While turnover has been a little quieter than usual ahead of Saturday’s racing, TAB traders have identified an interesting theme emerging from the bigger bets.
Two of the strongest backed runners of the weekend both come from the Gelagotis stable, prompting the obvious question: is this stable confidence filtering into the market, or merely a coincidence?
The biggest single wager reported by TAB this week is $10,000 on Mongolian Gobi in Race 9 at Morphettville at $4.40.
The gelding also features in one of the standout multis of the weekend, with a punter investing $1,500 to win $31,680 by pairing Mongolian Gobi with stablemate Recuperato to place at Flemington.
Whether the money is connected or not remains anyone’s guess, but it’s certainly enough to raise eyebrows when two runners from the same yard attract significant support in the same betting cycle.
Mongolian Gobi is a relatively new addition to Team Gelagotis but has made an immediate impact, winning impressively at Pakenham in late March before continuing his progression through the grades. At least one TAB customer is confident there is more to come.
Meanwhile, Recuperato resumes down the Flemington straight after trialling well in preparation. She is already a winner down the famous Flemington straight, although an inside draw presents a challenge.
Adding another layer to the story, both runners will carry the FightMND silks as the Gelagotis stable continues its fundraising efforts for the cause throughout July.
Another notable multi sees a punter outlay $1,000 to chase a $10,000 collect through three runners:
- No Mans Land (Morphettville Race 6) @ $3.00
- Zentorno (Morphettville Race 4) @ $1.90
- Bustling (Randwick Race 8) @ $1.70
The punter just needs each runner to place to ensure a raucous celebration come Saturday evening.
While local racing punters sort through Saturday’s domestic program, much of the bookmaker attention is already shifting towards Royal Ascot where Australia’s sprinting stars continue to dominate betting discussions.
According to TAB traders, Joliestar has attracted virtually all of the significant money in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes. The Chris Waller-trained mare heads to England after winning both the Canterbury Stakes and TJ Smith Stakes during the autumn and remains a clear market elect.
Click here to read Racelab’s preview of Saturday nights Jubilee Stakes
In contrast, Overpass has been largely ignored by punters despite travelling to Royal Ascot as one of Australia’s headline hopes. The Bjorn Baker-trained sprinter was well supported when favourite for Tuesday’s King Charles III Stakes before finishing third and bookmakers report very little interest in backing him up on Saturday.
For punters who think Joliestar simply wins, TAB are also offering a special on the mare to score by a length or more.
