2014 Spring Stakes Odds

Two Group 1 performed gallopers are currently fighting it out for top spot in Saturday’s Adelaide feature, the Spring Stakes 2014.

Happy Trails is set to start favourite in the Spring Stakes for the second year in a row. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

Occupying the first two lines of betting at Ladbrokes.com.au for this year’s $115,000 Group 3 David R Coles AM Spring Stakes (1200m), running as Morphettville Race 7, are the Paul Beshara-trained Happy Trails ($2.60) and Ken Sweeney’s local hope Riziz ($2.70).

Last year Good Journey gelding Happy Trails kicked off their spring campaign with a Spring Stakes fifth, the then six-year-old going on to enjoy a stellar season.

Their best efforts were a Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) win at Flemington and their luckless second when a nose away from Shamus Award in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

The $3 million Cox Plate is again on the agenda for Happy Trails, one of 225 nominations taken for the weight-for-age classic this week, who returns from an injury enforced layoff on the weekend from the outside barrier nine draw.

Riziz meanwhile jumps from gate five in the Spring Stakes with Clare Lindop in the saddle, the Zariz gelding second-up after a third behind Lord Of The Sky in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on July 5.

Third to upset winner Smokin’ Joey in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville in May, they race at the track for the first time since here as they look for their fourth win from eight attempts at the track and distance.

Outside of the dominant duo in Spring Stakes betting are then two other single figure chances with Karacatis ($5) and Daytona Grey ($8) drawn at opposite ends of the field in barriers one and eight respectively.

Richard Jolly’s Hussonet six-year-old Karacatis is another The Goodwood graduate having run sixth when beaten 3.7 lengths in the elite level feature last time in.

A stakes winner in Melbourne during the summer the gelding trialed last Friday and ran third over 1000m in the wet proving their fitness for the weekend where they will look to add to their excellent first-up record (5-3-2-0) where they’re yet to finish out of the money when resuming.

Daytona Grey meanwhile comes off some top form at the track, the Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained Artie Schiller grey having won on a Heavy (8) here two back before their third behind Mr Good Cat over 1100m on July 26.

The rest of the field can then be had at over $20 including Daytona Grey’s last start conqueror in Jolly’s other runner Mr Good Cat ($21) and the Dennis O’Leary-trained veteran nine-year-old Outlandish Lad ($5) jumping from barriers four and three.

See below for the full Spring Stakes 2014 betting odds, prices open online now at the country’s fastest growing online bookie Ladbrokes.com.au offering instant access to your account anywhere EFTPOS is accepted with their Aussie-first Ladbrokes.com.au!