If the markets are any guide, top Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan can add more Group 1’s to his mantle at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Gollan, who won the Doomben 10,000 with Spirit Of Boom, will saddle runners in majors that have been heavily supported with online bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au.
Looks Like The Cat ($6.50) is the best backed runner in the J. J Atkins and punters believe Spirit Of Boom ($11) can notch the feature sprint double in the Stradbroke.
“The Gollan camp is in-form and punters are jumping on the bandwagon. Looks Like The Cat has attracted three times the support of any other runner, including favourite Brazen Beau ($2.25). Money is also starting to come for Spirit Of Boom,’’ Sportsbet.com.au’s Shaun Anderson said.
In Queensland Derby betting favourite Vilanova ($4.50) is unwanted. Pinstripe Lane ($5.00) is gaining popularity and Telepathic ($8.50) has been popular since betting opened.
In good news for punters who bet on the Stradbroke, Sportsbet.com.au is paying four places!
Markets courtesy of Sportsbet.com.au
(Prices in brackets from Monday 2 June)
Queensland Derby
$4.50 Vilanova (steady)
$5.00 Elusive Runner (steady)
$5.00 Pinstripe Lane (steady)
$8.50 Telepathic (out from $8.00)
$11 Amexed (out from $9.00)
$11 Rudy (steady)
$11 Rock Diva (in from $13)
$13 Sonntag (out from $11)
$17 Auberge (steady)
Others quoted
Stradbroke Handicap
$4.50 Srikandi (steady)
$6.00 Hucklebuck (steady)
$6.00 Rebel Dane (steady)
$9.00 Red Tracer (steady)
$11 Knoydart (steady)
$11 Spirit Of Boom (steady)
$13 Sacred Star (steady)
$17 Temple Of Boom (steady)
$17 Smokin Joey (in from $21)
$21 Scream Machine (steady)
$21 Peron (steady)
$21 Famous Seamus (steady)
Others quoted
J. J Atkins
$2.25 Brazen Beau (steady)
$5.00 Almalad (out from $4.60)
$6.50 Looks Like The Cat (out from $6.00)
$6.50 Pressing (in from $8.00)
$8.00 Time For War (in from $11)
$11 Careless (steady)
$13 Mohave (steady)
$17 Furbish (steady)
$26 Sniper Fire (steady)
Others quoted
In the news:
Jockey Daniel Moor began praying for rain as soon as he scored a ride in Saturday’s Group One Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.
Moor will partner the Anthony Freedman-trained wet tracker Reparations in the $1.3 million event.
The Darley-owned Reparations has won four races on slow and heavy ground and Moor has steered the five-year-old to four of his eight wins.
Reparations will be one of three Darley runners in the Stradbroke, joining the John O’Shea-trained pair Knoydart and Emblems.
Moor said his good record on Reparations and his ability to comfortably ride the horse at his 52kg handicap convinced connections to give him the ride.
“Down at that low weight, Darley and Anthony’s options were a bit limited but I’m very happy to have the ride,” Moor said.
“The fact I am already down at the weight brought me into the mix.”
Moor has also ridden Reparations in most of his work since Exceed And Excel gelding joined Freedman’s stable as a two-year-old.
Showers are forecast for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in the lead-up to the Stradbroke Handicap, which Moor said would greatly enhance Reparations’s chances of causing an upset in the feature sprint.
The TAB has Reparations as a $35 chance in its latest Stradbroke market with three-year-old filly Srikandi the $4 favourite ahead of Rebel Dane at $5.50.
Rebel Dane’s trainer Gary Portelli would prefer a good surface for the four-year-old but expects him to improve at Eagle Farm after his fourth in the Doomben 10,000.
“He will appreciate the bigger track,” Portelli said.
“It gives him plenty of time to come wide to make his run.
“Doomben was very leader dominated.
“The horses which finished in the first three were all on the fence getting the softer runs and had plenty of petrol at the end.
“I think Rebel Dane flattened out over the last 100 metres and I was disappointed we didn’t get the money.”
Portelli said Rebel Dane, who will be ridden by Tommy Berry, had put on a pleasing gallop at Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning and would have another work-out on Thursday.
The final field will be declared on Wednesday.