Horse Racing

Resuming Golden Rose winner Manawanui has, as expected, opened at the top of the markets for their first-up run in the 2012 Royal Sovereign Stakes on Saturday at Warwick Farm, but they could be playing second fiddle to Moment Of Change come jump time.

Manawanui is the firming 2012 Royal Sovereign Stakes favourite for the Warwick Farm feature this Saturday

Early activity in the Luxbet markets indicate the Ron Leemon-trained Manawanui is the punters favourite for the $175,00 Group 2 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) as they lead the betting and have firmed in from $2.60 to $2.50.

The other headliner in the 13-horse field is Peter Moody’s unbeaten gelding Moment Of Change.

Out for their third win from as many starts when they return to racing on Saturday, the boom three-year-old has drifted out slightly from their opening Royal Sovereign Stakes odds of $3.40 to $3.50 through Luxbet.

In the world of racing, however, it only takes one decent bet to dramatically affect the odds.

With all the building hype on Moody’s champ Black Caviar and her shot at 19-straight in the Lightning Stakes in Melbourne on the weekend, some of that money is sure to trickle up to Sydney for Moment Of Change to also remain undefeated come the day’s end.

Both Manawanui and Moment Of Change won with their barriers for Saturday’s clash drawing gates one and three respectively, the Royal Sovereign to serve as a nice early guide for punters with the dynamic duo both bound for the $500,000 Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) on March 17.

Aside from the dominant top two there are a number of other familiar faces and genuine chances in the Royal Sovereign Stakes field and markets including Gerald Ryan’s Group 1 performing Hot Snitzel ($8.50 Luxbet), the Peter Snowden-trained Group 2 winner Free Wheeling ($10 Luxbet) running for the first time since last June, and Rekindled Alliance ($17 Luxbet).

Paul Messara’s promising son of Redoute’s Choice Rekindled Alliance was last seen finishing sixth to Doctor Doom in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) on October 1, their Scone-based trainer hoping for a good resuming run from the lightly-raced colt.

With the Warwick Farm track currently rated a Slow (7) and conditions likely to remain wet for Saturday, Messara is starting to get concerned about his chances in such a top-class field.

“It’s as strong bunch of three-year-olds as there has been for a while,” he said.

“I’m very happy with him going into Saturday but a wet track will certainly neutralise his performance.

“If it was good to dead I’d be expecting a big race from him.

“But it’s going to have to dry up a hell of a lot to go to dead.

“It’s the worst drying track in Sydney.

“That’s basically my main concern, the weather and the state of the track.

“The horse is 100 percent.”

While the 1200-metres does looks a little short for a number of the other major players, punters surely must think a few over the odds including Spring Champion Stakes winner Doctor Doom ($26 Luxbet) and the Patinack Farm-owned Australian Cup hopeful Isopach ($51).

See below for the full Fixed Win Royal Sovereign Stakes odds available right now at our preferred online bookmaker Luxbet.

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2012 Royal Sovereign Stakes Odds

Warwick Farm Race 6 – 4:30pm – 18/02/2012

*Fixed Win Odds provided by Luxbet and subject to change