The money is coming for the lightly-raced favourite Steinem in Australasian Oaks 2021 betting this weekend in Adelaide with the progressive daughter of Frankel well-backed to take out the Morphettville Group 1 feature.
Jockey Jye McNeil partners Saturday’s 2021 Australasian Oaks favourite Steinem. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Punters are in for a double-shot of elite level Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival action on Saturday including the three-year-old fillies facing off in the Group 1 $500,000 Australasian Oaks (2000m).
There remains a capacity field of 16 for the event with the Danny O’Brien-trained first emergency, consistent Americain filly Americain Angel, gaining a start after the early scratching of Mozzie Monster.
Updated Australasian Oaks odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Steinem firming in from $4 to $3.90 at the top of the markets, Jye McNeil booked for the ride from barrier one.
Saturday sees the nicely-bred filly race for just the fourth time as she looks for her third win.
After back-to-back wins in Victoria, including a huge 3.5 length effort with 59.5kg on her back over a mile at Sandown Hillside in late March, she stepped-up in grade in Adelaide last start.
Steinem jumped odds-on in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes (1800m) on April 17, but only managed to run fourth from the outside barrier (16 of 16).
With a better gate over further, she can atone for that loss when still under a length beaten and finish on top in the Oaks for the favourite backers.
On the drift occupying the second line of betting at $5 is Scott Brunton’s undefeated filly from Tasmania Hela.
She travels to Adelaide having won all seven starts at home to date and, from a nice gate three draw for her regular hoop David Pires, looks a genuine chance of making it eight on the trot in tougher grade.
“Of the fillies I have had, she is the best by far,” Brunton said of Hela speaking to Punters this week.
“I think she is pretty smart and certainly wouldn’t be coming here if I didn’t think she could win.
“How good she is, I don’t know.
“She is either better than we think or she is special. She is one of those horses, she has that turn of foot and when she gets away from them, she idles.
“It‘s pretty exciting, when she has been under pressure a little bit she has drawn away from them.”
There are two other single-figure fancies with the spring’s VRC Oaks champion Personal ($9) with work to do from barrier 17 and the Chris Waller-trained Brookspire ($9.50) in gate seven for jockey Michael Walker.
Master trainer Waller chases his third Australasian Oaks win in five years having won the event in recent times with Egg Tart (2017) and Toffee Tongue (2020).
His shot at another success on Saturday, Hinchinbrook filly Brookspire, may be rising notably in class but put the writing on the wall only last weekend saluting by two lengths over the Caulfield mile.
Third in that same lead-up and also on the quick back-up now having gained a start, the aforementioned Ameircain Angel is the current Australasian Oaks market mover firming in from $14 to $11 with Damian Lane to ride from gate six.
Click here for the latest Australasian Oaks 2021 odds thanks to Ladbrokes.com.au.
