The healthy pre-post odds of Adelaide sprinter Thiamandi for the Group 3 $150,000 W.W. Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday was a pleasant surprise for Morphettville trainer Lloyd Kennewell.
Thiamandi is at surprisingly good odds for the W.W. Cockram Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
The well performed Thiamandi is back against the mares after finishing fourth against all comers in the Listed $120,000 Winslow Group Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 16.
Thiamandi was sent out the $3.90 second favourite in the Regal Roller Stakes behind Group 1 winner Moment Of Change ($3.70 favourite) after scoring a sizzling win in the Group 3 $150,000 Slickpix Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield at her previous start.
Kennewell thought he would give Thiamandi a chance to get back into the winner’s stall by taking on her same sex and was surprised when she opened up in early betting around the $17 mark.
“She goes from being a favourite one week to being a 16/1 chance, which is surprising considering she’s going from meeting something like Moment of Change to mares only,” Kennewell told The Advertiser.
The W.W. Cockram Stakes, which has been renamed the Sportingbet Sprint Series Heat 1 Stakes, has pulled together a strong field of top class mares which includes Group 1 winners Dear Demi and Commanding Jewel.
“It’s a super-strong mares’ race,” Kennewell said.
“This will hold her in good stead to see where she’s at for the rest of her prep.”
Another win at Caulfield for the speedy Thiamandi will give Kennewelll plenty of ammunition to tackle the tougher sprints later in the Spring Carnival.
While 2012 Crown Oaks winner Dear Demi and 2012 Thousand Guineas winner Commanding Jewel are kicking off their Spring Carnival campaigns, Gregers from the stable of David Hayes and Tom Dabernig, showed that she is on tune for a good Spring campaign with an all the way three and a quarter lengths win against the mares over 1100m at Caulfield on August 16.
The well performed Time For Julia from the Peter Moody stable is first up after finishing seventh to Driefontein in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (Registered as Robert Sangster Stakes) (1200m) at Morphettville on April 26.
A Time For Julia was twice a Group 3 winner during this year’s Autumn Carnival, taking out the Group 3 $150,000 Routleys Bakery Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield and the Group 3 $150,000 Roy Higgins Tribute Quality (1200m) at Randwick.
And the Redoute’s Choice mare has an excellent first up record with two wins and a second from three attempts.
Former Queensland trained mare and 2013 Gold Coast Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Real Surreal, now under the care of Team Hawkes, has shown that she is ready to be competitive first up with an easy win in a recent 1000m barrier trial at Hawkesbury before being sent to Melbourne.
The market order for the W.W. Cockram Stakes with Ladbrokes.com.au has Gregers the $2.70 favourite ahead of A Time For Julia at $4.80, Real Surreal at $5 and Commanding Jewel at $7.50.
Thiamandi is currently a $18 chance while Dear Demi is also one of the outsiders at $26.
