Bounding Heads 2016 Sapphire Stakes Field & Odds

The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Bounding has opened early favourite in the Sapphire Stakes 2016 betting markets for the card closer at Randwick Racecourse this Saturday in Sydney.

Group 1 The Galaxy winner Griante is second favourite to take out Saturday’s 2016 Sapphire Stakes on Day 2 of ‘The Championships’. Photo: Steve Hart.

Day 2 of ‘The Championships’ features a bumper 10 race program for Queen Elizabeth Stakes Day, the meeting’s final event being the $300,000 Group 2 Sensis Sapphire Stakes (1200m).

Due to jump at 5:15pm (AEDT), this year’s Sapphire Stakes field is at capacity with 14 starters plus four emergencies for the fillies-and-mares’ feature.

Wearing the number one saddlecloth and currently sitting top of the Sapphire Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $5 for the win is Lonhro five-year-old Bounding.

Drawn well in barrier six, which could become four if the emergencies fail to gain a run, Bounding has a gun 1200m record of four wins, four seconds and a third from 10 starts at the distance she’s back up to this weekend for the first time since the spring.

She comes off two close Group 1 runs over 1100m when beaten under three lengths finishing ninth to Flamberge in Melbourne’s Oakleigh Plate and then two lengths away fifth to Griante in The Galaxy at Rosehill on March 19.

She’ll be improving with more metres third-up and has Kerrin McEvoy retaining the ride.

The Galaxy winner Griante is the next best in Sapphire Stakes betting this weekend, the David Brideoake-trained Good Journey five-year-old paying $6.50 to keep the winning times going.

She was a distant 12^th in the Oakleigh Plate before turning things around with the 51kg light weight in The Galaxy, and has good form at Randwick from last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival including her second behind Avoid Lightning in the Sapphire Stakes.

Out to go one better in 2016, Griante has her The Galaxy winning hoop Craig Williams aboard again on Saturday and is drawn in gate eight.

Equal on $6.50 and drawn one on Griante’s inside with barrier seven is the David Pfieffer-trained Easy Rocking seven-year-old Cradle Me.

Winner of back-to-back Listed Randwick races in December, the veteran sprinter was last seen finishing under a length away fourth in Rosehill’s Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) with 59kg.

She has the same hoop Jason Collett aboard in the Sapphire and will relish the drop right back to 54kg at set weights plus penalties this Saturday.

Rounding out the single figure hopes for the win at $8 is then Secret Agenda drawn wide in gate 12 for her hoop Dwayne Dunn.

Mick Price prepares the Not A Single Doubt filly who is the best fancied of the three-year-olds taking on the older mares.

Secret Agenda is on the short seven day back-up after a disappointing sixth to Tempt Me Not in last weekend’s Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at the same track and distance, but is tipped to improve.

Other hopes at longer odds after an upset Sapphire Stakes win this season include the Snowden’s other runner I’ve Got The Looks ($10) who is a seven-time winner over the distance, the in-form James Cummings-trained Birthday Card Stakes winner Sultry Feeling ($11) and the third emergency Lucky Can Be ($12) who the bookies are taking no chances with after her Birthday Card second last month.

See below for the complete Sapphire Stakes 2016 field, barriers, jockeys and latest Fixed Win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!