LADBROKES have once again treated their customers with contempt. Against a backdrop of results adverse to profit margins, an edict has been passed on to their once-flourishing in-shop radio station, Ladbrokes Live, that renders what is styled as a service to its listeners little more than a sham.

The rot started when the pundits paid by Ladbrokes Live to analyse racing tipped a run of winners in the spring. There was a rout in Grand National week, culminating in Hedgehunter being touted for the big race. He duly obliged but, as 7-1 favourite, this was hardly visionary stuff.

Yet the following week, the pundits were encouraged to not definitively tip any specific horse but should instead talk generally about the chances of various contenders. In May, parent company Hilton reported that its profits had been retarded by its betting and gaming division due to weaker margins.

Then, during York’s Ebor meeting last week, it is now claimed that a further constraint forbade not just tipping but even mentioning the name of horses advised by Tom Segal, the Racing Post’s much-advertised tipster, Pricewise.

A written response from Ladbrokes stated: “At times we encourage guests to focus less on one outright tip, but to guide customers to the more fancied runners and if appropriate the horse with the strongest chance in the opinion of the guest.”

It added: “There is no general instruction to not mention Pricewise horses. There may be occasions where items may have been covered as part of the broadcast already and to avoid repetition and ensure a balance of content certain sections of the programme do not cover Pricewise.”

It would not be the first time that Ladbrokes, recently eclipsed by William Hill as Britain’s largest betting firm, have undermined their own product. In June 2004, chief executive Chris Bell did a Gerald Ratner when claiming on BBC Two that “at least a race a day, if not more, are now being corrupted by the availability of laying horses to lose on betting exchanges”. Bell never provided substantiation of his claim.