Trainer Darren Weir saddles-up the two top rated horses in Saturday’s Kennedy Mile 2017 field and betting markets including his last start Toorak Handicap winner Tosen Stardom.
Toorak Handicap winner Tosen Stardom is the top weight and narrow favourite in 2017 Kennedy Mile betting for this weekend at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
One of four elite level Victoria Derby Day races taking place on the opening meeting of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, this year’s Group 1 $1 million Kennedy Mile (1600m) features 14 hopefuls and is set to run as Flemington Race 8 at 4:35pm (AEDT).
Previously known as the Longines Mile and Cantala Stakes, the Kennedy Mile odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Tosen Stardom as the narrow $5 favourite despite the Japanese import carrying the 58kg top weight.
The Deep Impact seven-year-old had a half-kilo less on his back when overcoming barrier 16 in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and is tipped to enjoy successive wins from a more favourable barrier nine draw this weekend.
Damian Lane retains the ride on the entire who is out to be the fourth winner of the race since 2010 to salute from gate nine after Wall Street (2010), Albert The Fat (2011) and Happy Trails (2012) won from the barrier three years on the trot.
Weir also has Lucky Hussler drawn the outside barrier 14 on the quick back-up after the comeback galloper broke a notable drought winning last Saturday’s Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) by an impressive three lengths.
Eight-year-old Lucky Hussler pays $5.50 in the latest Kennedy Mile betting markets to continue his return to form as he chases the double last completed by Turn Me Loose (2015).
Equal $5.50 second elect and the early Kennedy Mile market mover is the Chris Waller-trained Tom Melbourne in barrier six with Glen Boss in the saddle.
Waller chases his third win in the mile spring showdown after previous success with the aforementioned Albert The Fat (2011) who scored an upset at 16/1 and the 2013 favourite Boban who saluted for the punters.
The master Sydney horseman of Winx fame has a stranglehold over the Kennedy Mile field numbers wise with a bumper six hopefuls.
Tom Melbourne carrying 53.5kg is the best fancied of the Waller contingent, the Dylan Thomas gelding out to atone for his close sixth in the Toorak Handicap when two and a half lengths beaten carrying 55kg from barrier 15.
Prior to that the seven-year-old finished second four times on the trot, including behind Happy Clapper in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) that produced last year’s Kennedy Mile winner Le Romain (5th in 2016).
The other Waller horses in the mix are McCreery ($20), Omei Sword ($20), Shillelagh ($13), the rails-drawn All Our Roads ($16) and the well-fancied Egg Tart ($6).
Kerrin McEvoy rides four-year-old Sebring mare Egg Tart third-up this weekend on the back of her seventh in the Toorak Handicap.
As a three-year-old in the autumn she won the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2010m) and Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m), but Waller has kept her to a mile again this weekend.
Sovereign Nation ($9) rounds out the single-figure Kennedy Mile hopefuls, the Lindsay Park-trained Toorak Handicap runner-up drawn well in barrier three and carrying the 52kg lightweight.
Check out the full Kennedy Mile 2017 field, barriers, jockeys, weights and latest Fixed Win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au below ahead of Derby Day on Saturday.
