Sportsbet Blog

Betting for the Group 1 William Reid Stakes has been turned on its head following the scratching of hot favourite Black Caviar reports IASbet John Hartnett.

“It’s a wide open race now without the champion filly,” said Hartnett. “The three place getters of the Lightning Stakes are now the top three in the market in Nicconi ($5.50 into $3.20), Wanted ($6.50 into $3.40), and Shellscrape ($11.00 into $4.50).”

“I think Shellscrape finds his right race here. He hasn’t raced at the Valley, although he is very suited to the 1200m and he likes the cut out of the ground.”

IASbet has a range of head to head markets available on the William Reid Stakes, including Nicconi ($1.80) vs Wanted ($1.90), Shellscrape ($1.70) vs Light Fantastic ($2.15), Turffontein ($1.70) vs Sniper’s Bullet ($2.15), and Master O’Reilly ($2.75) vs Mentality ($1.45).

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Checkout the IASbet site here for more info and to signup to this great offer.

This Saturday’s 2009 Group 1 Golden Rose is the epiphany of races for three year old horses in Australia. Worth one million dollars, the event is a major crowd-puller for Australian racing. 15 horses have been accepted from a nomination field of 63, and the list is far from disappointing.

Star gelding Phelan Ready (with odds of $6.00 at Centrebet) will race, hoping to do better than his third in the Premiere Stakes two weeks ago. He is back to racing against horses his age, which will be a major factor considering the two horses that beat him in the Premiere Stakes, Kroner and Mentality are 5 and 6 year olds respectively.

The impressive Shellscrape (with odds of $14.00), who has won four races and failed to place in only one of his 11 starts, will jump from barrier 8. He finished a close second to surprise winner Rarefied in last week’s Up and Coming Stakes, and ran a fantastic race to win the San Domenico Stakes earlier this month.

Headway ($10.00), who finished second to Phelan Ready in this year’s Golden Slipper, also looks like some value. She finished second in the listed Quezette Stakes two weeks ago after coming off a four month spell. She is up against the boys this week, which will be tough, but consider her for an each way bet.

I like Denman (2.70), the colt who has won his last four starts. The Golden Rose will be a major step up in class, considering his only race at Group level was a Group 3, and it will also be the first time he has raced 1400m. But you can’t fault his racing so far, or his pedigree – his father is champion Lonhro – and I think he will be right up there with the more experienced racers.

Another one to watch out for is Trusting ($5.00), who may be without number one jockey Chris Munce, but certainly not without a chance. The colt won the Warwick Stakes last Saturday at Randwick ahead of older and more experienced runners. While he may have only raced three times, Trusting has jumped straight into Group Racing and performed well.

I think the favourite Denman should win, but I think he may be a little short. There are plenty of horses that could beat him, including Shellscrape and Headway. I also think Trusting will run a good race and you can count on Phelan Ready to give it his all. With so many horses, it looks like a job for a box trifecta.

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My Tips:

Denman

Trusting

Phelan Ready

Shellscrape

The Up and Coming Stakes is one of two Group 3 races at Randwick on Saturday. Run over 1200m, there is a cool $125,000 in prize money up for grabs. The race is specifically for three year old colts and geldings.

Of all the racers in the Up and Coming Stakes, I like Sniplaz the best. While I didn’t give him a chance in the San Domenico Stakes a few weeks ago, he came out and proved me wrong, and probably would have won if he wasn’t blocked for a run. He still managed an impressive second, and will be back to his preferred 1200m, where he has won twice. He is currently paying $8.50 at Centrebet so at these odds there’s plenty of value for him this weekend.

You can’t discount Shellcrape ($3.20), who did win the San Domenico Stakes. He beat several horses in this race and is very experienced for a three year old. From his ten starts, he has won four times, and placed in five others.

Another one to watch for is the Gai Waterhouse Judicial ($35.00). Unlike other three year olds in the race, he has had hardly any experience. He has raced once for a win, but this will be a significant step up in class for him, though I am sure Waterhouse would not enter him into a race like this unless she had confidence in him.

I’d stay away from the accident prone Winter King ($7.50). He has had problems in four of his seven starts, and although he may have won three races, this is a major step up in class.

I’m going to go for Sniplaz in this race. Hopefully he can get out into the open easily and run away with it. Then I’m going with Shellscrape, and the “Up and Coming” Judicial. My fourth tip is the impressive Onemorenomore, who is coming off a three month break, but has probably the best result of any of the runners, a first in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

My Tips:

1st. Sniplaz

2nd. Shellscrape

3rd. Judicial