Chris Waller’s undefeated colt Performer is clear favourite in Todman Stakes 2018 betting to win his final Golden Slipper lead-up this Randwick Guineas Day in Sydney.
Chris Waller’s unbeaten Golden Slipper hope Performer is favourite in 2018 Todman Stakes betting for this weekend at Randwick. Photo: Steve Hart.
The Exceed And Excel chestnut is one of 13 remaining two-year-old colts and geldings racing in Saturday’s Group 2 $200,000 Todman Stakes (1200m) following the early withdrawal of Encryption (10).
The Todman Stakes, along with the Reisling Stakes for the fillies, is the last chance for the season’s juveniles to earn a start in the Group 1 $3.5 million Golden Slipper (1200m) held at Rosehill Gardens on March 24.
Currently occupying the second line of all-in Golden Slipper betting at $7 through Ladbrokes.com.au, Performer chases his third win from as many starts in the Todman Stakes drawn in barrier seven.
Ace hoop of Winx fame Hugh Bowman jumps aboard the clear $2.10 Todman Stakes favourite having ridden him to victory on debut at the track in last September’s Listed Breeders Plate (1000m).
Performer won again first-up at Rosehill on February 3 with Kerrin McEvoy aboard for the Group 3 Canonbury Stakes (1100m), while Bowman more recently guided the youngster to a nice second in a 1050m Randwick trial on February 27.
Despite the size of the Todman Stakes field this Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, just two other hopefuls are currently under 10 for the win including early market mover Ef Troop ($6 into $5.50).
A $21 shot in futures Golden Slipper Stakes odds, the Tony Gollan-trained Spirit Of Boom gelding Ef Troop hails from Brisbane and Saturday’s Todman Stakes will be his first Sydney assignment.
Ef Troop enjoyed back-to-back Doomben wins early on before his fourth to current Golden Slipper co-favourite Sunlight in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast in mid-January.
He impressed with a subsequent three length 1000m Gold Coast trail win on March 1 and is ready to fire first-up on the weekend with dual Melbourne Cup winning hoop Corey Brown booked to ride the Queenslander from a favourable barrier two draw.
The other single-figure hopeful in the Todman Stakes this season at $9 for the win is Bondi, also drawn well in barrier four.
Josh Parr rides the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Snitzel colt, Bondi out to atone for his sixth in the Magic Millions Classic last time out.
Like Ef Troop, Bondi has also won a subsequent trial leading-up to his return with a good effort in the wet at Randwick in late February when beating Performer to the line in the 1050m hit-out.
Other standouts in the Todman Stakes field this weekend include the Mick Price-trained Talindert Stakes winner Prairie Fire coming off a fourth in Melbourne’s Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes and Gerald Ryan’s Skyline Stakes third placed Not A Single Doubt colt from March 3 Legend Of Condor.
See below for the full Todman Stakes 2018 field, barriers and latest betting markets provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.
