Queen Elizabeth II’s runner Reach For The Moon was a red-hot 2-5 favourite to win the Hampton Court Stakes, but the colt was given a galloping lesson by Claymore, owned by South Africa’s Mark Slack. Picture: iStock.
Ante-post betting on Derby day at Turffontein has been a bit subdued, due to the overshadowing presence of three “certainties”. Malmoos, War Of Athena and Got The Greenlight are all quoted at very cramped odds to win the SA Derby, SA Oaks and Horse Chestnut Stakes respectively.
Bookmakers have slightly eased the trio’s prices to attract some money, but the pencil men are taking few chances. Big wagers have largely been for horses at longish odds.
Malmoos tightened a couple of decimal points after initially being offered at even-money for the Grade 1 WSB Derby. Second favourite Second Base had firm support at 3-1. Other Derby contenders to shorten were Pamushana’s Pride, in from 16-1 to 14-1 on some boards, and Bold Jazz, from 33s to 20s.
War Of Athena has been steady at 1-3 for the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Oaks, with Netta below her on 7-1 and the rest of the field 12-1 and upwards. The hopeful bets have been for Ideal Jet (now 12-1) and Only The Brave (40-1)
Got The Greenlight is pegged at 8-10 for the Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes, with Expressfromtheus 8-1 and the field 12-1 bar. Pack Leader shortened from 40-1 in to 16-1, Capoeira from 33-1 to 18-1 and Savannah Storm from 33s to 20s.
Derby day tote betting has been given three modest carryover boosts. TAB predicts a Pick 6 pool of R5 million on the back of a R1 million carryover – a fairly conservative estimate for such a major race meeting.
One imagines three standout bankers will pull in punters who see their Pick 6 job as being only half as difficult as usual and that pool might end up somewhat higher than forecast.
The Bipot, which starts in Race 2, gets a R50,000 carryover and the estimated pool is R400,000.
The third carryover is an R100,000 base for the final Pick 3 on the card – with the first leg being the SA Derby, Race 8. The estimate here is R250,000.
The PA pool gets no assistance, but the popular bet should still hit the R700,000 mark, while Jackpot One could reach R600,000 and Jackpot Two R250,000.
8-10 Got The Greenlight
8-1 Expressfromtheus
12-1 Cirillo, Copper Mountain
16-1 Tierra Del Fuego, Pack Leader
18-1 and upwards the others
1-3 War Of Athena
7-1 Netta
12-1 Sparkling Water, Ideal Jet
25-1 and upwards the others
9-10 Malmoos
3-1 Second Base
12-1 Flying Carpet
14-1 Pamushana’s Pride
20-1 and upwards the others
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