Timeform Ratings expert Adam Blencowe has First Seal on top of his 2015 Coolmore Classic odds and he has the talented filly rated even shorter than her current odds-on quote for the Group 1 event at Rosehill Gardens tomorrow.
First Seal is clearly the horse to beat in the 2015 Coolmore Classic. Photo by: Steve Hart
First Seal stamped herself as a horse to watch when she upset Winx and Earthquake to win the Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on September 20 and she produced a most impressive performance to win the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at the same venue on October 4 in dominant fashion.
The Fastnet Rock filly returned to racing with a second place finish behind Adrift in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 before she stamped herself as a clear Coolmore Classic favourite with a comfortable win in the Group 2 Surround Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm on February 28.
Blencowe told RSN that he has First Seal rated as a $1.60 chance in the Coolmore Classic and he believes that the three-year-old is far from the worst odds-on chance he has seen – despite the fact that she will be taking on older horses for the first time and has drawn a wide gate.
“We think that she is very good and this whole race comes down to what type of price you can get for First Seal,” Blencowe said.
“I have her marked at $1.60 and if she is betting around that $1.75 mark I think that she will be fairly popular.
“If you are in to playing odds-on, I don’t think that she is the worst odd-on favourite that you will ever have.
“I think that she is a pretty smart.
“Off her Flight win we have her rated alongside the wins of Streama and Samantha Miss, so we have a seriously high opinion of her.
“Based on that last start rating she is the horse to beat and we still think that she still has a length up her sleeve off her spring form.
“She is the genuine Group 1 performer in the race, but that is probably being unfair to the likes of Dear Demi because she is a proven Group 1 mare, but she is a little bit past her best now.
“It is an interesting race just to see how good this filly is.”
First Seal is currently available at 2015 Coolmore Classic odds of $1.75 with Ladbrokes and is a dominant favourite from Plucky Belle ($10), Mahara ($13), Thump ($14), Adrift ($15) and Tinto ($16).
