Speak Fondly has been backed into 2015 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $4.20 and punters are confident that she can become just the second filly to win the Group 1 event.
Speak Fondly has been the best-backed runner in 2015 Golden Rose Stakes betting markets. Photo by: Steve Hart
Speak Fondly was available at a quote of $34 when the Golden Rose Stakes betting market opened at the start of the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but she stamped herself as a legitimate contender for the $1 million race with front-running wins in the Group 2 Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on August 22 and the Group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at the same venue on September 5.
Trainer Gai Waterhouse admits that she is unsure whether Speak Fondly can join Forensics as the only fillies to have won the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m), but she is confident that the daughter of Northern Meteor will be in the finish.
“She is a beautiful filly and she is exceedingly talented as you can see from her last two wins,” Waterhouse said.
“She appears to have made the weight-for-age improvement which is what you look for from two to the three.
“Can she break the hoodoo of the fillies in the Golden Rose, I’m not sure but she will be right in the finish.
“She is backing-up, but she looked very good this morning when I sent her around and I am looking forward to it.”
While Speak Fondly has been the best-backed runner in the Golden Rose, Exosphere remains a narrow favourite in the betting market with Ladbrokes.
Exosphere finished at the tail of the field in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) after he suffered from cardiac arrhythmia, but he returned to the races with a fast-finishing victory in the Group 2 Run To The Rose (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on August 29.
He narrowly beat Press Statement to take out the Run To The Rose, but the Chris Waller-trained galloper will have the chance to turn-the-tables on his rival in the Golden Rose Stakes this afternoon.
Press Statement opened at 2015 Golden Rose Stakes odds of $3.70 when the final field was released earlier in the week, but there has been consistent support for the J.J. Atkins winner and he is now into $3.70.
There has been a sprinkling of support for Shards ($12 into $11) and Holler ($17 into $15) in the Golden Rose betting market, while Rageese ($17 out to $21), Sebring Sun ($15 out to $16) and Let’s Make It Rain ($34 out to $41) have all been on the drift.
