Updated 2017 Australian Guineas odds on the field of gun three-year-olds set to face off at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday are now out with Hey Doc firm favourite after drawing ideally.
Hey Doc is red hot favourite in 2017 Australian Guineas betting for this Saturday at Flemington Racecourse. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Running as Flemington Race 7 at 4:30pm (AEDT), this autumn’s $750,000 Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) attracted a capacity field of 16 starters plus three emergencies.
Due to jump from barrier two in the mile feature – a barrier that last produced an Australian Guineas winner with Heart Of Dreams (2009) – is the Tony McEvoy-trained Duporth gelding Hey Doc.
Hey Doc led pre-field Australian Guineas odds at Ladbrokes.com.au and has firmed in from $3.80 to $3.30 in the post-acceptance markets following his ideal gate.
Luke Currie retains the ride on the progressive youngster whose last start produced a win at the track on February 18 in the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) from a similar barrier (3).
That race has produced the past two Australian Guineas champions and the form stacks up again for Hey Doc as McEvoy chases his first win in the race.
The recent record of favourites in the race however isn’t great with the last to salute for the punters being Light Fantastic (2008).
Despite the bumper size of the Australian Guineas field this Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival, just two other runners are under double figures for the win: Divine Prophet ($9) and first emergency Theanswermyfriend ($9.50).
Drawn barrier 10, which could become gate eight if the three emergencies fail to gain a start, the Team Hawkes-trained Divine Prophet has Dwayne Dunn aboard.
Last October the two combined for a narrow victory in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), a race Hey Doc placed third in.
This season the Choisir colt kicked things off with a run against the older gallopers at Caulfield on February 11 crossing ninth behind Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m).
He’ll be improved back against a field of fellow three-year-olds and getting back out over the mile that he won the Caulfield Guineas over in the spring.
Theanswermyfriend needs a scratching to make the starting line-up, but the bookies are taking no chances on the progressive Robert Smerdon-trained son of High Chaparral.
The gelding is yet to race in Group company, but earned a shot at the Group 1 on Saturday after carrying 59kg to an over three length win in a 1400m Benchmark 64 at Sandown-Lakeside on February 15.
There could be value galore for the punters in the Australian Guineas betting markets this season with other key fancies at double-figure prices including the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Stratum colt Attention ($10) coming off a brave fourth to Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) last Saturday, the spring’s Caulfield Guineas and Emirates Stakes runner-up Seaburge ($12) for the flying Lindsay Park stable, and the John O’Shea-trained proven miler Morton’s Fork ($12).
See below for the latest Australian Guineas 2017 odds with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au who are offering Enhanced Odds on the field (Max Bet $100 / T&Cs apply).
