Andy Stewart, leading racehorse owner, outraged by Tote snub

Andy Stewart's bid for ownership of the Tote was not among the final short list of five.

Andy Stewart, leading racehorse owner, outraged by Tote snub
Snubbed: Andy Stewart, pictured with his start hurdler Big Buck's, believes the Government have made 'a very grave mistake' Credit: Photo: GETTY IMAGES

But the bad news is that when the final short list of five was finalised from a big field of 18 candidates bidding for ownership of the ‘Nanny Goat,’ as she is affectionately known in racing circles, racehorse owner Andy Stewart’s bid was not among them. “We have been politely informed, ‘thanks, but no thanks,’ which is a great pity for Joe Public and the average betting shop punter,” Stewart argued from Barbados on Monday night.

This week, Government have finally reached the stage where they have officially launched an open market process to resolve the future of the Tote. Various companies, business groups and consortia, including Betfred, Gala Coral, Sportech, Bodog, the Charitable Foundation (a Tote management initiative), as well as bids headed by Sir Martin Broughton and former Ladbrokes boss Chris Bell, have all been thrown into the ring.

Nobody was ever expecting an early result to this gruelling and exacting contest, and indications that the outcome may be known in the spring, some time after the John Smith’s Grand National at Aintree, might even be a little optimistic, according to some observers. But last night City indentity Stewart, famous for his ownership of a string of horses including staying hurdling champion Big Buck’s, was outrage that his bid did not make it to the final five.

“It is a very sad for the average punter, who loves going to Plumpton or his local betting shop. Our proposal was to float the Tote on the stock exchange within 48 hours, thus giving those who have suppoprted this great British institution over the years a chance to get their own slice of it.

“John Penrose (minister for tourism and heritage) and Jeremy Hunt have made a very grave mistake not to allow our bid to the next stage, at which we could put forward our proposal in full detail. It is very sad for racing, for this was a unique chance for everybody,” Stewart claimed.

The Government has declined to publish the names of the five to have made it to the next round, claiming the matter is too senstive commercially to do so. But, as you might expect, there is a betting market on who will get their hands on the Tote, with its impressive betting shop portfolio and exclusive pools operation. Betfred, the Northern-based bookmaker, is 7-4 favourite, with 11-4 offered about Sportech, 6-1 Chris Bell and associates, 8-1 Gala Coral, 10-1 bar.

This issue -- the future of the Tote --could attract almost as much publicity as the Grand National itself, given the importance to racing and its finances. But, if you are interested in the real thing, the Grand National that is, a 10-year-old by the name of Ballabriggs shortened to 16-1 (from 20-1) for the big race in April after recording a tidy five-length win at Ayr on Monday.