Sportsbet release all-in & exotic markets for Golden Easter Egg
GROUP 1 Vic Peters Classic winner Zambora Brockie is the $7 favourite to take out the 2016 Group 1 Golden Easter Egg final on March 26 after Sportsbet.com.au released their all-in markets ahead of the heats at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Trained by Anthony Azzopardi, the son of Nitro Burst and Flying Liddy has drawn box three in heat four and comes into the series on the back of a slick win at The Meadows where he clocked 34.15 over the 600m trip.
That run is sure to give him plenty of confidence heading into this race and he appears well suited back in the Harbour City where he has won seven of his 11 starts at Wentworth Park.
With a clear beginning he will get every chance to reproduce his dazzling 29.56 personal best over the track and trip which would see him go very close to winning on Saturday night.
Zambora Brockie is the equal $2.25 favourite to take out his heat, sharing the top line of betting with Angela Langton's Shared Equity which will exit box one.
The Victorian bitch is yet to start at Wentworth Park which poses some concern, however she holds a great record when wearing the red stretch vest, with nine starts resulting in five wins and one minor placing.
Fans of Shared Equity can snap up the $12 available with Sportsbet.com.au if they believe the black bitch has what it takes to win her first Group 1 series later this month.
NSW's best shot to claim the Egg lies with Hunter Valley speedster Knight Sprite for Gayle Masterson. The son of Magic Sprite and Jaydo's Neglect is on the second line of betting at $9 and will start from box eight in heat six.
Knight Sprite comes into the three week series having strung together a hatrick of victories, culminating last Friday in the Group 2 Richmond Derby.
The black chaser possess brilliant box speed and should get plenty of clear room from the outside this Saturday, with Sportsbet.com.au also installing him as the $1.90 favourite to take out his heat.
He will have to be at his best, however, with a stack of talent drawn underneath him including recent Group 1 Australian Cup runner-up Black Frenzy (box two), Bulli Cup finalist Nangar Flame (box four) and Group 1 National Futurity heroine Cash In Motion (box seven).
Dual group 1 winner Above All is the next best in the all-in markets at $10, with the Rob Britton-trained powerhouse set to jump from box eight in heat nine. He is the $2.60 top elect to win his qualifier, with his main rivals boxed in the one (Good Odds Angel), the two (Timmy's Entity), the four (Snakebite Bale) and the seven (Invictus Rapid).
Sportsbet.com.au are offering customers their money back on races one to four this Saturday night at Wentworth Park if your dog runs second.
For those looking to find some value within the all-in markets, we have selected some of the bigger priced aspirants which appear to have a realistic chance of landing the $250,000-to-the-winner first prize on Easter Saturday.
Asa Killa Queen (heat eight, box one) – $15
Has gone to the next level since making the move to Victoria, winning his past four in commanding fashion. Returns to Wenty where he has recorded four wins from just six starts with a personal best of 29.90. I think he is a better dog since he clocked that time and from the inside it is hard to see him missing a place. Looks a moral to make it through to the semis. His biggest threat is Black Bear Lee (box eight) which is a fast dog on his night, but I am hesitant to tip him in this series as he is first up after a rather nasty fall here last start and I would prefer to watch him go around this week.
Marley Bale (heat one, box one) – $26
Has had one start here for a fifth in a heat of the National Derby, but team Dailly wouldn't bother bringing him up if they didn't think he stood a chance. He isn't the best of beginners but should get a nice run from the inside and if he can sneak through and find the bunny he is capable of running time. At worst he should be able to sneak through to the next round and he is a smokey for the final.
Mitcharlie Mia (heat seven, box five) – $31
Drawn awkwardly in her heat but realistically she only needs to finish in the top four this week to progress to the semis and that looks nearly a certainty based on her most recent form. Last time out she won the Group 2 Richmond Oaks in impressive fashion and this week she finds herself in a winnable race, despite the poor box draw. She is yet to win in three attempts at Wenty, but she has run two placings including a second in the Group 1 National Futurity behind Cash In Motion. She seems to have developed as a race bitch since then and it would not surprise to see her go close in a series such as this.
Magic Spring (heat three, box two) – $51
Magic Spring loves racing at Wenty where he took out the Group 1 National Derby earlier this year. He has been mixing his form at his past few starts but he is capable of pinging the lids and he will give them something to catch if he can do that this week. He isn't overly strong towards the end of his races, but he should get a relatively easy lead in this race and a lot of the dogs in this race will be relying on luck and doing their best work late. Will need luck to hang on, but should progress through to the next round of the series and 50-1 is nice odds about a speedy frontrunner in these types of races.
Bessy Boo (heat four, box six) – $67
An old marvel, Bessy Boo has won 22 races over the track and trip and knows just about every inch of the 520 metre circuit. His normal racing patter is to drop out early and storm home – so he is going to need luck – but he is racing in terrific form at present and he is worth a small wager at $67.
Dalgetty (heat five, box eight) – odds TBA
Another runner to keep an eye on, if he starts on Saturday, is Dalgetty. The son of Stagger and Rockin' Along has currently been suspended in the market while it undergoes an out of competition drug test at the request of trainer Jason Thompson.
The Group 1 Temlee winner had been based at the Appin kennels of Mark Azzopardi in the lead up to his heat, with one of Azzopardi's greyhounds, Proven Kodiak, recently returning a positive swab to the prohibited substance amphetamine following a race at Shepparton.
Thompson has since expressed concern that the greyhound may have been exposed to the substance while located at Azzopardi's kennels. The analysis of Dalgetty's sample will be undertaken by the Australian Racing Forensics Laboratory and will be at Thompson's expense.
Results of the test will be available on Friday, after which a decision on whether Dalgetty will compete in his heat of the Golden Easter Egg will be made. If he is cleared to race, his price will be re-instated by Sportsbet.com.au.
Proven Kodiak, which was also engaged in a heat of the Golden Easter Egg, has been scratched from the series.
Which trainer will win the 2016 Golden Easter Egg?
Sportsbet.com.au have also released a market for the winning trainer of the 2016 Golden Easter Egg. Any other individual trainer is the current elect at $2.20, while Jason Thompson is next best at $3, followed by Anthony Azzopardi and Andrea Dailly who are both $7.
Thompson has seven runners engaged across the 10 heats on Saturday night, while Azzopardi has just three. Team Dailly lead the charge towards the final numbers-wise, with 10 chasers set to contest the series.
If you think a NSW dog will win the final, any other individual trainer is the bet for you, with no trainers from the home state listed.
GEE winning trainer market
Any Other – $2.20
Jason Thompson – $3.00
Anthony Azzopardi – $7.00
Andrea Dailly – $7.00
Robert Britton – $8.50
Angela Langton – $14.00
Tracey Hurst – $17.00