We’ve been fairly blessed of late with some outstanding group ones races across both Victoria and New South Wales but with the final group one of the season down south, the William Reid Stakes, run and won, it’s Sydney’s turn to take the spotlight solo with Day One of The Championships. That’s not to say there’s not a pretty important race on tomorrow in Victoria, but first …
THE BIG FIVE
- Randwick R7, No 1 – Tarzino $10k @ $2.00
- Randwick R7, No 1 – Tarzino $5k @ $2.00
- Mornington R9, No 4 – Tom Melbourne $5k @ $2.60
- Randwick R6, No 1 – Telperion $4k @ $4.00
- Randwick R8, No 14 – Exosphere $3k @ $2.80
THE HAIL MARY
- Randwick R6, No 7 – Rivo Boy $1,000 each way @ $101
DONCASTER MILE
Wonder mare WINX is aiming to be on cloud nine here if she can make it nine consecutive wins by taking out the Doncaster Mile, but punters aren’t necessarily predicting Chris Waller’s girl will have it all her own way.
Ciaron Maher has a budding star of his own in AZKADELLIA who has clearly been the best backed runner in the race given she gets in at just 50 kilos.
She’s been $11 in to $9 with WINX easing ever so slightly from $1.80 out to $1.90 since the final field was announced.
In saying that, Ladbrokes customers have been savvy in their use of our revolutionary ODDS BOOST function, enhancing her odds to an even nicer price, meaning a WINX win could see our bookies singing for their supper tomorrow night.
Her stable mate KERMADEC has been easy ($7 – $8) but one punter stands to win $57,000 should he salute, having outlayed $700 on the CAPITALIST/KERMADEC (Golden Slipper/Doncaster) double back in February. Some very shrewd forward thinking punting indeed.
BIG BET: WINX – $5,000 @ $1.90
TJ SMITH STAKES
Two sprinting heavyweights square off here in a race which many punters see as a race in two. I speak of CHAUTAUQUA and the rising star, EXOSPHERE.
Still regarded by many as the best weight for age sprinter in the land, CHAUTAUQUA has been steady as a $3.50 second favourite with John O’Shea’s horse the top pick in the market, firming
from $2.80 into $2.70.
Between them, they account for 75 per cent of bets placed on the race to date with last year’s Golden Slipper runner up, ENGLISH, the only other horse in single figure odds at $9.
BIG BET: EXOSPHERE – $3,000 @ $2.80
AUSTRALIAN DERBY
He looks a bomb profit stayer and after a dominant group one win last start and a nice barrier draw here, TARZINO appears a near good thing to take out the Australian Derby.
In fact, I’d go as far as saying it is the bet of the year and punters seem to agree given it has been one way traffic for Mick Price’s star colt all week, firming from $2.00 into $1.90 since the barrier draw including bets of $10,000 and $5,000 at the even money quote.
JAMEKA, who ran third behind him last start, has been slightly easy ($6 – $6.50) given she’ll need to have improved a fair way to turn the tables on TARZINO here.
VANBRUGH ($9 – $10) and ETYMOLOGY ($15 – $17) have also eased.
BIG BET: TARZINO – $10,000 @ $2.00
SIRES PRODUCE
YANKEE ROSE was well supported at odds in the Golden Slipper before running second behind CAPITALIST and again, not surprisingly, she’s been the big firmer in the Inglis Sires Produce.
Ladbrokes opened TELPERION a slight favourite after the barrier draw, but Yankee Rose has been doodle dandy with the punters and she is now a clear top pick.
She has been $4.20 into $3.50, while TELPERION has been steady at $4.
RIVO BOY is the surprise in the market so far attracting plenty of interest at odds.
Not many horses come from a third on debut at Kembla Grange to win a Group One, but he has his supporters for doing just that, firming from $101 into $51, including a bet of $1,000 each way at $101.
Most other runners have been easy, including GOOD STANDING ($10 – $11), ATTENTION ($15 – $21), DETECTIVE ($11 – $12), CHIMBORA ($26 – $31) ZAMZAM ($15 – $19) and FARAWAY TOWN ($26 – $34).
BIG BET: TELPERION – $4,000 @ $4.00
MORNINGTON CUP
With the winner receiving a ballot exemption (direct entry) in to the Caulfield Cup, trainers have sent some of their best staying types to Mornington to try and grab that place in the first of this year’s two cups and a plate.
TOM MELBOURNE is all the rage early after his easy Albury Cup victory and currently accounts for 90 per cent of Ladbrokes total hold on the race. He’s been $2.60 into $2.50 and, given the trend, I would expect him to shorten even more by race time.
One punter, as you’ve probably seen above, has backed him for $5k at $2.60 to win $13k.
With the scratching of ANCIENT KING, OTI Racing now get a second runner in the field, in the form of PEMBERLEY who has been well supported since gaining a run and is $8 into $7.
OBSERVATIONAL is the only other runner who has attracted any semblance of interest, firming from $8 into $7.
All other runners have been easy.
BIG BET: TOM MELBOURNE – $5,000 @ $2.60