Punters will be the big winners on the opening of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday with online bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au paying four places on the Doncaster Mile and Australian Derby.
In what looms as a massive day of racing, below is a summary of where the money is going for the major races:
Doncaster Mile
Favourite Messene ($3.50) is the best backed runner in the famous Randwick “mile’. But punters have looked elsewhere for value, with Boban ($11) the one they have identified as value, with Boban attracting more money than El Roca ($9.00) and Hawkspur ($10) put together. Hawkspur in particular hasn’t been touched by punters, with even the likes of long shots such as Hanas’ Gold ($34) and Ninth Legion ($34) attracting more money. Speediness at odds of $17 has also been well backed.
TJ Smith
Its virtually dollar for dollar between the two favourites Lankan Rupee ($3.50) and Buffering ($6.00). In fact, the two favourites have had more than 50% of the money in the market bet on them. At least one punter will be riding Lankan Rupee home from the stands, having bet $3,000 at odds of $11 several weeks ago which will see a collect of $33,000. If there is going to be an upset, punters are tipping it may come from Tiger Tees who has been well backed at $26. Sidestep ($17) and Steps In Time ($17) may as well not even show up according to punters, with only $13 and $14 bet so far respectively on these horses.
Australian Derby
Criterion may be the favourite at $3.20 but its Puccini who has been the best backed at $7.00. Even Teronado ($9.00) has been better backed than Criterion and is second best backed overall. Keeping with the theme of the favourite getting rolled in this one, Show Me The World ($34) is the third best backed while Koroibete at $41 is also attracting plenty of interest.
“The best of the best will be racing at Randwick. It will be a tough day for punters so we decided to help them find a way to collect in the two hardest races of the day,’’ Sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson said.
Markets courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au
Doncaster Mile
$3.50 Messene
$9.00 El Roca
$10 Hawkspur
$11 Boban, Toydini, Weary
$13 Dissident, Royal Descent, Sacred Fall
$17 Slow Pace, Speediness
$21 Streama
$26 Gypsy Diamond
$34 Dear Demi, Hana’s Goal, Ninth Legion
$41 Lidari
Others quoted
TJ Smith
$3.50 Lankan Rupee
$6.00 Buffering
$7.00 Zoustar
$11 Rebel Dane, Gordon Lord Byron
$12 Snitzerland
$13 Villa Verde
$15 Fontelina, Sweet Idea
$17 Steps In Time, Sidestep, Shamexpress
$21 Spirit Of Boom
$26 Sessions, Bel Sprinter, Tiger Tees
$41 Famous Seamus
Others quoted
Australian Derby
$3.20 Criterion
$7.00 Thunder Fantasy, Puccini
$8.00 Lucia Valentina
$9.00 Teronado
$11 Savvy Nature
$13 Rising Romance
$15 Gallatin
$17 Singing Flame
$19 Cadillac Mountain, Crime Fighter
$21 Solicit, Best Case, Hooked
$26 Mountain View
$34 Pheidon, Surge Ahead, Show The World, Tupac Amaru
$41 Koroibete
Others quoted
