Top 5 Early Insights
Published: 09 Jun 2016
Star of the winter - Music Magnate has reached his peak since heading north from Sydney
You can't complain about the weather last weekend when you look at the Eagle Farm card this Saturday. There's 181 acceptors across 10 races, including four Group Twos and four Group Ones.
Down at Royal Randwick and Flemington the off-season rolls on, with a rare two mile event run in Sydney for the tough staying types.
Ahead of The Race Guides going on-line tomorrow at 9am, the Analyst Team have picked out their Top 5 Early Insights below.
all odds provided by CrownBet
No 1 Singing Without the Rain
Brisbane racing organisers, punters around Australia and the hundreds of trainers, jockeys and strappers involved were all looking to the heavens last weekend wondering "why"!
The good news is the weather has cleared in Queensland and the new track is draining beautifully. So much so that the mudlarks are drifting in the market as Eagle Farm reaches the GOOD range.
Betting on KEBEDE in the Oaks, HOWARD BE THY NAME in the Derby and TARGET IN SIGHT in the QTC Cup is looking better every day.
Bet on KEBEDE at $13, HOWARD BE THY NAME at $4.4 and TARGET IN SIGHT at $7
click here to see Eagle Farm markets
No 2 Follow the Inside Road?
The set-up at Royal Randwick this week suggests we might have a NEAR RAILS bias with a 'fast lane' on the inside. A drying track and rail out +6 metres means the running rail is just about near the highest (..and driest) part of the track.
Swoopers like BROOK ROAD in the June Stakes will be hoping it's not a paradise for on-pace runners.
No 3 Had Her Chance?
The market has kept Melbourne mare AZKADELLIA short in the market for the Group One Stradbroke following her 2nd to MUSIC MAGNATE in the Doomben 10,000. She's a very good mare that relished the tough Randwick mile over the Autumn, but is she really a firm track 1,400 metre sprinter?
She seemed to have her chance to get past MUSIC MAGNATE last start and the Baker-trained gelding was stronger on the line.
Bet on MUSIC MAGNATE now at $9
click here to see market for Eagle Farm Race 9
No 4 Another Zabeel Grinder
A small group of grinding types line up in the two mile Stayers Cup at Royal Randwick, including a horse with the unwanted title of the "most one-paced horse in Sydney"!
TREMEC's dourness has reached new heights this campaign, plugging on near the back of the field despite the vigourous urgings of Thomas Huet, Mitchell Bell and most recently Jay Ford.
He might be on the way down, but his little half-brother ZATOPAZ is three years younger and on his way up. Another Zabeel-bred stayer that has been crying out for the extra distance.
Bet on ZATOPAZ now at $3.5
click here to see market for Randwick Race 6
No 5 Derby Finale
The Queensland Derby comes right at the end of the Australian racing season and it's no surprise to see that we've got form from all of the other big Australian Derbys in the race.
HOWARD BE THY NAME (2nd in Tasmanian Derby and 1st in South Australian Derby), ETYMOLOGY (2nd in Victoria Derby, 5th in ATC Derby and 2nd in South Australian Derby) and RED ALTO (4th in Victoria Derby) are all proven stayers.
Add to the mix MACKINTOSH, who beat the NZ Derby place-getter Raghu before he came to Australia and you've got a worthy Group One contest.
Bet on MACKINTOSH now at $4.8
click here to see market for Eagle Farm Race 8