Robert Smerdon’s mare Shamal Wind is narrow favourite to win her first race of the new season in Saturday’s 2014 Sprint Series Final at Caulfield Racecourse with markets for all the Melbourne races now out.
Shamal Wind has opened favourite to win the last race on Caulfield Guineas Day 2014 this weekend. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
The five-year-old daughter of Dubawi is one of a dozen mares in the mix for the $150,000 Group 3 Sportingbet Sprint Series (1200m) that brings the Caulfield Guineas Day action to a close as Race 10 at 6:15pm on the weekend.
She’s drawn in barrier seven with Nicholas Hall to ride and is after her first win since a 1000m effort down the straight at Flemington back in early April.
Saturday will be Shamal Wind’s third run this prep, her most recent effort being a close third in a blanket finish when beaten just a neck by Girl Guide in the Group 3 How Now Stakes (1200m), a heat of the Sprint Series.
For the final on the weekend Shamal Wind is the current $2.70 top fancy through Ladbrokes.com.au to win, joined on single figures by just one other runner.
In what is shaping up as a two mare battle according to the battle, the second pick and only other under $10 to win is Shamal Wind’s last start conqueror, How Now Stakes winner Girl Guide ($3.40).
Prepared by David Hayes & Tom Dabernig, Churchill Downs five-year-old Girl Guide shoots for her third win of the season and her seventh career win at start number nine.
She’s got an ultra-consistent record then and Craig Williams stays on having ridden her to victory in her two latest runs both over Saturday’s 1200m distance.
Girl Guide has had a total of four runs over the 1200m for three wins and a third and could be hard to hold off again on Saturday.
Following the top two in Sprint Series Final betting are then a host of other well priced chances including Gig coming off an unplaced Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes run at the track on September 28, in-form four-year-old Griante who has won two from three at the track and the Brett Scott-trained Coronation Shallan all at $11.
Following at a quote of $12 are then the rails-drawn Brilliant Bisc for Peter Moody and Exceed And Excel four-year-old Fare Well out to improve on an 11th in the Testa Rossa Stakes last start before the market opens up.
See below for the full Sprint Series Final 2014 betting odds, prices open online now at Ladbrokes.com.au where on Caulfield Guineas Day punters that put $3 on the Megapick can win $3 million!
