Befred Sprint Cup antepost favourite Ortensia (9/4 with bet365) could be set for the Breeder’s Cup in America later this year if she comes through this weekend’s big race without any problems.
The recent winner of the Nunthorpe Stakes at York is expected to be the one to beat at Haydock on Saturday and the Australian star is the short-priced favourite ahead of Bated Breath (10/3), Mayson and Strong Suit (both 7/1) in the early betting.
Ortensia will pass up the opportunity to go for the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe day but trainer Paul Messara says the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in November is a possibility.
He told Sporting Life: “This will be her last run in Europe, she won’t run again over here. There is a possibility that we will give some consideration to the Breeders’ Cup race.
“But we’ll just have to see how she comes out of this race first.”
Other contenders for Saturday’s Betfred Sprint include Society Rock (10/1) and Hitchens (14/1), while Genki is a lively outsider to some at 40/1 in the antepost odds.
Tags: Bated Breath, Breeders' Cup Turf betting, Genki, Hitchens, horse race odds, horse racing betting, Mayson, Ortensia, Society Rock, Strong Suit
International Racing | Horse Racing Betting News | September 5, 2012 17:23 |
The capital hosts a race-day this coming Sunday, with the 2011 Cancer Council Act Canberra Cup undoubtedly the meeting’s highlight. It might not be overly difficult to find the winner here as only a small selection come into this race in good form when looking at recent harness racing results.
Northern Frontier from G1 has an excellent chance in the harness racing betting odds, particularly as he scored in a sub-two-minute mile recently. However, he must overcome a recent disappointing effort at Shepparton, for which there was no apparent reason. If he can be forgiven, he has a chance of slipping the field.
Josh Willick sits behind It’s My Pleasure, a 5yo who is three from three in Australia this term and has every chance of making it four from an advantageous draw position. He clearly isn’t top class but this is his level and he has been making hay in it lately. Yes, those successes have come at Tabcorp and he has to prove his liking for this new venue, but he rates as win material in a line-up in which holes can be picked in quite a lot of the form on offer.
The old warrior Hesa Buzzin could be the biggest hope off the second line. The 10yo has a 25% strike rate and even these days hangs on to his good form well. He too has been doing all his latest winning at Tabcorp but in good times and due to his draw he will be a good price here. We rate him a good bet EW.
If Northern Frontier can be forgiven that recent flop, he could take all the beating here from that plum draw in G1. A definite danger is the in-form It’s My Pleasure, who is sure to prove popular but could be over-bet. However, a gentleman’s bet could be the veteran Hesa Buzzin, who may well reward those who also like to play on the places.
Harvey hosts a harness racing feature this coming weekend with their valuable Chicken Treat 2011 Harvey Cup. Attracted is a fairly high-quality field for a race of its type and it gives some horses the chance of becoming the ‘bride’ after some gallant, recent efforts in defeat.
One who springs to mind when looking at the harness racing odds is R J Huston’s Jumbo Operator. This consistent sort was second at Gloucester Park last week in a similar contest and another good run is assured from this 6yo. His times are some of the best available in this line-up and it is easy to imagine him going close from a fair starting position.
However, this won’t be easy pickings. Up his inside goes a progressive ex-New Zealand sort called To Transcend who, since coming over to these shores, has done very little wrong. His form doesn’t quite match up to R J Huston’s charge yet but he is open to plenty more improvement and does get the pick of the draw. He is an eye-catching contender.
Lombo Navigator is another worthy of consideration. His times are very good and he is another to be well drawn. This individual, who hails from the stable of A L De Campo was far from disgraced last week at Gloucester Park in a better race and must have a say.
What is interesting is that Village In Vesa (a stable-mate of Jumbo Operator) has the more interesting driver booking of the two. Justin Prentice will drive this contender, who races from the second line and, although on the form book he probably has a second or two to improve on Jumbo Operator, Village In Vesa might well go close at a good EW price.
This is a trappy contest and we’ll play safe and side with Jumbo Operator as he is the most likely to run a solid race. All of the aforementioned, though, warrant a market check and there could be some good place value to be had with three places on offer.
Trainer Rick Hore-Lacy has won the Australian Guineas twice in the last two decades and knows what it takes to have the ammunition to win at the top level. In the talented Toorak Toff, he believes he has a horse more than capable of adding to his haul by upsetting the horse racing betting odds by picking up other major prizes in the months ahead.
Hore-Lacy first landed the Australian Guineas with Kenny’s Best Pal back in 1993, and followed up nine years later with Dash For Cash (2002). Toorak Toff has already proved himself at Group 1 level when winning the Toohey’s New Golden Rose at Rosehill at the end of August (beating Squamosa and Ilovethis city in a head bobbing finish under Damien Oliver) and has subsequently twice run with credit at Caulfield, including when fourth to Anacheeva in the Group 1 The Age Caulfield Guineas.
