WDU

[Aldaniti]

What does this mean on a race result?

 

[Harbinger]

Withdrawn Under Orders

So the horse is taken out of the race, but is deemed a runner for the purposes of betting (you've done your money if you backed it, no Rule 4 if you backed something else).

Good example is here:

http://www.racingpost.com/horses/result_home.sd?race_id=269321

(read the in-running comments and the bit at the bottom - note that the Tote considered them non-runners)

 

[Harbinger]

By the way, I think its an anachronism now since the concept of 'starter's orders' doesn't actually exist any more (in Great Britain anyway).

Edit: or not... http://rules.britishhorseracing.com...26338&depth=3?zoom_highlight=starter's+orders

 

[an capall]

When's Death Ubiquitous?

 

[Aldaniti]

Thanks Gareth, how unlucky was that for two horses to suffer the same fate in the same race!

 

[Harbinger]

Doesn't sound right, does it?

This is a story from the Daily Record the next day:

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Horseracing:+FURY+AFTER+FALSE+START.-a060355194

CONFUSION reigned at Beverley yesterday after two withdrawn horses were initially deemed to have come under starter's orders in the re-run Collecting Ring Apprentices' Handicap - following an initial false start.

Stall 10, which contained Count Frederick, failed to open at the same time as the rest so the starter signalled a false start. Bodfari Signet and Fourth Time Lucky took off and completed the course and under the rules had to be withdrawn.

At the end of the race, won by Fourgreys, an announcement was made that the two horses were under orders - and this was repeated as SIS personnel had asked for confirmation having felt that they should not have been under orders.



In the latter case the bookmakers were entitled to deduct 15p in the pounds 1 from all winning bets as Bodfari Signet had been a 5-1 chance - Fourth Time Lucky was 50-1 and no deductions were due to his absence.

The weighed-in - after which bets stand - announcement was given at 2.30 and some bookmakers started paying out, but seven minutes later a further announcement was made that the horses were in fact not under orders.

Ronnie Postlethwaite, who bets under the Matt Foster banner, was furious and reasoned: "You pay out after the weighed-in signal has been given. That is the form, you can't wait forever, and I have paid out pounds 1,100 to a punter and he has gone.

"I should have deducted pounds 150 under Rule 4 if the announcement had been made before the weigh-in, but that is not all. I have paid back over pounds 200 stake money to those who backed the withdrawn horses!"

However betting was generally very light on the race and the major layers decided that they would not enforce Rule 4 and pay out in full and that they would also return stakes on both Bodfari Signet and Fourth Time Lucky.

No mention of any saddles slipping.