Whether it be smart money, hopeful money or a combination of both, Ladbrokes punters appear to be behind Peter Moody exiting racing with a final Group One win.
The Moody trained KINGLIKE has been among the best backed runners for tonight’s William Reid Stakes with only favourite, LUCKY HUSSLER and second elect, HOLLER, attracting more interest.
The lightly raced three year-old has been rock solid at $8 which would seem attractive to those who listened to Moody’s farewell press conference on Tuesday, where he bullishly declared the promising colt a Group One standard sprinter.
Reigning champion LUCKY HUSSLER, who’s drawn ideally in barrier 5, has been the best backed runner and attracted the biggest bets too, with one Ladbrokes punter plonking $5k each way at $3.50.
The Darren Weir trained six-year-old opened $3.60, firmed to as short as $3.20, before easing slightly to $3.40.
HOLLER, who has two wins from two starts at Moonee Valley, is the other firmer in the race, currently $3.90 and second favourite, having at one stage drifted to $4.20.
After a disappointing fifth in the Newmarket Handicap a fortnight ago, JAPONISME, has been relatively unwanted in betting, hovering around the $6 mark, while the winner of that race, THE QUARTERBACK, is well into double figure odds at $15 despite that last start Group One triumph.
Moody’s other runner, Oakleigh plate winner FLAMBERGE, has been perhaps the most notable drifter, $10 out to $12, which is still considerably shorter than the $31 he paid at that last start victory on Blue Diamond Stakes day.
The final race in which Moody will saddle up runners will be the SUNLIKE STAKES (Race 7) where he has both DIG A PONY and METAPHORICAL; the former to be ridden by Luke Nolen, whom he’s had a long and highly successful association with, most notably through BLACK CAVIAR.
Both DIG A PONY ($34 – $26) and METAPHORICAL ($13 – $12) have attracted some reasonable money given the majority of bets are expected to come much closer to the jump.
BIG BET
LUCKY HUSSLER – $4k each way $3.50/$1.60