A huge weekend of racing kicks off tomorrow with feature meetings across Eagle Farm, Sandown and beyond, and while plenty of TAB punters are rallying behind some of Australia’s biggest names, it’s an unraced colt at Sandown that’s generated the most intrigue inside trading rooms.
The horse is Mbube.
The Lloyd Kennewell-trained two-year-old debuts in Race 1 at Sandown and has been one of the most heavily-backed runners anywhere in the country this weekend. He was given a very quiet time in jump-outs, but that hasn’t deterred punters who stepped in the moment markets went up.
TAB Senior Trader Tim Owens said the market move has been impossible to ignore.
“One of the best goes anywhere on the weekend is Mbube, a Lloyd Kennewell first starter with Billy Egan in the saddle,” Owens said.
“Last jumpout work was sharp, was asked to do very little both hit outs and looks to have a lot more to give.
“We went up $11, drifted to $12, and we have laid nearly every price on the way down, to $3.10, now $3.40 with 75% of the total hold.”
The firm has been accentuated by Tales Of Time coming out, but he was in to $3.80 even prior to that scratching.
The move has all the hallmarks of a classic juvenile plunge. Connections kept the lid on during two quiet public hit-outs, but punters clearly believe there was far more under the bonnet than what was shown.
While Mbube has become the talking horse among traders, it isn’t the only runner attracting serious support.
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FEATURE RACE TREBLE
$3,800 multi → $25,954 collect at $6.84
A punter has lodged $3,800 on a three-leg multi across the three feature races at Eagle Farm this Saturday:
- Tron Bolt (Race 7)
- Headley Grange (Race 8)
- Half Yours (Race 9)
If it lands, it’s the multi of the season. Three of the most talked-about horses in the country in a single ticket with a near-$26,000 collect on the line.
TRON BOLT IS ALL THE RAGE
Tron Bolt – $10,000 at $2.20 (Eagle Farm Race 7)
The biggest individual play of Saturday’s card. A serious punter has stepped in with $10,000 on Tron Bolt, who also anchors the $3,800 treble.
The smart money is unmistakably here.
Half Yours – $10,000 at $3.70 (Race 9)
Australia’s reigning Melbourne Cup winner continues to attract support wherever he goes.
Another five-figure investment has landed with TAB as punters look to cash in on one of the country’s most popular gallopers.
War Eternal – $2,000 at $4.40 (Race 1)
A confident early play from a punter looking to get the weekend started on the right foot.
ONE PUNTER HAS UNLOADED ON A BOLTER…
Comic Hero – $5,000 each-way at $41 win / $10 place (Sandown Race 9)
The boldest bet TAB has seen nationally this weekend.
A punter has unloaded $5,000 each-way at $41 and $10 the place, creating a potential six-figure result if Comic Hero can cause a major upset.
It’s the type of bet that can make a Saturday unforgettable.
Whether Mbube can justify the avalanche of support remains to be seen, but if the plunge lands, TAB traders may spend the rest of the afternoon wishing those jumpouts had revealed a little more.
