Carry On Conning,Ladbrokes.

Byline: JOE PUNTER

THE trouble with cartels is by their very nature they set rates and prices that often see their customers come off worse.

Never mind the Buy One Get On Free come-ons, concentrate on the bigger picture of all this price-setting.

I once had a neighbour who was the manager of a large outlet for a national supermarket chain and he used to regale me with tales of monthly meetings with their three major competitors.

Basically, prices were agreed for just about everything with wee sops here and there.

Same system operates with the bookies' near monopoly. They treat their punters like mushrooms - keep them in the dark and feed them s****.

And there has never been a better example of this than in the aftermath of the Grand National and a real skinner for the layers in the shape of Venetia Williams' 100-1 winner Mon Mome.

The Big Three - Ladbrokes, Corals and Hills - only offered each-way on ths first four while just about everyone else was betting to five places.

The independents were shown in a very favourable light - including Scottish new boys mcbookie who went five place and were even giving up to six on the Masters in Augusta.

Step forward spinmeister supreme David Williams from Ladbrokes to spell out the most feeble and insulting reason of all time as to why they were so miserly at Aintree, despire admitting to making "tens of millions" on the race.

Fifth place in the National went to Cerium, a 100-1 rip trained by Paul Murphy that could have been bet at 500-1 on the day.

(Kenneth) Williams, now starring in Carry On Conning, said: "The complete rag is almost always the worst result for us and we were going 500-1 about him."

A horse is at 500s because there's bog all money for it! And another reason to look outside the cartel for the best deals.

DO you have a racing query? Write to Joe Punter, Sports Desk, Sunday Mail, Glasgow G38DA or email joepunter @sundaymail.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

Williams Venetia