Patrick and Wayne Webster’s honest six-year-old Thankgodyou’rehere earned a ballot exemption straight into the Epsom Handicap 2011 with an impressive win in the $125,000 Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) and will be well-weighted in the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival feature to take on raging favourite Sincero.
Thankgodyou'rehere gets into the 2011 Epsom Handicap with a nice light weight
Secret Savings gelding Thankgodyou’rehere backed up from their smart last-start third behind Stephen Farley’s spruik galloper Sincero in the Tramway Handicap (1400m) at Warwick Farm at the start of the month, charging home at Rosehill on Saturday to become the Bill Ritchie Handicap 2011 winner.
On the line Thankgodyou’rehere ($2.25F), ridden by Rod Quinn, had an easy two lengths to spare over Bruce Hill’s Gold Coast raider Startsmeup ($3.70) while the Joseph Pride-trained Miss Keepsake ($31) was a further two and three quarter lengths back for third in the George Main Stakes Day feature.
Thankgodyou’rehere is now assured of a start and penalty-exempt for the $500,000 Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 1 where they will carry just 52kg, a nice drop back from the 56kg they had on their back for the Bill Ritchie win.
“He’ll go to the Epsom now, he’s earned it and he deserved that win today,” co-trainer Pat Webster said on Saturday.
“The Bill Ritchie is a great race to win and the Epsom will be too, and you can’t win it sitting at home in your box.”
Quinn was also pleased with Thankgodyou’rehere’s win on the weekend and believes with the weight they will be competitive in the Epsom.
“He most probably had to win that race (the Bill Ritchie) like that to justify going ahead (to the Epsom) and he gets in with a light weight,” Quinn said.
“I’ll get down to that (the 52kg).”
Epsom Handicap 2011 betting at Luxbet is clearly lead by Sincero after the consistent four-year-old became a two time Group 1 winner at Rosehill’s meeting on Saturday with a victory in the weight-for-age George Main Stakes (1500m).
Sincero is now paying $3.80 to become the Epsom Handicap winner before heading down south for the 2011 Cox Plate and is currently allocated 56.5kg in the Epsom weights.
A little further down the Epsom Handicap odds is Thankgodyou’rehere at a nice price of $14.
View the full Epsom Handicap betting odds and options open right now at Luxbet.
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