The maximum number of individual runners in a race that can be bet on with TAB will be increased from 30 to 37 with effect from Friday 14 October 2022.
Currently the maximum is 30, which prevents commingling with the UK and Ireland in races in which more than 30 runners are carded. Such instances have increased since reserve runners were introduced in the UK because reserves have enabled carded fields of 33 with three horses falling away the day before to reduce the actual number of runners to 30, which is the maximum allowed at most tracks.
From Friday, the maximum field size for bets with TAB will be 37. In rare instances in which there are more than 37, runners numbered 38 and higher will be bracketed as Number 37, which will qualify only once for dividend purposes. Previously this applied to all horses numbered 31 and higher.
If more than 37 are carded, TAB will operate SA pools on the race, but only if there is already a South African pool in operation on the race. If there are only commingled pools, no TAB bets will be offered.
TAB retail customers must please note that the betting form cannot be used for bets on, or including, Number 31 and higher. These bets must be called to the teller because the betting form only accommodates Numbers 1 to 30. If all horses in a bet are Number 30 or lower the betting form can be used.