Undefeated local filly Isotope is tipped to continue her winning ways in her first Black-Type assignment sitting top of the all-in 2020 Champagne Classic odds for Brisbane this weekend.
Wild Ruler is set to represent Peter & Paul Snowden in Saturday’s 2020 Champagne Classic in Brisbane. Photo: Steve Hart.
A reshuffled and reduced Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival program continues at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday featuring a trio of Group status races including the juveniles doing battle in the Group 2 $175,000 Champagne Classic (1200m).
A key lead-up into the Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1400m) back at the track on June 6, this season’s Champagne Classic nominations attracted a dozen two-year-olds.
A winner of both her career starts to date, the Tony Gollan-trained Deep Field filly Isotope is the clear early favourite at $2.40 in the Champagne Classic odds online ahead of Wednesday’s final acceptances.
Gollan chases his first victory in the juvenile feature and the bookies are confident he’s found the right filly to get the job done.
On April 11 Isotope won her debut over 1100m at Doomben by an incredible 10 lengths before franking that form on ANZAC Day with a 2.3 length win over 1000m at the Sunshine Coast.
She looks well placed going up to 1200m against tougher company third-up and fit this Saturday heading to Eagle Farm for the first time.
Occupying the second line of pre-field Champagne Classic betting this winter at $3.40 is the Robert Heathcote-trained Rothfire having his sixth start.
The Rothesay gelding has won all but one of his starts so far including an impressive three-from-three record at the Eagle Farm track where he returns this weekend for the first time since February.
He blitzed a 1000m two-years-old handicap by 4.5 lengths carrying 59kg then before another big win by the same margin over 1100m at Doomben next start.
Rothfire has had a freshen-up ahead of his Group 2 debut in the Champagne Classic, the up-and-comer last seen running second as the beaten odds-on favourite at the Gold Coast in mid-March.
Heathcote has prepared two Champagne Classic winners in the past 20 years with Chenar (2000) and Funtantes (2009), the ace Brisbane horseman hoping Rothfire can stretch out to 1200m and hand him another on Saturday.
Sydney’s Chris Waller has two Champagne Classic nominations this winter with Kiwi-bred Night Of Thunder colt Kukeracha and well-bred chestnut Overlord paying $12 and $7 respectively in early betting.
Still a maiden after two starts, Sebring colt Overlord is from Waller’s former star mare Red Tracer and looks a progressive type after back-to-back placings to kick off his career in Sydney.
He ran third on debut at Kensington over 1110m narrowly beaten before his second on the course proper at Randwick on May 9 behind Pelzer in a two-years-old handicap that is looking a strong form race to follow.
Rounding out the current single-figure hopes at $8 is the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Wild Ruler, the Snitzel colt best known from his $500,000 Inglis Nursery win at Randwick last December.
He has had just the one run since when a narrow second at Kensington carrying 59kg and will appreciate coming back to 57kg at set weights in Queensland on the weekend.
The official Champagne Classic 2020 field and barriers are set to be announced on Wednesday morning with the latest all-in markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au available here.
