This Wednesday a bumper field of smart three-year-old fillies will face off in the 2012 Thousand Guineas but can the firming favourite and market mover Molto Bene get the job done for the punters?

Due to jump at 3:40pm (AEST) the $500,000 Group 1 Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) takes centre stage at Caulfield Racecourse tomorrow with Will Clarken’s Adelaide filly Molto Bene topping the bookmaker.com.au markets at a quote of $4.40.

A winner of her opening two starts as a two-year-old in South Australia the daughter of Royal Academy travelled to Melbourne for her three-year-old debut in September and ran a credible fifth to fellow Thousand Guineas hopeful Members Joy in the Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington.

She improved last time out from barrier 12 (of 15) to come within a half length of Lady Of Harrods, also backing up in Wednesday’s race, when third in the Group 3 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m).

Despite not having seen the mile or won a race outside of Adelaide the punters are getting right behind Molto Bene and Clarken believes she won’t lead them astray especially after she came up trumps with a good gate (5 into 4) for Wednesday.

“We’ve drawn really well, which is a big help because she’s never drawn this great in her life,” Clarken said.

“Everything seems to be going really well at the right time.”

That’s what her trainer is saying, but what are the facts?

Below we take a look at the pros and cons of backing the Thousand Guineas betting favourite this year.

#9 Molto Bene – Horse Facts

• Jockey: Craig Williams
• Trainer: Will Clarken (Morphettville)
• Owners: Mr B A Scott
• Age: 3YO
• Gender: Filly
• Breeding: by Royal Academy (USA) from Generous (IRE) mare Benevolent (NZ)
• Career: 4-2-0-1
• Win: 50%
• Place: 75%
• Last 6: 11×53
• Prize Money: $96,600
• Track: 1-0-0-1
• Distance: 0-0-0-0
• Current 2012 Thousand Guineas Odds: $4.40

Why Molto Bene Can Become the 2012 Thousand Guineas Winner

• Trialled well at Cranbourne recently and galloped nicely on the weekend
• Goes well fresh and trainer confident with decision to bypass the traditional lead-up in the Edward Manifold Stakes
• Is a dual stakes winner including in the Group 3 SA Sires’ Produce Stakes by three lengths as a two-year-old
• Drawn ideally in barrier four (in from five) which is the gate last year’s Thousand Guineas winner Atlantic Jewel jumped from
• Being the favourite works in her favour with three of the past four favourites, and six of the past nine, taking out the Thousand Guineas including Atlantic Jewel last year
• Has a 50% winning strike rate which she shares with five other fillies in the field, second best in the race
• Ace jockey Craig Williams stays on

Why Molto Bene Won’t Win the Thousand Guineas 2012

• History says she should have run in the Edward Manifold Stakes in the lead-up, a race that has produced more than its fair share of Thousand Guineas winners and place-getters
• The winning Edward Manifold Trifecta all back up on Wednesday and she’ll have to beat Maybe Discreet ($7.50), Members Joy ($13) and Commanding Jewel ($8) who ran 1-2-3 respectively
• Was beaten by fellow Thousand Guineas hopefuls Lady Of Harrods ($11) and Commanding Jewel last time out in the Thousand Guineas Prelude
• Has never seen the 1600-metres

Seen enough to suggest Molto Bene will get the job done on Wednesday? Or sacking the favourite in favour of better value in the Thousand Guineas betting markets?

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