Queensland Guineas 2017 betting may be led by Niccanova this weekend in Brisbane but there’s also been plenty of early money for market mover River Racer to beat home the boys.
River Racer is the early 2017 Queensland Guineas betting market mover for the Doomben Group 2 on Stradbroke Handicap Day. Photo: Daniel Costello.
Running as Doomben Race 5 at 1:40pm (AEST) on Saturday afternoon, this season’s $350,000 Group 2 Ascot Green Queensland Guineas (1600m) is set to run with a capacity 16 starters including first emergency Congelator coming in for the scratched Crack Me Up (20) who was drawn the outside alley.
Firming favourite in the latest Queensland Guineas 2017 odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.50 to post a fourth win on the trot is the Steve Tregea-trained Nicconi gelding from Toowoomba Niccanova.
He has winning form over the Doomben mile, handles all track conditions and was last seen beating home a similar field of rival three-year-olds at Eagle Farm on May 27 in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m).
He saluted over this track and distance back in February by nearly two lengths and hasn’t lost since, so is the deserving favourite who could prove hard to hold out.
The genuine market mover since final acceptances on Wednesday however is the Les Ross-trained Hidden Dragon filly from the Gold Coast River Racer.
She opened at a double-figure quote of $12 but is now into $8.50 after drawing a treat in barrier six, which will become five if the remaining emergencies fail to gain a start.
Jockey Robbie Fradd continues his association on the Doomben specialist (5-1-2-2) who is yet to finish out of the money in her five previous runs at the track.
River Racer will enjoy returning to her pet course after a gutsy run in the Fred Best Classic on a Heavy (8) Eagle Farm track a fortnight back where she ran on well for a brave fourth beaten only one and a half lengths.
Occupying the second line of betting at an equal $7.50 each are two other in-form hopefuls Oak Door and Sylpheed who have both drawn double digit gates for the mile feature.
Victorian trainer Robert Smerdon also accepted his progressive Commands colt Oak Door for Saturday’s $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m), but the three-year-old is unlikely to get a call up as the last emergency.
Last time out Oak Door ran fourth in Flemington’s Listed Straight Six (1200m) and he’ll be improving off that, but Smerdon would have preferred the 1350m to the mile for the Group 2 winning youngster.
Sylpheed will be working from the second outside alley in the Queensland Guineas field, Toby Edmonds’ Real Saga filly to be ridden by Jeff Lloyd once again.
Lloyd has ridden her for her two lead-up seconds in Brisbane, the latest seeing the filly more than hold her own when a neck beaten by Niccanova in the Fred Best after she jumped from another wide alley (15 of 17).
Rounding out the single-figure hopes in the Queensland Guineas odds this winter is recent Group 3 Eagle Farm winner over the mile Dreams Aplenty ($8.50) out to atone for his Fred Best 11th.
See below for the full Queensland Guineas 2017 betting odds, markets open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
