The number of punters actually attending race meetings appear to be diminishing each year.Quite often when you look around it's plain to see that bookmakers with their clerks and bagmen The horse trainers,their strappers and connections.The course officials,catering staff,clodders etc etc easily outnumber punters.Clearly I'm talking about the day in day out bread and butter meetings.

There is another group lurking around the edges too.These fellows have been there since Adam.Technology and changing laws have served them well.I'm talking about the tic-tac men.

It used to be illegal to transmit information from inside the racecourse to an outside source.Officialdom realised that they were peeing into the wind.Nowadays these once furtive jokers sit around drinking coffee and transmitting betting fluctuations to the professionals(who you may have gathered I dont like) without a care in the world.


During the racing life of a horse, owners dont get too many opportunities to recoup their investment.I'm referring to those half dozen or so mates from the golf club who buy or lease a horse between them.There are dozens of owners like that out there.I dont give a rat's ass about the ones in top hats who swan around Royal Randwick affecting upper class English mannerisms.

Anyway,when the trainer gives the battlers the drum that their horse is in with a big chance they head for the track.God bless em.Generally speaking they wait until the horses are out on the course.Then they whack the bookmakers.

The tic-tac men move into top gear and inform their mentors the pro's.The professionals commence to rip the heart out of the various totes.It's not illegal.They are in their to make money.This money doesn't come from fellow professionals,they are not out there betting against each other.These guys are too smart for that.The money that they are creaming off comes from rank and file punters.You and me.

As someone quite correctly pointed out recently,"on course" bookmakers lay off bets on the tote.It's true that this affects final tote prices too.But when you look at the number of punters who are there at the course it's pretty clear who is doing most of the damage.

Racecallers frequently act as tic-tac men for us.They tell us what has shortened in the ring.That is valuable information,it's the same information that the pro's are getting,,its worth $$$$ to us.

It's just a darned pity that the $4 returns come in at $2 because .............