[user104658]

If this was real there would be gamblers who, on average over a year, are making profits. There aren't. Not unless they're cheating (with either insider info or odds manipulation via betfair). They don't exist. Therefore what you're talking about is a combination of coincidence (incidentally - occasional improbable coincidence is a statistical certainty) and plain old dumb luck. A 33/1 shot coming first is not rare, it's not even unusual, it happens every day. 100/1 shots come in every day. It happens against odds on favourites... The favourite you're talking about wasn't even a strong favourite at those odds. Also you mentioned that the race was paying only two places, which means there weren't many horses in the race. And... Err... One of those was disqualified.