It would appear Mouro’s top weight of 61kg in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) was too much, since the Tony McEvoy-trained horse was scratched from the race on Thursday morning despite drawing well in barrier four with champion hoop Tommy Berry set to ride.

This is the second Brisbane race in as many weeks that Mouro has been withdrawn from after accepting, which has once again helped horses like Darci Be Good and Hopfgarten in the weights.

With Mouro out there remains 14 horses ready to tackle the mile on Saturday. However, with such a large field there is only one offering single figure odds in the Ladbrokes.com.au betting market.

Helen Page’s Rudy is the odds-on favourite to win the 2014 Brisbane Handicap at a price of $1.95. As well as being the sole single figure hopeful at this date, Rudy is also the market mover after his price shortened from $2.25.

Rudy won the Listed Recognition Stakes (1630m) last time out at Doomben Racecourse, where the gelding beat home eight of his Brisbane Handicap rivals. This puts the four-year-old in great form with a last start win over the track, distance, and many of the other runners. It’s not hard to see why he is the firm favourite following Mouro’s scratching.

Of course the upside of 13 of the runners offering double digit odds is that punters have a higher chance of backing a winner at a lucrative price.

Robert Heathcote’s Hopfgarten is on the second line of betting, sitting just outside the single figure odds ($10). The four-year-old gelding finished last in the Recognition Stakes last time out but punters still remember his Group 3 Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) win back in June.

The four-year-old gelding will jump from barrier 10 with Jim Byrne.

The Andrew Williamson-trained Darci Be Good finished third in the Recognition Stakes and will once again carry 56.5kg due to the inclusion of Mouro. Lucky for him, the gelding’s weight will not be re-determined following the removal of Tony McEvoy’s horse.

In another case of déjà vu, Darci Be Good will again jump from barrier three with Travis Wolfgram in the saddle. All this points towards a good run in the 2014 Brisbane Handicap with a finish in the placings and at current odds of $13, he’s a great price for punters.

Pat Duff’s Steel Zip ($14) has scored the inside run from barrier one with Justin P Stanley as hoop. The seven-year-old ran from barrier two in the Recognition Stakes, in which he finished midfield.

Two horses not coming via the Recognition Stakes are Perfect Punch and War Ends, who finished first and second in the Evans Head Cup (1516m) last time out. The pair are both offering odds of $41 to win the Brisbane Handicap on Saturday.

Check out the full 2014 Brisbane Handicap live betting market below before choosing your winner at Ladbrokes.com.au. Get your picks in quick as these prices won’t last for long.