John O’Shea’s in-form three-year-old Demonstrate is dominant favourite to handle the Flemington straight on Saturday sitting top of the The Straight Six 2016 betting odds.
Demonstrate (outside, behind) is clear favourite in markets for Saturday’s 2016 The Straight Six at Flemington Racecourse. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Due to jump as Flemington Race 8 at 4:10pm (AEST) on the bumper nine-race program, this year’s $120,000 Listed Hilton Nicholas Straight Six (1200m) features a capacity field of 20 sprinters.
Heading The Straight Six odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.60 and firming is the Godolphin-raced youngster Demonstrate coming off a third to Faatinah at Morphettville on May 7 in the Group 2 Euclase Stakes (1200m).
He takes on the older horses over the same distance on the weekend, but drops in class and is set to get a gun run from barrier nine with Patrick Moloney booked for the ride.
Demonstrate overcame barrier 13 of 13 in Adelaide for his brave Group 2 placing two weeks ago, his third top three run on the trot this time in ahead of a return to Flemington where he last ran second to Palentino in the Listed Hilton Hotels Stakes (1400m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in the spring.
Despite the size of The Straight Six field this season, just two other runners are rated single-figure chances in the latest markets with Odyssey Moon paying $7 and My Poppette firming into $9.
Robert Smerdon’s fellow three-year-old Odyssey Moon is due to jump one inside the favourite from barrier eight, Chris Parnham riding the smart Snitzel colt.
Group 1 performed, he has had three runs for the year so far and has caught the eye each time including his last start second to He’s Our Rokkii in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 2.
He has been freshened-up since, drops back in distance and also weights from 56kg to the 54kg minimum in the handicap clash on the weekend.
My Poppette is also a light weight in the field but has work to do from a nasty barrier 18 draw second-up.
Snippetson filly won the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m) on Cox Plate Day last October before a Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) seventh over the extra metres on Derby Day last time in.
She kick off her autumn – winter campaign on April 30 over 1100m at Caulfield and did well under a hefty 60kg from barrier 13 of 13 running third, beaten under a length, behind Olivier in a run she will only improve on.
The next best in The Straight Six betting at $10 for the win at the opposite end of the field and weight scale is Durendal jumping from out wide in gate 17 carrying 59.5kg first-up.
Prepared locally by Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra, the Medalia D’Oro four-year-old has a brilliant record over the 1200m of six wins and two thirds from eight starts at the distance he resumes over on Saturday.
He is undefeated over the 1200m at Flemington (2-2-0-0) including his Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) win back on New Year’s Day.
His only run since was a sixth on January 26 at Caulfield over 1400m, and dropping back to his preferred distance this weekend will work to his advantage.
Following in the markets are the likes of the Darren Weir-trained Thermal Current ($12), four-year-old Bullpit ($14) and another Weir hopeful in Wangoom Handicap third placegetter last start Mirage ($15).
Check out the full The Straight Six 2016 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win betting odds below – prices you can lock in online now at Ladbrokes.com.au!
