It was on Friday that a regular player at the William Hill store at Thirsk in Yorkshire (England) made a 50-pence eight-horse accumulator wager. At the end of the day, William Hill announced that an eight-horse accumulator bet had come through and would be eligible for a payout of one million pounds. Incidentally, one million is the ceiling set by William Hill, Britain’s leading bookmaking company.

Nobody had come forward on Saturday. Sunday came and went. William Hill, however, in a statement, said that the fan, in his late fifties or early sixties, did show up at the Thirsk shop on Saturday to place a bet of two pounds and fifty pence. It was a losing bet and the fan did not chase it.

Graham Sharpe, spokesperson for William Hill, expressed happiness over keeping the money for a day or two. “Interest on that kind of money for a day or two will be helpful. The winning player has not staked his claim. At 2.50 a day, he has to make 400,000 visits to our shop to give that amount back.”

The question that exercises my mind is whether the concerned fan knows he has a winning wager. We all know how anxious we are when we collect on a winning bet. There may be something more to the story than we know. No matter what the denouement, it is a fascinating tale.

Here is what happened in America over week’s end. War Pass won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile at Monmouth Park on October 27, 2007. That was his fourth win in as many career starts.

The Nick Zito-trained War Pass made his three year-old debut in an allowance race at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. It was a six-horse field. War Pass, Cornelio Velasquez up, shot to the front and the race was as good as over by the first turn. It was a bloodless seven and one half length win. The time was 1 36.38 seconds for the 1600-metre race. War Pass returned $2.10 on a $2.00 wager. Unbeaten in five lifetime starts, War Pass boasts earnings of $1,433,400.

Jockey Cornelio Velasquez was unstinting in his adulation. “He’s a very happy horse. The best in the country right now. He is much better than last year. He galloped out really strong and wanted to win today.”

Trainer Nick Zito, who had won the Fountain of Youth 30 minutes earlier with another three year-old, emphasized how special War Pass is. “You have anxiety no matter what when horses have not run for a long time. There are injuries every day and I am grateful everything went well. He’s unbelievable. Three weeks from now, it is the Tamba Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs. It will be a little tougher.”

War Pass is by Cherokee Run out of Vue, a Mr Prospector mare.

The other big event was the Grade II Fountain of Youth for sophomores. It was another winner for Nick Zito. Cool Coal Man, at 7 to 1, delivered the goods with jockey Kent Desormeaux. Both Cool Coal Man and War Pass are owned by Robert La Penta.

Cool Coal Man beat 11 others and the beaten brigade included Monba and Court Vision, two highly regarded contenders and Derby prospects. Elysium Fields ran second and Court Vision managed to salvage third.

Nick Zito said, “Cool Coal Man could not have gotten a better trip. He has run two great races (including an allowance win on January 26) and I do not know when and where he will go next. The Grade I Florida Derby (on March 29) is a possibility. He is not a big horse. He needs, at least, 30 days before the next engagement.”

Cool Coal Man is by Mineshaft. Coral Sea is the dam who is by Rubiano. The time for the 1800-metre race was 1 51.85 seconds.

Einstein won the Gulfstream Park Turf Stakes in 2006 and ran third in the 2007 renewal. Ridden by Jose Lezcano, Einstein won the 2008 edition of this grass race. Einstein hit the front in the final turn and held on to win by a neck in 2 .12.87 seconds. It was a 2200-metre trip. The return was $8.00.

Cosmonaut took third in the Breeders; Cup Mile last year. Making his 2008 debut at Tampa Bay Downs in the Tampa Bay stakes on soft going, Cosmonaut won readily in the hands of Edgar Prado. The purse was $148,500. The return was $3.80. The race was over 1700 metres and the time was 1 44.14 seconds.

Santa Anita has lost 11 racing days in its winter racing schedule. There have been drainage problems with the all-weather strip. Polymers and binders have been used as a short term remedy.

Ron Charles, Santa Anita’s President, said, “We need to get through the next nine weeks. We will then look at possibilities and go from there. With 2008 and 2009 Breeders’ Cup here, we have to get it right.”

Bob Baffert, one of America’s leading trainers, is an outspoken critic of artificial surfaces. “These vendors who put these tracks in sold us a Bill of Goods that did not do what it was supposed to do. These surfaces disrespect horseracing contests in which the best is supposed to win.”

However, there are others who hold an opposite view. Doug O’Neill, Richard Mandella and Eoin Harty maintain that there are fewer injuries and racing is much safer.

Curlin worked 800 metres at Nad Al Sheba over the weekend. The 2007 Horse of the Year clocked 50.50 seconds. Scott Blasi, assistant to trainer Steve Asmussen, sounded optimistic. “He relished the track. He came out bouncing with energy. He’s anxious to do something.”

One noteworthy item from Hong Kong. Viva Pataca beat a good field at Sha Tin on Sunday in the Hong Kong Gold Cup. It was a 2400-metre race and Viva Pataca registered a time of 2..39 seconds. Viva Pataca is going to Dubai for the Sheema Classic on March 29.

Two Grade I races were run in Australia. At Caulfield, Reann won the Blue Diamond Stakes, a 1200-metre race. Weekend Hussler scored in the Oakleigh Plate over 1100 metres.

Christophe Soumillon, a prominent French jockey, has ended his Hong Kong stint. He rode 18 winners but attracted a suspension and a fine in his last meeting. The brilliant Frenchman, around 25, spoke fondly of Hong Kong. “I like it here. I did better than last year. I had support from some good trainers.”

I first saw Soumillon in October 2003 when he won the Arc de Triomphe with Dalakhani at Longchamp. Dalakhani was owned by the Aga Khan. In 2006, he was aboard the strongly-fancied Visindaar in the Derby at Epsom Downs. Visindaar finished fourth and critics pointed out that Soumillon lacked the experience and the finesse to meet Epsom’s harsh demands.

Sources: NTRA, Racing Post and others