Champion mare Winx is odds-on in Turnbull Stakes 2017 betting to continue the fairy tale and secure her 21st straight turf triumph making her debut at headquarters at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday.
Winx is out to salute for the punters as the odds-on favourite in 2017 Turnbull Stakes betting this weekend at Flemington. Photo: Steve Hart.
After it looked like Chris Waller’s 13-time Group 1 winner would be facing just two rivals in a repeat of last year’s Ladbrokes Caulfield Classic, a call-around by Racing Victoria has her up against six horses in the Group 1 $500,000 Turnbull Stakes (2000m).
Drawn barrier two with Hugh Bowman continuing his gun association aboard the daughter of Street Cry, Winx opened $1.14 in the post-field Turnbull Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.
She eased out as long as $1.18, but is back into the prohibitive price of $1.16 to keep the wins coming at just her fourth Victorian start and her first at Flemington where she worked tremendously on Monday morning.
The dual Cox Plate hero heads towards a third victory in the Australasian weight-for-age championship on October 28, but first looks all but assured of Turnbull Stakes success for the punters.
Favourites in Turnbull Stakes betting have saluted just three times since the win by triple Melbourne Cup champion Makybe Diva in 2015.
The top fancies went back-to-back in 2011-12 with December Draw and Green Moon, before Hartnell jumped odds-on and won last year’s Turnbull Stakes for Godolphin.
Winx is currently Australia’s best racehorse and her recent dominance of the turf explains the reluctance of rival trainers to come up against her this weekend.
Still there is a genuine contender at the upset in the form of Darren Weir’s dual Flemington Group 1 winner Humidor.
He took out the Australian Cup at the track and distance in the autumn and was back to his brilliant best last start defeating Hartnell by over three lengths in the Group Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
Damian Lane retains the ride on the Teofilo gelding on Saturday and Humidor occupies the second line of Turnbull Stakes betting at $4.60 and firming with a few brave punters taking on Winx.
The only other hopes under a triple-figure quote are the Lindsay Park-trained Group 1 winner in Italy Ventura Storm ($31) and one of two in the mix for dual Turnbull Stakes winning owner Lloyd Williams Sir Isaac Newton ($61).
Lindsay Park head-trainer David Hayes has conceded defeat for Zoffany stallion Ventura Storm on the weekend, but is confident the last start Makybe Diva Stakes sixth placegetter will be better equipped for his Grand Final run in the Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 21.
“Those two horses [Winx and Humidor] will probably beat him at 2000 metres but under handicap conditions at 2400 metres I’m confident he’ll run well,” Hayes told The Australian.
“It’s a nice stepping stone race towards the Caulfield Cup and we just want him to run well on Saturday.
“His run was very similar to Harlem in the Heatherlie, and then Harlem went to his right distance to qualify for the Caulfield Cup.
“This one is qualified so there’s been no rush with him.”
To check out the latest Turnbull Stakes 2017 odds on Winx this weekend head to Ladbrokes.com.au.