A lie in, leftovers and the Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race: three of my favourite Boxing Day traditions.
Australia’s premier open water classic will feature a fleet of 113 in 2023, including four Maxis and several previous race winners.
It shapes as one of the more intriguing contests in recent memory, but reigning line honours champion Andoo Comanche will start a popular favourite in betting once more.
There are several different 2023 Sydney To Hobart betting markets available at Neds, including Line Honours, Handicap, First out of the Heads and more! Check out my best betting plays for the 2023 Sydney To Hobart below.
Line Honours
Barring some sort of horrific luck striking all four Maxis, 2023 Sydney To Hobart Line Honours will almost certainly be claimed by one of Andoo Comanche ($1.60), LawConnect ($3.25), SHK Scallywag ($7) or Wild Thing 100 ($13).
With that in mind, I agree with the bookies with Andoo Comanche opening a firm favourite, but I am also going to have a saver on SHK Scallywag, as she looks to be the value of the four.
Reigning champion Andoo Comanche, skippered by the appropriately named John Winning Jnr, remains one of the fastest monohull yachts in the world, and she’ll take plenty of beating again.
Having saluted in the great race four times in total, she was nothing short of dominant last year, finishing just over two hours slower than the race record, which she also set in 2017. She has won every major Australian offshore line honours victory since this time last year, and everything seems to point towards another victory this week.
Hong Kong raider SHK Scallywag is probably the unknown quantity in the 2023 Sydney To Hobart after wholesale modifications were made to her earlier this year. With a taller mast and new deck in tow, she’ll be right at home should the fleet encounter light to moderate conditions on the way to Tasmania.
Line Honours Tips:
- Back Andoo Comanche to Win @ $1.60
- Back SHK Scallywag to Win @ $7
Overall (Tattersall’s Cup) Winner
Always a far more open contest with plenty of winning chances engaged, and Sydney To Hobart Overall betting looks to be full of value again, but I am also siding with last year’s winner to defend her crown: Celestial.
Celestial has on the improve each and every year since 2019 and finished a runner up overall in the 2021 Sydney To Hobart before claiming last year’s prize.
Owner/Skipper Sam Haynes has assembled an outstanding crew again this year, rich with exciting young sailing talent, and does look primed for another big performance in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart.
Tattersall’s Cup Tips:
- Back Celestial to Win
First Out Of The Heads
All four Maxis will be eager to claim these bragging rights along with the obvious advantage of being the first Yacht out into open water, and it makes for an exciting start to the race.
Christian Beck has skippered LawConnect to an early lead in several recent editions of the Sydney to Hobart, and that is the way that I am leaning again in 2023.
I am of the opinion that if LawConnect, currently locked on the second line of Line Honours betting, is any chance of knocking off Andoo Comanche, she must be first out of the heads again and really take advantage of early conditions.
First Out Of The Heads Tips:
- Back LawConnect to be First out of the Heads @ $2.50