The TAB has rewarded punters who followed the omen bet at Te Rapa when backing the Richard Collett-trained Captain Tom in race three, despite the son of showcasing being relegated from first after causing interference over the concluding stages.

Named after Captain Sir Tom Moore, the British WWII veteran who raised millions of pounds for health service workers on the frontline of the battle against COVID-19, the three-year-old gelding was a popular bet after the passing of his namesake overnight.

After laying out and impeding two rivals over the concluding stages, Captain Tom was relegated to third in the 1200m contest, but the TAB paid out all win bets placed on the runner digitally as bonus bets.