Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice was home in his box on Saturday but he was still able to shorten up his odds for the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 19.
Extreme Choice is the dominant favourite for the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Mick Price trained Extreme Choice was elevated to the top of the Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au after a dominant win in the Group 1 $1.5m Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on February 27.
On Saturday morning Extreme Choice was marked at $3.80, but after some upset results on Saturday, has firmed up to be the clear $2.80 Golden Slipper favourite on Monday morning ahead of his stablemate and Blue Diamond Stakes runner Flying Artie who has also firmed in the betting from $8 to $6.50.
The notable drifter in the Golden Slipper market order is the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Capitalist who’s price was pushed out to $10 from $4 after going down as the $1.22 favourite when second to all the way winner Kiss And Make Up in the Group 2 $300,000 UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Co-trainer Paul Snowden is confident that Capitalist will bounce back for a good Golden Slipper performance after over racing in the early stages in the Todman Stakes.
“The first 500m or so he absolutely pulled his head off and basically just ran his race upside down, obviously found wanting the last furlong but that was due to how he over raced early,” co-trainer Paul Snowden told Racing Ahead.
The Melbourne colts now have a stranglehold on the betting and trainer Mick Price said that Extreme Choice and Flying Artie are doing fine since running the quinella in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
“They are two good colts,” Price said.
“We have to just construct a plan to get them into Sydney.”
“I saw that little horse (Extreme Choice) when he hit the line like he did, there is no doubt about 1200m and just stamped him as a really really good colt.”
Price said that Extreme Choice had pulled up in great order but Flying Artie had felt the hard run a little bit but is recovering well.
“Extreme Choice pulled up like he hasn’t had a run,” Price reported.
“Flying Artie, being speared off at the top of the straight, I think he felt the run a little bit. It wasn’t as easy a run for him.
“They’re two-year-olds right in the fitness zone, we don’t have to do a lot with them, just get them to Sydney in one piece and work it out.”
Todman Stakes winner Kiss And Make Up was also a big Golden Slipper shortener, firming up dramatically from $51 to be on the third line of betting at $9.
Golden Slipper market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.80 Extreme Choice, $6.50 Flying Artie, $9 Kiss And Make Up, $10 Astern, Capitalist, $17 Defcon, Good Standing, Scarlet Rain, Yankee Rose, $21 Weatherly, $26 Calliope, Honesty Prevails, In The Vanguard, Souchez.
