Kermadec Early Favourite In Australian Guineas Betting

Kermadec is currently available at 2015 Australian Guineas odds of $3.60 and is a clear favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 event at Flemington on Saturday.

Kermadec is set to start the 2015 Australian Guineas as a clear favourite. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Kermadec is set to start the 2015 Australian Guineas as a clear favourite. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett

Kermadec stamped himself as a horse to watch when he took out the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day last year and he returned to racing with a credible fourth in the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 7 before he hit the line strongly to finish third behind Hallowed Crown and Sweynesse in the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 21.

The Teofilo colt was included in the final fields for both the Group 1 Royal Randwick Guineas (1600m) and the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m), but he was quickly scratched from the Royal Randwick Guineas and Chris Waller’s Melbourne stable foremen Justine Hales told TVN yesterday that the three-year-old would arrive in Melbourne this morning.

“He comes down tomorrow night and he will arrive here on Thursday morning,” Hales said.

“He has just done his final piece of work up in Sydney.

“If they have been up there for most of their prep they will just come down a couple of days before and it seems to work well.

“That was a really top race the other day and I think that he is well-placed down here.

“He has gone well down here before and it splits the two colts up because they have Preferment in up there.

“It is a good idea to make the most of both races.”

Alpine Eagle was a late inclusion in the 2015 Australian Guineas field, but he is currently on the second line of betting at a quote of $7.

The Group 1 South Australian Derby (2400m) was originally the autumn target for Alpine Eagle, but he stamped himself as a genuine Australian Guineas contender with a fast-finishing victory in the Group 2 Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield last weekend.

While Kermadec remains a clear favourite in Australian Guineas betting markets, the early market mover has been Gai Waterhouse-trained Wandjina, who was quickly backed from $9.50 into $8.50.

Wandjina finished third behind Shooting To Win and Rich Enuff in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and finished a credible tenth in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) before he returned to racing with a tough win in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 21.

There has been a sprinkling of support in the Australian Guineas betting market with Ladbrokes for Rommel ($13 into $12), Stratum Star ($12 into $11) and Fontein Ruby ($18 into $17), while Petrology ($10 out to $11), Testashadow ($51 out to $71), Chivalry ($17 out to $21), Merion ($20 out to $26), Firehouse Rock ($21 out to $31) and Manapine ($51 out to $101) have all been on the drift.

About The Author

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.