The race of the weekend shapes-up as the Doncaster Mile 2018 in Sydney and our insider betting tips plus updated odds on the $3 million Royal Randwick classic are detailed below.
Happy Clapper is the Races.com.au team’s tip to win Saturday’s Doncaster Mile 2018. Photo: Steve Hart.
It is a brilliant card for Day 1 of ‘The Championships’ on Saturday, but the Group 1 $3 million The Star Doncaster Mile (1600m) looks hard to beat for entertainment after attracted a class field of 16.
The money in Doncaster Mile betting at Ladbrokes.com.au is on the Godolphin-raced three-year-old Kementari ($3.70) who is undefeated at the track where he won the Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) two back before the last start third to Winx in the George Ryder.
The bookies are tipping that form to be franked by not only the 51.5kg lightweight Kementari in barrier two, but also by seven-year-old Happy Clapper (57kg) who finished second to Winx in the 1500m Rosehill feature on Slipper Day.
Pat Webster’s Randwick track specialist is a two-time Doncaster Mile runner-up and pays $5 in the odds on this year’s race to finally win the autumn classic with Blake Shinn aboard from the inside alley.
Earlier in the week we published our comprehensive Doncaster Mile 2018 Form Guide & Betting Preview, our below tips based on the facts and stats uncovered there.
1st
#3 Happy Clapper ($5)
Going for experience over youth and think it will be third time lucky for the Clap. Pat Webster’s evergreen veteran has been second past the post in this race the last two years on the trot and won the Epsom Handicap at the track / distance in the spring. He’s now out to do the Randwick mile double for the first time since Winx (2016) and gets the rails run. Blake Shinn continues his association on the recent Canterbury Stakes winner whose lead-up second to Winx in the George Ryder was eye-catching. He carries 57kg, which historically isn’t great, but actually still looks okay weight-wise. Fit and firing.
2nd
#10 Comin’ Through ($17)
Like the price offered on last start Ajax Stakes winner. The four-year-old son of Fastnet Rock is one six in the race for Chris Waller who chases his seventh Doncaster Mile victory. Tim Clark is on and is the only previous Doncaster Mile winning hoop in the race this year. Down from 56kg in the Ajax, where he beat stablemate Tom Melbourne, to 51.5kg here and gets a nice run from gate seven. Has been forgotten by the punters, but chases the same double It’s Somewhat completed last year and has solid Randwick form (7:2-1-2). Well-weighted and can run a place at a price surprising a few.
3rd
#16 D’Argento ($7)
Another Waller-trained hopeful, this three-year-old carries only 49kg and will be flying with that weight. Has a wide barrier (15 of 16) to overcome, but seven of the past nine winners jumped from a double-digit gate. Comes off a Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) win over his own age and drops in weight and distance as the also Waller-trained Sacred Falls did for his first Doncaster win in 2013. Has the best Win (67%) and Place (83%) rates of the field. Genuine chance to become the first Doncaster Mile winner to carry under 50kg to victory since Soho Square (47.5kg in 1992).
Whether you are backing or sacking our insider Doncaster Mile 2018 tips make sure you’ve got access to the best autumn racing odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au.
