iBetX Crowns The 1st EU Horse Racing Handicapping Champion

iBetX, the online betting exchange, has announced it has found a winner to its unique horse racing handicapping championship. Phil Baron, from Spain is officially Europe’s greatest horse racing bettor beating online contestants from across Europe over three weekend-long rounds of horse racing action, winning a £10,000 first prize into the bargain.

Baron, on being presented with his trophy and cheque outside the UK Jockey Club in London said: "I am delighted to be the first European Handicapping Champion. The Championship is the first of its kind and a great opportunity for punters to show how good they are. It’s been a great challenge."

"The Championship has been a great success," said Imraan Malik, director of iBetX. "It was a close competition which attracted high calibre punters from across Europe, and a great start to what will be a yearly event. We are already looking forward to making the 2005 European Handicapping Championship even bigger and better."

One of the Championship’s leading competitors, Simon Lake, commented: "The competition is not for the faint hearted. It is not just about picking winners and success is not just about luck - punters need to study racing form and decide whether a horse will win or lose."