IT’S another week away, but Western Australia’s summer carnival kicks off at Ascot next weekend with the West Australian Guineas and outsider Universal Law has been the best backed runner with Sportsbet.com.au in the early going.
The Grant Williams-trained three year old is rated a juicy $13 with the online bookmaker, and is the only one punters want in the Group Two race.
Smart filly Blackwood, who will chase her sixth win in the Guineas, heads betting on $3.20.
“Blackwood has been a star in Perth, but we have taken just a handful of bets for her,” the bookie’s Ben Bulmer said.
“Universal Law is also a promising type and it seems punters are looking for value as he and Man Booker are more popular than the favourite.”
Man Booker, at $7, also has plenty of admirers and is the second best backed.
Queensland sprinter Buffering is $4.60 favourite for the Winterbottom Stakes on the same day, while Lucky Street has been deposed from top spot and has eased from $4.50 to $6.
WA Guineas
Blackwood ($3.20)
Perfect Reflection ($6)
Showy Chloe ($7)
Man Booker ($7 @ Sportsbet.com.au)
Arcadia Dream ($9)
London Line ($12)
Universal Law ($13)
Celebrity Dream ($14)
Reemah ($15)
Pinzu ($17)
Ngarimu ($17)
Senso ($17)
Others quoted
Winterbottom Stakes
Buffering ($4.60)
Lucky Street ($6)
Magnifisio ($6)
Watermans Bay ($9)
Fast ‘n’ Rocking ($9)
Rock Magic ($15)
Sheidel ($15)
Shining Knight ($15)
Flamberge ($17)
The Quaterback ($17)
Others quoted
*Odds provided by sportsbet.com.au
This weekend, the bookies are still compiling odds on the big events, but Ascot has two feature races, while Melbourne’s Spring comes to an end with two group twos and four group threes at Sandown.
Ascot G3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes 1600m 3yoF SW
Ascot G3 RJ Peters Stakes 1500m Quality Hcp
Sandown G2 Sandown Classic 2400m 2yo+ Open WFA
Sandown G2 Sandown Guineas 1600m 3yo SW
Sandown G3 Sandown Stakes 1500m Quality Hcp
Sandown G3 Eclipse Stakes 1800m Quality Hcp
Sandown G3 Summoned Stakes 1500m Mares SW+P
Sandown G3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes 1300m WFA
Aussie Sprinter Chautauqua favourite for Hong Kong Sprint
It’s a massive day on the racing calendar on December 13, with four group ones taking place in Hong Kong.
And who else but sportsbet.com.au – they already has the odds.
Our pals over at the power house online book maker like Australian superstar Chautauqua as an odds on favourite at $1.80 in the Hong Kong Sprint.
Despite falling in the weekend’s Darley Classic at Flemington, Chautauqua is still set to head to Sha Tin for the big race, according to trainer Wayne Hawkes.
“It still is the plan to travel, but to be fair, even if he had won and won by two lengths, we’d still be in the same situation we’re in right now,” Hawkes said.
“That is, we need to see how he pulls up to go forward because it’s even a bigger call and a whole different ball game going to Hong Kong, because you struggle to have a spell when you get back.
“If you make somewhere like the TJ Smith Stakes again, you’re only just getting there in the nick of time.
“It’s easy going across to Flemington and Moonee Valley and Sydney.
“He’s got to travel and acclimatise and get on a plane, which he’s never done.”
“To be fair, we only want to go if we think we’re a deadset good thing.
“At the moment we’re still going ahead, but we only need one small thing to pull the plug.
“There’s a stack of prizemoney here in Australia as well.”
Chautauqua has booted home first past the post in nine of his 18 career starts and the five year old has won almost $3.5 million – he’s only finished out of the placings twice.
Local hope Gold Fun is second pick at $5.50 while Terravista is on the third line of betting at $7.
“It’s a great meeting and hopefully all goes well for Chautauqua, the bookie’s Richard Hummerston said.
“We know how good he is and he should easily measure up to the challenge of taking on Hong Kong’s best sprinters.”
Superstar Able Friend is the one to beat in the Hong Kong Mile, at a very short $1.60, with Contentment the next best at $7.
John Moore trained Designs On Rome is the $4.20 equal favourite to defend his crown in the Hong Kong Cup, but he has some stiff competition from Melbourne Cup third place getter Criterion, at the same quote.
Runner up in last year’s Cup, Military Attack is $10 to go one better this time around.
