One decade ago,
a punter placed a bet with a well-known bookmaker. The bookmaker backed
the wrong horse. The punter was awarded more than $100 000 in lost winnings
plus interest.
The bookmaker was Con "Chubby" Holloway
and the punter was Winston Doyle, a professional in NSW. The judge, in
Southport District Court, ruled just recently that "it was more probable
than not" that Holloway had placed Doyle's bet on the wrong horse.
During the trial, Doyle told the
court he had attended the Gold Coast Turf Club on January 21, 1989. He
also stated that he asked Holloway to put $9000 on race winner Tiger's
Image, which was running at Doomben at 5/1.
Doyle's wife also placed a smaller
bet on the winning horse. The horse was selected by one of three of Doyle's
computer systems.
As a "nod' punter, Doyle did not
receive a ticket verifying his bet. But Holloway argued that Doyle had
asked that his money be placed on horse at 7/2, Tiny's Finito. This bet
was verified by an entry in Holloway's betting ledger.
Judge Robert Hall noted that Doyle
was a "highly organised punter" and was unlikely to have changed his mind
about any bets he placed. Immediately before Doyle placed his bet with
Holloway, Holloway was speaking to a bookmaker close by about the form
of Tiny's Finito and the name had remained in his mind.
Holloway was ordered to pay Winston
Doyle $54000 which he would have won had his correct bet been placed plus
10% in interest for the past ten years.
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