For the second time in less than three months, the Malaysian turf clubs gambled, and LOST.

With SPALATO — unbeaten in all his previous eight starts in Singapore — in the line-up, the clubs thought the New Zealand gelding would be too good against seven rivals in the Panasonic Kranji Mile in Singapore today.

To safeguard the clubs from potential loses if SPALATO were to win and the clubs have to pay a minimum RM6 on the (RM5) win tote, they declared the race a non-betting race in Malaysia.

As it turned out, SPALATO, which started at $7 in Singapore, was a well-beaten fourth in the 1600m event. The winner STEPITUP paid a handsome $43.

On July 12, the Malaysian clubs also did not operate the tote on the Emirates Singapore Derby in which WAR AFFAIR was thought to be unbeatable in the 2000m race.

In the end, QUECHUA beat the odds-on favourite by a neck in a three-way photo.