What is the Calcutta?

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE

For the uninitiated, here's how it all works.......

In 2023 the final prize pool was nearly $25,600 before being split between 1st / 2nd / 3rd.

1. TICKET SALES / DRAW

From late FRIDAY afternoon, race books ($5) and calcutta tickets ($5) are sold at the designated Calcutta table, at the front of the pub. We no longer use paper tickets. Your name will be allocated to a number(s) on a spreadsheet, depending on how many tickets you purchase.

Ticket sales will cease at 7pm.

The draw commences shortly after.

The draw takes place with a random number generator ap in front of the crowd. If your ticket is drawn, you are listed on the big whiteboard as the “drawer” of a horse ahead of the auction.

2. THE AUCTION

Immediately following the draw, an auctioneer will sell each horse, with the favourite being sold last.

The race we use for the Calcutta is not necessarily the Louth Cup. It may be one of the Benchmark Races if that has a bigger field. We advise any scratching’s to the program prior to the auction.

For every horse bought at the auction, 50% of the sale price of the horse goes to the "drawer" and the remaining 50% goes into the prize pool. This is tallied on the big whiteboard for everyone to see.

At the conclusion of the auction, 10% is taken out for the Louth Turf Club and 10% for our chosen charity, which is Macquarie Home Stay in 2024. The remainder is the FINAL PRIZE POOL.

WINNING BIDDERS MUST PAY FOR THEIR HORSE ON THE NIGHT, AND WE ONLY ACCEPT CASH. At the conclusion of the auction, drawers and buyers must present immediately with photo ID to settle up. This applies to EVERYONE.

3. THE RACE

On Saturday at the Louth Races, following the running of the race the calcutta was based on, the FINAL PRIZE POOL from the Friday evening AUCTION is divided up as follows:

50% to the buyer(s) of the winning horse;
30% to the buyer(s) of the second place getter;
20% to the buyer(s) of the third place getter;

Based on the 2023 prize pool, this would work out at $10,970 / $6,580 / $4,390 using the new 50/30/20 dividend system.

Prize money can be collected from the designated Calcutta Committee Member at the Secretaries Office following correct weight being called. The same ID used to settle on auction night must be presented to collect winnings.

THERE ARE NO REFUNDS IF THE HORSE YOU PURCHASE IN THE AUCTION IS SCRATCHED PRIOR TO THE RACE.