The final Group race of the month takes place at Caulfield Racecourse this afternoon and the latest Bletchingly Stakes 2019 odds are firmly led by the untapped Team Hawkes-trained colt Sesar.
Three-year-old Sesar is odds-on favourite in 2019 Bletchingly Stakes betting. Photo: Steve Hart.
It is a small field of just nine winter sprinters facing off in this season’s Group 3 $160,000 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m), which is set to jump as Caulfield Race 8 at 4:20pm today, following the non-acceptance of 2019 Cox Plate favourite Mystic Journey.
Drawn a treat in gate three with Michael Walker to ride, Sebring three-year-old Sesar is well-backed to make it back-to-back wins after a successful debut for his new stable last time out.
The talented Aquis Farm-raced stallion prospect enjoyed a first-up win in Randwick’s Winter Dash (1200m) on June 22 and is at $1.85 in the latest Bletchingly Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au to salute again today.
Winner of the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in October last year, the former Steven O’Dea-trained Queensland expat was also a close fourth behind superstar The Autumn Sun in the 2018 Group 1 JJ Atkins over the mile in Brisbane a year ago.
His Winter Dash return proved he was back to his best, the rising four-year-old beating home Boss Lane by nearly two lengths.
“It’s a nice race for him, and bring on the wet weather,” co-trained Wayne Hawkes told AAP this week.
“He loves the wet. Mystic Journey not running, I’m not upset. I’m smiling.
“It’s good that she’s not running from our point of view.
“I’d like it to rain again. That would be good for him on Saturday.”
With a Soft-rated Caulfield track for Bletchingly Stakes Day, the other best in betting is proven mudlark Jungle Edge ($4.80) in gate eight.
Mick Bell’s in-form eight-year-old has career start number 72 in the Bletchingly Stakes, which he ran third to Vega Magic in last winter.
Jungle Edge is out to turn the tables on Sesar after he ran third, when carrying a lot more weight than the young winner, in the Winter Dash.
The evergreen veteran has also had a run since when narrowly defeated by Oak Door finishing second from the outside alley (13 of 13) in Caulfield’s Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) a fortnight back.
Bell is confident Jungle Edge can return to winning form in the Bletchingly Stakes, rating his galloper’s chances in the weight-for-age feature.
The favourite is a good horse, but people keep forgetting he carried 4kg less when he beat us last time,” Bell told the Herald Sun.
“That’s a fair bit of weight.
“Jungle Edge is fighting fit and I think he’s got a big chance. I expect him to run really well.”
Jungle Edge is also out to overcome his hoodoo at The Heath where he is yet to win from 11 previous starts.
Two other runners are under $10 in Bletchingly Stakes betting with returning Group 3 winner Cliff’s Edge ($7.50) and Group 1 winning Perth galloper Scales Of Justice ($8.50) tipped as the dangers.
