Two gallopers currently share co-favouritism to win the Concorde Stakes 2014 at Royal Randwick on Saturday with market mover Sessions now at the top of the markets with the easing Atmospherical.
Sessions is the early 2014 Concorde Stakes betting market mover for Saturday's clash. Photo: Steve Hart.
Eleven horses make up the field for this year’s $125,000 Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) in Sydney on the weekend with the John O’Shea-trained Sessions to carry the 59kg top weight under the set weights plus penalties conditions.
Money has been steady for the Lonhro stallion however who has firmed in from $4.60 to $4.20 through Ladbrokes.com.au in their Concorde Stakes betting markets and who was runner-up in the race last spring.
Jumping from a nice barrier four draw with James McDonald booked for the ride, the five-year-old is first-up here not having raced since a disappointing 13th to Smokin’ Joey in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in Adelaide back on May 10.
In fact, Sessions hasn’t won a race since the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m) in September last year.
Group 1 placed two runs later however when third to Buffering in the Manikato Stakes, there is obvious class to this Godolphin-owned runner that is looking to return to form this season.
Concorde Stakes odds on the former clear top fancy meanwhile have drifted with Atmospherical out form $3.80 to $4.20.
Out wide in gate 10 with Tim Clark to ride, the David Pfieffer-trained Northern Meteor mare makes her four-year-old debut here.
Lightly raced with just five starts on her record to date, Atmospherical has won four of those including her most recent effort on May 17 in a Listed 1100m sprint at Scone.
She is up in class then here but trialled well at Kensington on August 23 in the wet when second to I’m All The Talk.
Four other runners in the Concorde Stakes field are also at single figures then with:
- #8 Target In Sight ($6.50) – Joe Pride-trained Nadeem gelding comes off a win over 1000m at the track from last month when defeating Rifleman, improvement to come off that with a great second-up record (3-2-0-0) behind him and is a specialist at Randwick (4-3-1-0).
- #3 Rain Affair ($8) – Pride’s other runner, this Commands seven-year-old is a former spruik sprinter with plenty of Group race experience. Hasn’t won since the Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m) over 12 months ago however and three autumn runs were very disappointing. Down in class here however and trial form has been good hinting at a form resurgence from the former Group 1 runner-up who was fourth in this race two years ago.
- #7 Didntcostalot ($8) – Marc Conners’ Danerich six-year-old hasn’t raced since February but won back-to-back Warwick Farm trials last month. Yet to win at Randwick but beat Rain Affair in a 740m hitout on August 29 so can run well if conditions suit.
- #6 Whittington ($8.50) – Chris Waller-trained Tale Of The Cat four-year-old has the outside barrier to overcome, the stallion first-up after an eighth in the Gosford Guineas back in early April. Won the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sprint in January and was also a brave fifth to Tiger Tees in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) in March, and is a winner over the track and distance.
The next two best in betting and the only others under $20 to win are then O’Shea’s other runner Safeguard ($11) in gate three as the Gold Coast Guineas runner-up returns and last year’s fourth past the post I’m All The Talk ($15) with the rails run from barrier one for trainer Gary Portelli.
See below for the full Concorde Stakes 2014 odds, fixed win prices open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au where you’ll get the right price on every horse in every race all throughout the spring season!
