Two early scratchings from Saturday’s 2014 All Aged Stakes field has seen the odds on race favourite Rebel Dane firm right in for the Royal Randwick clash.
Snitzerland has been scratched from Sydney's All Aged Stakes in favour of the 2014 Victory Stakes in Brisbane on Saturday. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
There were originally 11 final acceptors for this year’s $400,000 Group 1 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m).
Two have since been withdrawn however with the Gerald Ryan-trained Snitzerland (8) and Robert Smerdon’s last start winning filly Politeness (1), leaving nine hopefuls shooting for the weight-for-age trophy.
First-up winner of the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington in mid-February, Snitzel mare Snitzerland was last seen finishing a distant 12th when stepped up in distance on a Heavy (9) Randwick track for the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on April 12.
While accepted for the All Aged Stakes where she’d be up to 1400m, a distance the four-year-old is yet to be tested over, Snitzerland has come out of the mix and will instead run in the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) in Brisbane.
There she’s dominating the betting as the $2 favourite, she was at $11 for the All Aged, nearing odds-on territory after coming up trumps with barrier one in a field that includes the likes of last start William Reid Stakes winner Spirit Of Boom ($4.20) and the Noel Mayfield-Smith-trained Famous Seamus ($6.50).
Happy with how she’s come on since her TJ Smith failure where a wet track got the better of her, Ryan’s decision to run Snitzerland in Brisbane over Sydney is due to predicted rain for the Group 1 and a likely drier track for the Victory.
Politeness meanwhile was paying $10 to step up to Group 1 company and win the All Aged following the Street Sense filly’s last start win in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at the track two weeks ago.
In the PJ Bell Politeness overcame barrier 18 of 18 and a Heavy (9) track to win, but will give a shot at the 1400m Group 1 a miss this weekend.
She was also accepted for the $400,000 Group 1 Robert Sangster Classic (1200m) at Morphettville but has also been scratched from that field and markets and so is without a run on the weekend.
All Aged Stakes betting markets meanwhile continue to be dominated by the Gary Portelli-trained Rebel Dane ($3.40 into $3) who is second-up after a nice second to Lankan Rupee in the TJ Smith Stakes last time out.
Coolmore Classic winner Steps In Time (in from $6) and the Chris Waller-trained Doncaster Mile third placed Weary (in from $6.50) are now both occupying the second line of All Aged Stakes odds at $5.50.
The last of the single figure fancies is the Joe Pride’s The Galaxy winner Tiger Tees ($9 into $8.50) up in distance here following their credible TJ Smith fourth from April 12.
See below for the updated All Aged Stakes odds now open at Ladbrokes.com.au where Best Tote or SP + 20% markets on the race are set to open shortly!
