There is a train of thought that the elephants do not run atall in these races, but indeed just walk fast at the behest of the jockey (mahout). Elephants compete in different fields of gamery, including the 100m-race, swimming across the Serepoc River, pulling heavy objects, log throwing and playing football.
"Elephant racing" is frowned upon by many Hindus from India. The elephant is an animal to be respected and indeed worshipped according to some, or put to work, not used for fun and games. In fact, the elephant has been used in wartime, specifically by the Vietnamese resistance against the French and the Americans.
Official International Elephant 2006 Race Rules
1) The distance of the elephant race will be 300 metres.
2) The track of the elephant race should be straight.
3) The width of the track will be 10 meters.
4) The participant cannot select the elephant themselves. The elephants of the respective participants will be selected by lottery method.
5) Not more than six elephants can participate in the race at a time.
6) In the same- finale and finale rounds the participants has to take part with their respective elephants . The elephants cannot be exchanged.
7) In case of injury, sickness or any other cases related to elephant behavior of the participating elephant, the elephant could be changed in accordance to the decision made by the selection committee.
8) The elephant that has acquired first and second position in the first round will be eligible to participate in the semi-final and the elephants acquired first and second position in the semi-final can participate in the final round.
9) After numbering the elephants through lottery method, the elephants will be grouped in a size of five from 1-5, 6-10, 11-15 and so on.
10 The track of the participating elephant will be determined before the race begins though lottery method.
11) Sticks cannot be used to beat and prick the elephant during the competition.
12) "Ankush" cannot be used in normal conditions to control the elephant other than in emergency conditions. Whereby, if the "Ankush" will be used, the elephant will be disqualified form the race.
13) From the beginning till the end of the race, the elephant should not go beyond the track line, if so the elephant will be disqualified from the race.
14) The participant and the elephant driver are not allowed to use alcohol or any kind of stimulating agents, if found so, both of them will be disqualified along with the elephant.
15) The same elephant and the participant taking part in the preliminary round should be in the semi-final and final rounds.
16) The decision made by the evaluation committee will be final and cannot be influenced.
The Elephant
The elephant enjoys protected status in India. Many Hindus revere the animals due to it's resemblance to the benevolent elephant-headed god Ganesh.
The scientific name for the Elephant, is Elephas Maximus. There are 2 basic species of elephant, ie the African and Asian elephant. Racing elephants are of the Asian variety. It is believed that elephants evolved from Jurrasic age aquatic animals like manatees, or the sea cow.
Elephants can communicate with each other over very long distances by use of low frequency infrasound, a sub-sonic rumble that travels through the ground alot further than sound travels through the atmosphere. The sensitive skin on the elephant trunk or feet picks up the resonant vibrations, like the skin of a drum. To listen very attentively, the whole herd will either lift one foreleg from the ground and face the source of the sound, or lay their trunks on the floor.
Racing pigeons, or racing doves as they are more accurately known, are allegedly one of mans oldest best friends. In the past, the pigeon racer was the special sport of kings, princes and other noblility. Actually, in days of old, it was illegal for a common man to own pigeons.
Pigeon racing to the mainstream increased in 1815 with the help of what was then called a carrier pigeon. Pigeons are bred for racing because of their will to survive, their speed of flight and their strong endurance.
Pigeon flights as far as 1689 miles have been recorded by the top birds in competetive pigeon racing. The trick with pigeon racing is the bird is actually flying home, it is not really racing atall. Pigeons are flocking birds, so they actually prefer to race together, but the strongest birds will fly on ahead, hence the pigeon race is soon in full flight.
Pigeon Messengers
The pigeon, or rock dove, has been used by man as a form of long-distant communication as far back as early as 1150 in Baghdad and also later by Genghis Khan. In fact, it is reported Ceaser used the pigeon extensively during the Roman conquest of Gaul. The Egyptians and Persians also trained rock doves to carry messages. China indeed organized a postal system based upon the use of messenger pigeons. Pigeons were also used in the 1st and 2nd World Wars.
Pigeon Race Betting Odds
Pigeon racing betting and odds might appear here at Sandracer.com if I ever see a bookmaker price up a pigeon race. The bookies price up anything that moves, so i'm sure there'll be pigeon race batting market constructed before long.
Believe it or not, Hamster racing goes back to the 1930's. Hamsters won't run in a straight line, but they do like to run alot. Pretty much the little guys ran all over the gaff in circular balls, so it was all a bit hit and miss.