In the International Vase, local stayer, Dominant ($4)) is a narrow favourite over Flintshire ($4.20) while Ming Dynasty at $6 and Cirrus Des Aigles round out those under double figures.
Hong Kong Sprint
Chautauqua ($1.80)
Gold-Fun ($5.50 @ Sportsbet.com.au)
Terravista ($7)
Peniaphobia ($7)
Aerovelocity ($11)
Not Listenin’tome ($21)
Lucky Nine ($41)
Charles The Great ($41)
Gordon Lord Byron ($51)
Others quoted
Hong Kong Mile
Able Friend ($1.60)
Contentment ($7)
Bow Creek ($11)
Packing Pins ($15)
Arod ($16)
Beauty Only ($17)
Dan Excel ($17)
Luger ($21)
Spalato ($34)
Beauty Flame ($41)
Others quoted
Hong Kong Cup
Criterion ($4.20)
Designs On Rome ($4.20)
Got Fly ($9)
Staphanos ($9)
Blazing Speed ($10)
Military Attack ($10)
Gailo Chop ($12)
Contributer ($12)
Rising Romance ($14)
Dan Excel ($16)
Beauty Only ($26)
Romantic Touch ($26)
Harbour Master ($34)
Hong Kong International Vase
Dominant ($4)
Flintshire ($4.20)
Ming Dynasty ($6)
Cirrus Des Aigles ($7.50)
Ectot ($13)
Real Steel ($14)
Satono Crown ($16)
Satono Rasen ($16)
Helene Super Star ($19)
Helene Happy Star ($21)
Others quoted
*Odds provided by Sportsbet.com.au
A look back on a Melbourne Cup for the ages
This was the Melbourne Cup that had it all.
A winner paying triple figures and the first female jockey to win the big race, sticking it up the blokes.
Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance jumped as the biggest priced horse in the race with sportsbet.com.au paying a massive $101 when the gates opened.
The dream horse, owned by a few mates who were having their last crack at the industry, was paying $67 back in October, got out to $81 on November 1 before jumping at $101.
20,719 punters backed Prince of Penzance with Sportsbet including several wagers of just 1 cent!
The biggest bets taken on Prince of Penzance were:
$1,000 at $101 – $101,000
$500 at $81 – $40,500
$250 at $101 – $25,250
$1,000 at $26 place – $26,000
$1,000 at $26 place – $26,000
One Sportsbet punter amazingly picked the first four with just four selections in a boxed exotic – turning $9 into $125,000.
He would have been over the moon when he jagged Prince Of Penzance, Criterion (2nd), Max Dynamite (3rd) and Trip To Paris (4th), the bet of $9.84 returning $125,903.29.
Another punter also collected big on an exotic, an outlay of $60 netting $153,540 on the first four
“It was a shock result for most, but these two punters have had huge wins and will no doubt remember this Cup for a very long time: We tip our hats to them,” the bookie’s Ben Hawes said.
Over at WilliamHill.com.au, one punter cleaned up with $169,000 by picking Prince of Penzance.
“Picking the Melbourne Cup winner is always a challenge, but the punter who picked the Prince of Penzance will go down in William Hill history as an absolute genius,” William Hill spokesman Tim Ashworth said.
“We also had another win $62,000 and a couple of patient punters back the winning ride after the jump via Racing In Play for a very tidy collect.”
Sportsbet has already released a market on next year’s Cup, with Prince of Penzance a solid outsider at $34.
The Aidan O’Brien trained Order Of St George and VRC Derby winner Tarzino head the betting at $17.
This year’s runner up, Max Dynamite is at $21 while the highly fancied, Trip To Paris is paying $26.
“We’re expecting punters to follow suit again in next year’s Cup and snap up some of these roughies at huge prices,” Hummerston said.
2016 Melbourne Cup Market
Tarzino ($17)
Order Of St George ($17)
Amralah ($21)
Kia Ora Koutou ($21)
Max Dynamite ($21)
Bondi Beach ($26)
Gust Of Wind ($26)
Mongolian Khan ($26)
Preferment ($26)
Criterion ($26)
Etymology ($26)
Trip To Paris ($26)
Prince Of Penzance ($34)
Our Ivanhowe ($34)
Hauraki ($34)
Negligent Treatment ($34)
Excess Knowledge ($34)
Big Orange ($34)
Almoonqith ($34)
Kobalt ($34)
The United States ($34)
Magic Hurricane ($34)
Signoff ($34)
Who Shot Thebarman ($41)
Shelf Stacker ($41)
Others quoted
