Paddy Power apologise for not including well-backed Galway winner in betting

Paddy Power have apologised for failing to include the Charles Byrnes-trained Mr Smith among the runners for the Galway handicap hurdle in which the well-backed grey bolted up on Sunday.

A technical glitch with the firm's feed provider has been cited as the reason for the mistake that meant retail customers wouldn't have seen the reserve in the shop markets, while he was only included in the online betting just over an hour before the off.

The bookmaker has moved to rectify the situation and is paying out on bets struck on the runner-up Goodnightngodbless (SP 6-1) before Mr Smith was included in the market online, as well as all each-way bets on the sixth Spring Watch (16-1). The firm were paying an enhanced five places in the race.

Mr Smith got in as the third reserve and would officially have been deemed a runner by 11am at the latest (reserve cutoff point). However, he was not listed in Paddy Power's markets until 1.35pm online for the race which was sent off at 2.45pm.

The ten-length winner was backed from 16-1 in the ring down to 8-1 in the moments leading up to the off.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: "Unfortunately our feed provider omitted the eventual winner from our events and we didn’t have Mr Smith listed in our betting until 1.35pm on Sunday for the 2.45pm race at Galway on the same day.

"We have worked closely with our customer services team to look after affected customers.

"Bets placed on the eventual second, Goodnightgodbless, pre-1.35pm, on Sunday, have now been processed and paid out as a winner.

"As we were paying five places on the race, any place bets on the eventual sixth, Spring Watch, have also been paid out."

He continued: "Retail customers will have relevant bets processed in the same way should they present themselves in one of our shops.

"This applies to all bets irrespective to time of placement as we never had the eventual winner listed in our betting at any stage in Retail."

Paddy Power were made aware of the issue on Twitter just before midday on Sunday, with their Ask Paddy Power account acknowledging that a price request had been submitted around the same time.

There has also been a delay in processing the returns due to a manual procedure being required to administer the bets.

The spokesman added: "The nature of the omission of Mr Smith has meant the bets in question have had to be processed manually and this has incurred the significant delay.

"We would encourage any customer who feels that the matter has not been satisfactorily resolved to make contact with us and we will endeavour to remedy the matter.

"We would also like to apologise to our customers for any inconvenience this may have caused.”

Mr Smith came home in front again at Roscommon on Tuesday as the 4-9 favourite and had also been well supported when defying a 791-day absence at Carlisle on his previous start before Galway in a Flat handicap in June.

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