Upon the advent of the plastic circle, some cleverclogs figured it would be a good idea to put hamsters in balls, place them on a fixed lane track, then let the hamsters run like the billio up and down housed in their running wheels for forward, and sometimes unfortuately, backward momentum. Watch this hamster race video to see exactly what I mean.
The most modern hamster race vehicles feature ratcheting mechanisms so that the hamster can only move forward down the track.
Until about 2001 hamster races were only amateur in nature, run for small bets between interested parties.
The United Kingdom changed that concept for wagering purposes, hence "professional hamster racing" was born.
Professional Hamster Racing
The advent of the foot and mouth disease epidemic in the UK, caused horse racing to be cancelled. The bookmakers obviously needed something to make a book on and price up, hamster racing was their answer. Professional hamster racing was in. Pro hamster racing soon crossed over to Asia and America apparently.
2 hamster race classes exist: Dwarfs and Syrians. Broken down into 4 groups, novice, patterned and long-hair or short-hair.
Not all hamster racing is of the professional variety. Amatuer hamster racing events can be found at various rodent shows, but don't conform to pro hamster racing tracks (9 metres, or 30 ft) apparently. The shorter "sprint" tracks are supposed to be designed to make sure all hamsters finish in a reasonable time. Fast hamsters are capable of winning sprint races in just a few seconds.
Hamster Race Handicapping (wiki explanation)
One problem that has limited the growth of professional hamster racing is the difficulty in handicapping, or attempting to predict the winner, of a hamster racing contest. As with horse racing, the handicapping of hamsters relies on observations of the speed, pace, form, and class of the animal. However, while many bettors believe themselves to be good horse handicappers, few know what to look for in hamster handicapping as they are unfamiliar with the species. This means that the large population of horse racing bettors are often unwilling to migrate to hamster racing because to do so would require either placing uninformed, pure-chance bets or learning to judge and handicap an entirely new animal.
Top 2006 Pro Hamster Racers
Michelle Schuhamster Captain Hamster The Overtaker Hot Rodent Mario Handretti Stirling Mouse Paddy Hamkirk Sir Jack Brabhamster Juan Manuel Hamgio Emouseson Fittipaldi Nigel Hamsell
Hamster Racing - by Ed Pownell from Blue Sq Bookmakers
"We've been running hamsters in these little dragsters,"
"You put an exercise wheel in the middle of a 10-inch-long dragster. As they run in the wheel it moves the thing forward."
"It's just been fun for people, to get them through the day without the horse racing,"
"The rodents run six at once along a 30-foot track -- so far, the fastest time is 38 seconds. On Friday, the winners of each of the week's four races will face one another in a tournament showdown."
All-weather racing with a twist - the runners are sheep.
Yes, you can bet on your favourite sheep with on-course bookmaker "Honest Joe".
The racing sheep have to negotiate the North Devon all-weather 250 yard course including "Shepherd's Brook", Bo Peep's Bend and the "EWE Turn" to win this prestigous all-weather racing event. Who needs the Lingfield winter derby anyhow?
Sheep Racing Runners
Red Ram
Golden Fleece
Sheargar
Little Pullover
Woolly Jumper
Alderknitti.
Big Sheep Day Timetable
Summer School Holiday timetable - 31st March 2007
10.00 - Big Sheep Opens
10.45 - Sheep Shearing
11.15 - Sheep Show
12.00 - Duck Trials
12.30 - Bottle Feeding Lambs
13.00 - Beer Show
13.00 - Sheep's Lunch Break
13.00 pm Onwards - Brewery shop open for lunch time Beers
13.30 - Sheepdog Trials and Training.
14.00 - Shearing.
14.30 - Sheep Show.
15.10 - Horse Whispering.
15.45 - Sheep Racing.
16.30 - Bottle Feeding Lambs.
17.20 - Ewetopia Playground closes.
18.00 - Sheep go to bed.
Big Sheep Event Ticket Pricing
Entrance to The BIG Sheep
Children = £7.50
Adults = £8.50
Family (2A+2C) = £30.00
Family (2A+3C) = £35.00
Family (2A+4C) = £40.00
Children under 3 feet tall are free of charge.
Senior Citizens = £7.50
Return admission with in one week = £3.00
Less abled = £7.50 (carer free of charge)
RACE COMMENTARY
I don't often bet on the London Marathon or anything athletics related usually, let alone give betting tips and advice, so bear that in mind.
