Hallowed Crown On Top Of Open Doncaster Mile Betting Market

Hallowed Crown is currently available at 2015 Doncaster Mile odds of $6 and is a narrow favourite in an open betting market for the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Hallowed Crown has the chance to record a third win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Hallowed Crown has the chance to record a third win at Group 1 level in the 2015 Doncaster Mile at Royal Randwick this weekend. Photo by: Steve Hart

Hallowed Crown opened at a quote of $5 when the Doncaster Mile final field was released yesterday morning, but his quote lengthened slightly after the two-time Group 1 winner was allocated barrier 23 for the $3 million race.

Co-trainer James Cummings told Racing Ahead that Hallowed Crown has trained on strongly since he finished a gallant third behind Volkstok’N’Barrell in the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (1600m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and he believes that the wide gate may not prove to be an issue on what is likely to be a wet Royal Randwick track this weekend.

“We have to really assess what is going on on the day,” Cummings said.

“There has been heavy rain Monday morning, there was more rain overnight and it is wet everywhere that you look at it at Randwick.

“I don’t need to reiterate that the track at Randwick can really be affected by the rain and the fields generally move around trying to get to the best part and the heavy camber at Randwick means that they do try to steer away from the inside even when there is a minimal

“You don’t have to go back to see some rain affected Doncasters and how those races have unfolded, so you can’t be too surprised to see them come from anywhere.”

Japanese galloper Real Impact made his Australian racing debut with a narrow win in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on March 21 and he is on the second line of betting at a quote of $21.

Real Impact will likely press forward in the early stages of the Doncaster Mile, but there is some concern about how he will handle the wet surface as he has done the majority of his racing on very firm tracks in Japan.

The early market mover in Doncaster Mile betting markets has been Gai Waterhouse-trained Pornichet, who has been backed from $9 into $8 after he took out the Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) in impressive fashion last start.

Pornichet is one of three Waterhouse-trained runners in the Doncaster Mile and he is rated the best chance to deliver the leading trainer an historic eighth win in the Group 1 event after previously winning with Pharaoh (1994 and 1995), Sprint By (1996), Secret Savings (1997), Assertive Lad (2001), Grand Armee (2003) and More Joyous (2012).

Kermadec is no certainty to gain a start in the Doncaster Mile after he was named second emergency when the final field was released yesterday, but the Chris Waller-trained three-year-old is the only other horse available at single figure Doncaster Mile odds.

The Teofilo colt is yet to record a win this preparation, but he has produced more than credible efforts in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m), Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) and the George Ryder Stakes.

There has been a sprinkling of support for Happy Trails ($21 into $17), Hooked ($21 into $17), and Leebaz ($31 into $26) in early Doncaster Mile betting, while Moriarty ($67 out to $71), Cosmic Endeavour ($21 out to $31), Destiny’s Kiss ($67 out to $81) and Plucky Belle ($26 out to $31) have all been on the drift.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.