Punters believe home-town trainer Mack Grifftih has a mortgage on today’s Country Championships qualifier at Mudgee, with more than 80 per cent on money invested with tab.com.au on the race being on runners prepared by the two-time heat-winning trainer.
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Griffith, who won the first two Central Districts heats with Binalong Road (2015) and Pera Pera (2016), will line up former Gooree-owned gelding Most Exalted and country cups performer Schedule in the $150,000 event, but Gerard Middleton from tab.com.au says the weight of money is for Most Exalted.
“Between them 81 per cent of the bets we’ve taken have been for that pair, and Most Exalted is 64 per cent alone,” Middleton said.
“The trade this morning has been pretty quiet but that will pick up as the race gets closer.
“Schedule has 17 per cent of the investment so far and outside of that there’s no significant interest.”
Most Exalted is currently a $2.15 favourite for today’s race, and is a $15 chance to claim the $500,000 final on April 7.
Schedule, which is a $4.00 chance today, has also been supported for the decider with the market for that race thrown wide open after the shock defeat of series favourite Don’t Give A Damn in Saturday’s qualifer at Goulburn.
“Most Exalted is actually the second best-backed for the final behind Victorem, which has already qualified, and that’s where a lot of the money is going this morning,” Middleton said.
“People are electing to take the $15 for the final thinking he’ll win today and then be much shorter.
“We did take a $1000 bet on Schedule on Monday for the final at $51 and his price has trimmed into $26.
“With Don’t Give A Damn getting beat on Saturday, Suncraze ($4.60) is now the favourite for the final.”
MARKET (tab.com.au): $2.15 Most Exalted; $4.00 Schedule; $7.50 Ori On Fire; $10.00 Our Dasha; $11.00 Prince Of Thebes; $14.00 Silettoed Vixen; $23.00 Loves A Hassle, Turcotte; $34.00 Molasses, Bel Diablo; $41.00 Noel’s Gift; $71.00 Beau Hoffa; $81.00 Missy Rhythmos; $201.00 Cosmologist.