BOOKMAKERS have opened It’s A Dundeel $1.25 favourite for the ATC Australian Derby
BOOKMAKERS have opened It’s A Dundeel $1.25 favourite for the ATC Australian Derby (2400m) following the withdrawal of Fiveandahalfstar. A field of 10 accepted for Saturday’s $1.5 million feature at Royal Randwick and it is the Murray Baker trained colt that is clearly the one to beat.
“You wouldn’t wish it upon anyone (withdrawal of Fiveandahalfstar),” said Bjorn Baker, who is looking after It’s A Dundeel for his father Murray.
“It has taken a little bit away from the race, it is still an Australian Derby, they don’t give them away.”
It’s A Dundeel was $1.70 with the TAB for the ATC Australian Derby following Fiveandahalfstar’s win in the BMW and had firmed to $1.50 before Anthony Cummings made the decision not to run.
Tulloch Stakes winner Phillipi is the only other horse under double figures at $8.
“He is a good horse, he will hit the line hard,” said owner Ric Jamieson, who also owns Helsinge, the mother of Black Caviar.
Hippopus was second behind Phillipi in the Tulloch Stakes and Gai Waterhouse’s racing manager Bruce Slade was full of confidence following the barrier draw.
“He is a genuine mile and a half horse, he is a rock hard fit, we will be going out there and making it a very genuine run race, he will be best his last furlong,” Slade said.
“We will definitely be positive, we are very confident that we have a very nice horse, he was second last Saturday in the worst part of the track, he wasn’t able to get out wide so had to make ground along the fence.”
The ATC Australian Derby will be race seven on the program and run at 3.50pm;
- It's A Dundeel (8) – James McDonald $1.25
- Hvaastan (7) – Craig Newitt $16
- Phillipi (1It’) – Luke Nolen $8
- Solemn (4) – Kerrin McEvoy $25
- Hippopus (5) – Nash Rawiller $12
- Bass Strait (2) – Tommy Berry $101
- Gerontius (9) – Corey Brown $35
- Kingdoms (10) – Michael Rodd $35
- High Shot (6) – Craig Williams $26
- Bloodbuzz Ohio (3) – Jimmy Cassidy $101