Following the withdrawal of two key Victorian visitors out of the Bow Mistress Trophy 2016 field and betting markets for Friday at Hobart Racecourse the John Salanitri-trained I Love It has firmed into odds-on favouritism to successfully defend her title.

Last Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival the Artie Schiller mare from Melbourne beat home the locals in the same weight-for-age Hobart feature she runs in again this week – the $125,000 Group 3 Magic Millions Bow Mistress Trophy (1200m).

Originally there were two spares in the capacity Bow Mistress Trophy field, but both Beck And Call and Summers Bay get a run following the scratching of the Robbie Griffiths-trained Nadeem Lass (17) and Miss Steele (15) who were drawn wide in the sprint.

I Love It is drawn a treat in barrier four for jockey Stephen Baster and sits top of the Bow Mistress Trophy odds through Ladbrokes.com.au at $1.95 to score back-to-back wins for the first time since Rebel Bride (2012-13).

Her lead-up into the title defence was at Flemington last November during the Melbourne Cup Carnival when sixth to Pittsburgh Flyer in the Group 3 G.H. Mumm Stakes (1100m), and if successful on Friday evening will be breaking a year-long winning drought.

I Love It, whose best run over the last 12 months was a third to Miracles Of Life in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) last May at Morphettville, is followed in Bow Mistress betting by Our Harmony ($6).

Damien Oliver rides the David Brideoake-trained Nadeem four-year-old from Mornington who jumps from gate 11.

A winner of five of her 13 starts to date, she has a solid record over Friday’s distance (6-2-2-1) and was runner-up at Moonee Valley last time out behind Choose on January 23.

She does go up from 52kg that run, which she enjoyed thanks to the apprentice claim of Jake Bayliss, to 56.5kg under the WFA conditions of the Bow Mistress Trophy.

The three other single figure chances according to the latest markets are Mossbeat ($6.50), Erin’s Element ($7.50) and Nautical ($9) drawn in barriers 12, eight and five respectively.

Cranbourne horseman Griffiths may have withdrawn Nadeem Lass from the line-up, but he is still well represented with four-year-old Mossman mare Mossbeat.

She has run top three in her four most recent runs back home including the Group 3 Summoned Stakes (1500m) behind Solicit at Sandown-Hillside back in mid-November.

Erin’s Element is locally trained at Longford by John Blacker, the Shaft four-year-old boasting two wins and two thirds from her nine previous Hobart runs.

Two back she was runner-up at Devonport over 1150m behind Geegees Doublejay before her nice one and three-quarter length win over Sh’bourne Spirit in a Fillies & Mares 1100m Hobart race on January 24.

Nautical has Brad Rawiller aboard on Friday, the Nikki Burke-trained Niello six-year-old another Cranbourne raider from the mainland trying her hand in Tasmania.

Check out the latest Bow Mistress Trophy 2016 betting odds below then visit our preferred online bookmaker Ladbrokes.com.au to back your Tasmanian race selections at the right price!

2016 Bow Mistress Trophy Odds