The headline race on the Royal Randwick race card today in Sydney is the Epsom Handicap 2015 for the milers where the state’s premier trainer Chris Waller prepares the clear favourite Winx.
Sadler’s Lake is out to defeat his stablemate and the race favourite Winx in the Epsom Handicap 2015. Photo: Steve Hart.
Running as Race 7 at 4:00pm (AEST), this year’s $1 million Group 1 The Star 150th Epsom (1600m) field is down to 14 starters after the early scratching of another Waller-trained hope in Silverball.
Having won the past two editions of the classic, Waller still has a strong chance of making it three on the trot with his Queensland Oaks winning daughter of Street Cry Winx sitting top of the Epsom Handicap odds through Ladbrokes.com.au at $3.
She has eased out slightly despite a brilliant first-up win in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill three weeks ago, Winx and her hoop Hugh Bowman having to overcome a wide barrier 13 (into 12) draw.
There are three other single figure fancies in the latest Epsom Handicap betting markets including Winx’s firming stablemate Sadler’s Lake backed in from $8.50 to $7 to win three from three this time in.
He’s drawn ideally in gate two with veteran Jim Cassidy in the saddle, the in-form High Chaparral four-year-old last seen winning the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) in the wet at the track on September 19, the same race that produced Waller’s 2013 Epsom champ Boban.
Sadler’s Lake performs very well in the wet however and if he’s as strong on the firmer track today will be key to his chances.
The others under $10 for the win are dual Group 1 winning mare Lucia Valentina ($9 into $8) jumping from barrier four and the Team Hawkes-trained Entirely Platinum ($10 into $8) out wide for jockey Tommy Berry.
Pentire six-year-old Entirely Platinum comes off two Melbourne Group 1 placings when runner-up to Boban in the Memsie Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield and then third to Fakwner when beaten only a half-length in the Makybe Diva Stakes over this distance (1600m) at Flemington on September 12.
He only needs to handle the other way of racing, staring in Sydney for the first time since a Chelmsford Stakes failure last September, and the wide alley to be competitive again here.
Other notable Epsom Handicap market movers include Queensland visitor Rudy ($13 into $11) coming off a string of placings including a second to Sadler’s Lake in the Bill Ritchie on a Heavy (8) Randwick track and the other Hawkes’ Racing representative Messene ($21 into $18) whose last start was a third in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) only seven days ago at Rosehill.
Prices have eased on a number of other chances adding value including Theo Marks Stakes runner-up to Winx and winner of the Group 3 Hawkesbury Cup (1600m) in June Sons Of John ($15 out to $19), and the John Thompson-trained 58kg top weight Hooked ($17 out to $31) who won the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) two back before a last when ninth in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at this track and distance on September 19.
See below for the latest Epsom Handicap 2015 odds available now at Ladbrokes.com.au who are running an exclusive Cash Back Offer on the classic up to $100 if your first fixed win odds bet runs 2nd or 3rd!
