Super filly Sheza Alibi is set to start close to even money in Saturday’s Doncaster, a price typically reserved for the true greats in Australian racing’s most famous mile.
Over the past 30 years, only Sunline as a three-year-old and Winx, when extending her winning streak to nine, have commanded such strong support from punters.
Both had already claimed a Cox Plate by that stage. Sunline was backed from $2.75 into $2.10 in 1999, while Winx started $1.80 in 2015.
“They were both freakish talents and [Sheza Alibi] is nowhere near them,” trainer Peter Moody observed.
“She is a very good filly and one of the best I have trained, but when you are talking about the other two you are talking legends.”
“If she can half their careers, we will be very happy.”
The betting landscape has evolved since Sunline was crunched in the ring from 7-4 into 10-9 in 1999, and again when she started $2.90 winning the Doncaster in 2002.
In more recent times, champions like Black Caviar and Winx have made short-priced favourites easier for punters to embrace.
With betting now opening earlier in the week, modern punters are far more comfortable taking the short quote, such as the $2 currently on offer for Sheza Alibi.
“Hopefully, they are right. Maybe we have found a weak year,” Moody said. “[Punters] just seem to think they keep winning these days, it’s a bit different.”
“Having said that, we don’t know how good she can be, but she keeps stepping up.”
Sheza Alibi, who hails from Rockhampton via Townsville, secured her first Group 1 victory in last month’s Randwick Guineas, a target race mapped out by Moody and training partner Katherine Coleman with the Doncaster in mind.
The daughter of Saxon Warrior has not been beaten since the application of blinkers in the spring, with her dominant 5¾-length win in the Sandown Guineas signalling she could be something special.
Moody had the option to run in the Coolmore Classic, but opted to space her runs, with the gap between the Randwick Guineas and the Doncaster better suiting the filly.
“She likes to be in her own surroundings, and by taking on the boys, we could make it like it was two fresh runs,” Moody said. “That’s what works with her.”
“If she had gone to the Coolmore Classic, she would be $4, because Autumn Boy would have won the Randwick Guineas and Rosehill Guineas by a couple of lengths, and he would be $2.”
“But she did beat him in the Randwick Guineas and gets here with 49kg, which is a pretty good weight when you compare her to him.”
“She has been fantastic since the Guineas and is ready to go.”
“It’s hard to win a Doncaster and hopefully she will be my first.”
