Extreme Choice odds on favourite for Chairman’s Stakes

Brilliant two year old Extreme Choice has been installed the odds on favourite for the Group 3 $150,000 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Extreme Choice is the odds on favourite for the Chairman's Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Extreme Choice is the odds on favourite for the Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.

Ladbrokes.com.au opened the betting on Wednesday with Extreme Choice at $1.80 but he has quickly firmed into $1.65 on Thursday morning.

Trainer Mick Price agrees with the bookies and expects Extreme Choice to win the Chairman’s Stakes and cement his place at the top of the betting for the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 27.

“Extreme Choice is a fast horse over 1000m at this point, not to say the Blue Diamond he can’t win it and run out the 1200m strongly,” Price told Racing Ahead.

“I have no excuses, the horse can win on Saturday and I would be disappointed if he doesn’t.”

“1000m around here on is home track, he needs to step up, go to the line and win and go into the Blue Diamond.”

In early Blue Diamond Stakes betting Extreme Choice is the top pick at $6 and another impressive win will see his odds shorten.

Extreme Choice scored a two lengths win on debut in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (1000m) at Randwick on December 12 with Sydney jockey Glyn Schofield in the saddle.

Price then gave him a short break before putting him back into work to prepare for the Blue Diamond Stakes and said that he has come back a better horse.

“It was a busy time for him to go to Sydney and trial and race. A trip away and all that sort of stuff,” Price said.

“He had eighteen days off after that trip. He did really well, mentally he improved, he is really switched on and I think he is a better horse.”

“I think he is more seasoned, a more professional two year old leading in.”

Extreme Choice will come into barrier six in the Chairmans’ Stakes with the early scratching of Revolving Door with Damien Oliver taking over from Schofield.

But Schofield has a chance to get back on the Not A Single Doubt colt in the Blue Diamond Stakes if Oliver decides to go with his stablemate Flying Artie who will be tested by Oliver in the Group 3 $200,000 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday week.

“So it will be interesting to see which way Damien goes,” Price said.

“At this stage he is going to ride Extreme Choice on Saturday and then Flying Artie the following Saturday and have his pick then.”

“I am thinking Glyn Schofield will want him to pick the Flying Artie way so he can get back on Extreme Choice.”

Extreme Choice is completely dominating the betting for the Chairman’s Stakes with the Robert Smerdon trained Pearl Congenial the second pick in the market order at $7.

Chairman’s Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $1.65 Extreme Choice, $7 Pearl Congenial, $8 Mandee, $11 Highland Beat, $17 Simply Invincible, $19 Gratwick, $21 Dam Ready, $31 Om Nom.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.