Our Boy Malachi has been backed into 2015 BTC Cup odds of $3.50 and the talented sprinter has easily been the best-backed runner in betting markets for the Group 1 event at Doomben on Saturday.
Our Boy Malachi has been the best-backed runner in 2015 BTC Cup betting markets. Photo by: Steve Hart
Our Boy Malachi will be returning to Queensland racing for the first time since he scored a narrow victory in the XXXX Gold Newmarket Handicap (1300m) at Rockhampton on June 19 last year and he will be stepping up to the highest level of racing for the first time in his career after recording 17 wins from 19 race starts.
The Top Echelon gelding was sent to the Team Hawkes stable before his summer campaign in the Sydney and he stamped himself as a genuine Group 1 contender with impressive wins in the Turner Freeman Lawyers Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 1, the Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 29 and the Listed Razor Sharp Handicap (1200m) at Royal Randwick on December 13 before he returned to racing with a comfortable victory in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on April 18.
Our Boy Malachi opened at a quote of $4 when the 2015 BTC Cup field was released earlier in the week, but there has been consistent support for the six-year-old and he is now into a quote of $3.50 to record his maiden win at Group 1 level.
Srikandi stamped herself as a BTC Cup contender with an impressive first-up victory in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at the Gold Coast on April 25 and she has been backed back into $5 after drifting out to $5.50.
The Dubawi mare was having her first race start since she finished third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) in June last year and trainer Ciaron Maher is confident that she has taken plenty of benefit from the run.
The wildcard in the 2015 BTC Cup field could be Darren Weir-trained Trust In A Gust, who stamped himself as one of the most talented gallopers in Australia when he took out both the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
The Keep The Faith entire would prove tough to beat if he was able to find that form again, but he is currently available at a quote of $8 in BTC Cup betting markets after she returned to racing with a surprise defeat in the VOBIS Gold Sprint (1200m) at Caulfield on April 18.
The only other runner available at single figure 2015 BTC Cup odds is Scissor Kick, who has been backed into $8.50 after opening at a quote of $10.
Scissor Kick is still chasing a maiden win at Group 1 level, but he is taking strong form into the race following his close fourth place finish in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 18.
There has been some money in the 2015 BTC Cup betting market with Ladbrokes for Big Money ($41 into $34), Sacred Star ($13 into $11), Cape Kidnappers ($51 into $41), Time For War ($61 into $31) and Bring Me The Maid ($13 into $11), while Temple Of Boom ($16 out to $21), Fontelina ($17 out to $21), Hot Snitzel ($21 out to $26), Knoydart ($16 out to $17), El Roca ($13 out to $15) and Villa Verde ($31 out to $51) have all been early drifters in betting.