Coming back off a two month spelling break, the son of Show A hand has been training well ahead of his reappearance run over just 1000m in the Red Tempo Handicap a week on Saturday at Flemington (a track he will tackle for the first time in his 11 race career), before heading for the Group 3 Standish Handicap over 1200m on New Year’s Day at the same venue. Hore-Lacy expects those two runs to put his charge spot on for a serious challenge for the $1million Magic Millions Guineas run on the Gold Coast a fortnight later.
Toorak Toff is set to be partnered by Craig Newitt, who replaces Damien Oliver, and having worked nicely over 1000m at Caulfield last weekend, confidence seems high amongst connections that the three-year-old has returned to the peak form shown when winning the Golden Rose four months ago, so bear this in mind when making your next sportsbet.
Friday night at Gloucester Park promises to be a thrilling one as the $50, 000 4yo Championship is bound to throw up a really decent individual.
There are several with chances in the harness racing betting odds and on paper this looks very competitive. One who comes here with a big chance is Dasher VC for the R A Olivieri stable. The horse was a winner last time out and reflecting on that performance did it well in the circumstances (didn’t get the best of runs) and, granted a clearer passage here, is fancied to go close. Olivieri also has Crombie drawn further out, although the horse was beaten fair and square last time out and he will need to raise his game to be of interest here.
Motu Crusader for the McCarthey combination is another who comes here in fine heart and will almost certainly be there or thereabouts when the harness racing results come in. The Queensland Derby runner-up from back in the summer will have to improve ever so slightly, but is a very lightly raced 4yo with stacks of potential improvement.
Grant Williams brings Cromac Johnny into the mix from a blinding draw on G1. The only worry with this horse is that, despite the fact he has clocked some of the best recent times on offer and he has been a prolific winner this season, come the big night in a big race each time he has failed to deliver.
It is an intriguing contest and you wouldn’t be surprised if any one of five or six won. We will take a chance on Cromac Johnny in the hope that tonight will be the night. It is hard to imagine that it is the atmosphere on a big night that he seems to dislike and, despite the alarming stat that his big race-record is nothing special, is taken to put that right here. If he doesn’t, Dasher VC could well be the one.
Another big pot of $20, 500 is up for grabs at Gloucester Park in Friday’s Xxxx Gold Golden Nugget Prelude. Along with many hardcore harness racing betting fans, it has attracted an 11 strong line-up and several of them have good chances.
Aldo Cortopassi’s Aussi Terror comes here in winning form having won on November 5th here in fair style. A repeat of that display, along with one or two others he has produced this campaign, should see him figure prominently.
Grinjaro was a little bit disappointing last time out and is definitely better than that run indicated. After all, he was 4th in the WA Derby at this track back in April and that form is some of the best on offer when looking at recent Australian harness racing results. Before that effort last time out he had been notching up some good times and so, forgiving that tame effort last time out, could reward those who maintain the faith.
Why Live Dangerously for G E Hall (snr) is one who definitely warrants respect. Apart from his career debut, his record here is sound and he no doubt would prove a popular winner for the locals. His performances of two and four outings ago would see him go close and he could just be the value of the race.
Justin Prentice trains and drives Gday Mate. He goes off the second line with just one other but is a very interesting contender. He rarely races here at Gloucester Park but has been putting in some very creditable performances elsewhere and it isn’t hard to envisage him running a good race. He is very versatile in terms of distance and his win record over 2000ms is impressive and he shapes like more of a stayer, so this 2506m trip should be right up his street. He’s expected to be staying on late for Prentice, who gets on well with this horse.
Another tricky one for the punters this will prove and there is no doubt that if Grinjaro returns to the form he showed earlier in the year, then he has a huge chance. However, if last time was the first sign of going on the downgrade, Why Live Dangerously could well be the answer. Look out, though, for the Prentice horse who from that second line will go off at a big price. He is drawn out the back, but won’t finish out the back!
Saturday’s harness racing highlight comes from Newcastle and holds a $60,000 purse, which has tempted connections of horses to run. As a result, a large field of 11 horses are due to stand their ground.
The one who stands out is John McCarthey’s Washakie, who keeps running big races whatever the company. To finish second in a Group 1 at Albion Park last time out is by far the best form on offer here and this 7yo barring accidents will take some beating.
However, he hasn’t exactly frightened the others off, so there is value to be found in the harness racing odds. Saucy Legend is a 6yo who comes here on the back of a win and, despite the fact that he has been racing in much lesser company of late, it wouldn’t totally surprise if he was to up his game, particularly as he likes it around this circuit.
Vegas Bound, who is to be partnered by Darren Hancock, is another who comes here in winning form and this 6yo seems to have been around for a long time. His wins here, at Menangle as well as at Harold Park this year, entitle him to respect, although he has been known to throw in the odd bad run. He will, however, be value.
A strong selection here is Washakie, who definitely holds the key in a race that potentially could get a little bit messy in behind. His fast pace from G6 should help him through the early stages of this contest, which has been cleverly chosen by connections, who look to have found a nice race for their charge to return to winning ways.
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Befred Sprint Cup antepost favourite Ortensia (9/4 with bet365) could be set for the Breeder’s Cup in America later this year if she comes through this weekend’s big race without any problems.