Pompeii Ruler, Samantha Miss and Princess Coup were the big movers in Cox Plate betting after Saturday's feature racing but Weekend Hussler retained his dominance with his Underwood Stakes win.The reigning Horse of the Year is now at $2.25 with TAB Sportsbet for the weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on October 25.The 1800m Underwood was his first start beyond 1600 metres and although Pompeii Ruler momentarily looked a threat, he could not get past Weekend Hussler who held him off by t
Pompeii Ruler, Samantha Miss and Princess Coup were the big movers in Cox Plate betting after Saturday's feature racing but Weekend Hussler retained his dominance with his Underwood Stakes win.
The reigning Horse of the Year is now at $2.25 with TAB Sportsbet for the weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on October 25.
The 1800m Underwood was his first start beyond 1600 metres and although Pompeii Ruler momentarily looked a threat, he could not get past Weekend Hussler who held him off by three-quarters of a length.
Bookmakers were hammered on Friday afternoon at $1.65 with Weekend Hussler eventually starting at $1.55 for the Underwood.
Pompeii Ruler, winner of the 2007 Australian Cup, showed he was fully over the injury which kept him off the scene for a year and firmed from $15 to $8 second elect for the Cox Plate.
Sydney's dominant three-year-old filly Samantha Miss came into $10 following her Tea Rose Stakes win and was joined on the third line of betting by Princess Coup who powered to victory across the Tasman in the Stoney Bridge Stakes.
It was the seventh Group One win for Weekend Hussler and his first for the new season in which he could try to win the Caulfield Cup-Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup treble only achieved once before by Rising Fast in 1954.
His trainer Ross McDonald is also looking further ahead to places such as Dubai, Japan and Hong Kong.
McDonald said the four-year-old had pulled up extremely well from the Underwood.
"He is a horse with a great recovery rate," McDonald said.
"That is the main thing with him.
"All we have to do now is make sure he keeps his condition and doesn't lose any weight or put any on."
Latest Cox Plate betting from TAB Sportsbet:
2.25 Weekend Hussler
8.00 Pompeii Ruler
10.00 Samantha Miss, Princess Coup
14.00 Maldivian
17.00 Triple Honour, Tuesday Joy
26.00 Nom Du Jeu, Littorio, Sirmione
31.00 Light Fantastic, C'est La Guerre, Efficient, Zipping, Zarita, Maybe Better
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