A line-up of potential Queensland Derby horses face off at Randwick in Sydney on Saturday in the Frank Packer Plate 2018 field, betting markets for which are led by the Mick Price-trained Holy Snow.
Holy Snow is tipped as the three-year-old to beat in Saturday’s Frank Packer Plate 2018 at Randwick on All Aged Stakes Day. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Running as Race 4 at 1:45pm (AEST) on All Aged Stakes Day, this season’s Group 3 $150,000 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) field attracted a dozen three-year-old staying types.
The race serves as a possible lead-up for youngsters heading up to Brisbane for the winter with an eye on the Group 1 $600,000 Queensland Derby (2200m) at Doomben on June 9.
One of the early favourites in pre-field Queensland Derby betting this year is Fastnet Rock colt Holy Snow who also sits top of the Frank Packer Plate odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.40 and firming to return to winning form.
He won first-up back in February at Caulfield in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) before a fifth in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.
In Sydney he has had two runs when runner-up to the filly Unforgotten, who franked the form with her Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) win last Saturday, in the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) and third last start under a length off the winner Muraaqeb in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 7.
Money is now coming for Holy Snow in the Frank Packer Plate up over 2000m, a distance he sees for the first time on the weekend.
The other best in Frank Packer Plate betting paying $5 and $6 respectively are the Chris Waller-trained Tangled and Astoria from the powerhouse Godolphin stable.
Tangled is drawn well in barrier five with regular rider Michael Walker aboard, the Snitzel colt dropping notably in class after two Group 1 placings.
It’s been a while between drinks for the youngster who hasn’t won since the Group 2 Champagne Classic (1200m) in Brisbane a year ago, but his two lead-up runs have been excellent at blowout odds.
Two back Tangled was second to stablemate D’Argento as a $71 roughie in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) over the same distance as the Frank Packer Plate before a third to Levendi at Randwick in the Group 1 ATC Derby (2400m) a fortnight ago.
With experience over the distance and coming back from the run over a mile and a half, Tangled looks a genuine winning hope especially getting in extremely well at set weights here.
Astoria also has form over the distance having placed second to Levendi in the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) on March 31 before things went amiss when 17th of 18 runners in the ATC Derby.
The James Cummings-trained Medaglia D’Oro colt had a forgivable run however suffering early interference and can bounce back here with the right luck.
Rounding out the hopes under $10 to win the Frank Packer Plate this year are the in-form Dissolution ($7.50) coming off a Carbine Club Stakes second, maiden Primitivo ($8), Chris Waller’s last start Warwick Farm winner Higher Ground ($8.50) drawn the rails and the Team Snowden-trained Temprado ($9) chasing a third win on the trot.
Check out the full Frank Packer Plate 2018 field and betting markets below, prices open online now through Ladbrokes.com.au.
