Ten horses will step out for Saturday’s 2018 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington but understandably, betting has been dominated by the mighty mare Winx.
Her record speaks for itself and Winx has now posted twenty-seven consecutive wins, twenty at Group 1 level and three Cox Plate, through an undefeated streak that now spans more than three years.
She resumed this time for a dominant win in her namesake race, before another impressive performance and easy win in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) in Sydney last time out.
She is the defending Turnbull Stakes winner, will appreciate a return to her pet trip on Saturday and will have Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
It is next to impossible to tip against Winx and the equine superstar looks set for another record-breaking win, but this is the first time that exciting import Kings Will Dream will race Winx and he does loom as the biggest danger in Turnbull Stakes betting ($12).
The Casamento gelding stamped himself as a horse to follow through his debut prep for Darren Weir in autumn; dominating each of his five starts, including the Listed Mornington Cup (2400m).
Resuming this time for an impressive fourth in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Kings Will Dream has since placed third in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) and second in the Group 1 Makybe Stakes (1600m) and will appreciate getting out to 2000m.
He’ll obviously need everything to go right in transit if he’s going to be trading blows with Winx late in the Turnbull Stakes, but he’s drawn ideally on the rails and will be ridden by Craig Williams.
Two-time Group 1 champion Grunt has shown a clear affiliation with racing at HQ and he has received a sprinkling of interest in Turnbull Stakes betting.
Grunt enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in autumn and ended his campaign with a maiden win at the highest level in Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).
He took a couple of runs to return to peak conditions this time, but the O’reilly entire stormed home to win the Makybe Diva Stakes here two runs back but was flat when he tailed off to finish sixth in last weekend’s Underwood Stakes.
There is something of a query over his ability beyond a mile and this will be a real indication of his potential in races like the Caulfield Cup.
There’s plenty of value around every other horse in Turnbull Stakes betting and interestingly, Trap For Fools ($71) is the current market mover, having opened at $101.