The bookmakers are having a hard time separating the top two chances in the opening black-type race in Melbourne on Underwood Stakes Day this weekend with Excess Knowledge and Albonetti batting for favouritism for Saturday’s Harry White Classic 2015.
Excess Knowledge is current narrow favourite to take out the 2015 Harry White Classic over 2400m at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Due to jump as Caulfield Race 4 at 2:10pm (AEST), this year’s $120,000 Listed italktravel Harry White Classic (2400m) originally drew a final field of 15 stayers.
Two early scratchings see Foundry (2) and Reigning (15) come out of the equation however leaving 13 hopefuls in the mile and a half handicap.
Current favourite in the latest Harry White Classic odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.90 (in from $5.50) is the Gai Waterhouse-trained top weight and market mover Excess Knowledge.
Kerrin McEvoy is booked to ride the imported Monson stallion who has drawn nicely in barrier three.
The six-year-old gives plenty of weight away to his rivals however allocated 58kg as he shoots for his first victory since the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) in Sydney back in late March.
This time in Excess Knowledge has had two Caulfield runs for two unplaced efforts, the latest of which was carrying 58.5kg from a wide barrier 13 of 16 draw behind Caulfield Cup hope Magnapal in the Listed Heatherlie Handicap (1700m).
Hot on his heels in the markets for Saturday’s showdown at $4 and firming is Dwayne Dunn’s mount Albonetti out wide in barrier 13 (into 12).
Prepared in South Australia the Sue Jaensch-trained mare comes off a tidy two length win over the Sir Marko at Flemington on September 12 over 2500m carrying 54kg with Dunn aboard, the six-year-old getting the chance to go back-to-back in better company this weekend with the same weight and hoop on her back.
Also at single figures for the win are the in-form Shenzhou Steeds ($5.50) and At First Sight ($9) to be ridden by Sydney-based Kiwi expat James McDonald who is in Melbourne chasing the wins this weekend.
The Mitchell Freedman-trained eight-year-old Shenzhou Steeds won back-to-back races in August before a last start third at Moonee Valley, and remains a livewire hope despite not having finished in the money in any of his previous five Caulfield runs to date.
At First Sight from the Wangoom stables of Darren Weir meanwhile has had two starts at the track for two second place efforts and comes off a fourth over 2500m at Flemington a fortnight back, the Galileo nine-year-old having won just one of his 24 starts to date.
Other Harry White Classic hopefuls in with a shot at a nice price include the local Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old Haradafull ($10) coming off four top two finishes in easier company and Lord Durante ($12) whose last black type start was three back in the Heatherlie in late August.
Check out the complete Harry White Classic 2015 field, jockeys, barriers, weights and latest fixed win odds provided by Ladbrokes.com.au in the table below before following the links to enjoy access to all the weekend’s hottest horse racing odds!
