The in-form Godolphin galloper Chetwood is clear favourite in Saturday’s Weekend Hussler Stakes 2016 field and betting markets to keep a winning streak going at Caulfield Racecourse on Guineas Day.
Smart Group 2 winning mare Badawiya is out to return to winning form at Caulfield on Saturday in the 2016 Weekend Hussler Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
One of a host of Black-Type races across a bumper 10-event program, the $120,000 Listed Catalina Sounds Weekend Hussler Stakes (1400m) is set to run as Caulfield Race 4 at 2:05pm (AEDT).
A dozen middle-distance sprinters are set to face off in the handicap clash including the John O’Shea-trained Exceed And Excel four-year-old Chetwood.
He sits top of the Weekend Hussler Stakes odds at $2.50 through Ladbrokes.com.au to post his fourth win from as many starts this time in.
Chetwood jumps from gate nine with top Sydney hoop James McDonald travelling to Melbourne for this book of Caulfield rides, the galloper down in class after his smart 1.5 length win over Randwick Guineas winner Le Romain in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1350m) at Newcastle last start on September 16.
The only negative for the Weekend Hussler Stakes favourite is the rise from 54kg in the Cameron Handicap to 57kg on Saturday.
Heading the Weekend Hussler Stakes weights on 59kg is the Tony Pike-trained Kiwi visitor Rangipo.
Best known for his Group 1 NZ Derby (2400m) win over the mile and a half back home in early March, the four-year-old son of Stryker also has the outside barrier on Saturday.
Big race specialist Hugh Bowman is booked to ride the gelding, who boasts a 50% win rate to date, second-up on the weekend with Rangipo out to atone for his 11th to Bon Aurum in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at the same track / distance on September 24.
Rangipo jumped a $71 roughie in that Group 1 and was also drawn barrier 12 (of 13), and he is at a roughies’ quote of $31 this weekend again.
Following Chetwood in the Weekend Hussler Stakes odds meanwhile at $4.80 is the rails-drawn Badawiya.
Mick Price trains the local Al Maher mare who has won two-from-four over the 1400m to date.
Her latest win was at Flemington in the Group2 Kewney Stakes (1400m) during the autumn, but her fifth when only 2.5 lengths off the winner in the Sir Rupert Clarke a fortnight back was brave.
She is drawn better for this after the tough wide run in the Group 1, and only goes up to kilos to 54kg this weekend.
The next best fancied following closely is the early Weekend Hussler Stakes market mover Ragesse ($6 into $5) who Craig Williams is booked to ride.
Darren Weir trains the smart four-year-old Street Cry stallion who was last seen running fifth over 1100m at the track in a non-Black Type.
He is capable of sharp improvement second-up getting out over a better distance.
Rounding out the single-figure fancies is the returning Mabeel in barrier five with Corey Brown riding the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained New Zealander.
A six-year-old son of Savabeel, Mabeel hasn’t raced since April and is undefeated first-up (2-2-0-0) ahead of his Australian debut where he chases a seventh win from 14 starts and third from four over the metres.
See below for the full Weekend Hussler Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win betting markets provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost (T&Cs apply).
