Foreteller’s Cox Plate Odds Lengthen

The 2014 Cox Plate odds of Foreteller have lengthened in the past 24 hours, but connections are happy with the imported galloper heading into the Group 1 event at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Foreteller has received very little support in 2014 Cox Plate betting markets. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Foreteller has received very little support in 2014 Cox Plate betting markets. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Foreteller opened at a quote of $21 when the Cox Plate field was released on Tuesday morning, but the Dansili gelding has been friendless in betting for the race and he is now out to the lengthy price of $31.

While punters are yet to warm to the chances of Foreteller this weekend, trainer Chris Waller has been happy with the 2014 Cox Plate form of the veteran gelding, which included a win in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 20, and he believes that Foreteller is capable of being more than competitive in the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship.

“He didn’t figure in the finish last start, but I think that run in the Caulfield Stakes was a slightly different run race to what he likes,” Waller told TVN.

“He ran fourth in the Cox Plate and only two starts ago in the Underwood won a Group 1 over 1800 metres.

“He has the form and he will be there in a pressure race.”

Foreteller has raced exclusively in Melbourne during the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival and Waller’s Melbourne stable foreman Justine Hales has done the majority of the work with the tough gelding.

Hales said that she gave Foreteller a fairly quiet time after his eighth place finish in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 11 and revealed that she has used a variety of different methods to make sure that the Werrett Bloodstock-owned galloper would be at peak fitness for the Cox Plate.

“He is really well,” Hales said.

“He had a little bit of quiet time after his last run and just because we only have the two weeks between runs we have been doing a few different things like taking him to the beach a bit more and things like that.

“He really enjoyed his gallop around yesterday, he worked really well, and he was bright yesterday afternoon.”

Foreteller is the outsider of the three Waller-trained horses in the Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship, while George Main Stakes winner Sacred Falls is available at a quote of $7.50 and consistent mare Royal Descent is priced at 2014 Cox Plate odds of $11.

Waller is chasing his first win in the Cox Plate after previously missing the placings with Foreteller (fourth in 2013) and Shoot Out (fifth in 2012).

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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.