A field of second-tier sprinters face off at Randwick Racecourse on Saturday in the Hall Mark Stakes 2018, betting tips and updated odds on the All Aged Stakes Day support act detailed below.
Group 1 winning sprinter Takedown drops in class for the Hall Mark Stakes 2018 at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Daniel Costello.
There are just nine runners in this season’s edition of the Group 3 $150,000 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m), markets for which are wide open at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Five of the horses are under double-figures for the win including the $3 favourite Dothraki for last year’s winning trainers Peter & Paul Snowden.
Subsequent The Everest champion Redzel took out the Hall Mark last Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, his older stablemate Dothraki tipped to salute in 2018 from barrier six with Tye Angland booked to ride the in-form seven-year-old.
Dothraki’s past three runs have produced a top two finish, including the narrow quarter-length loss to Spright at Rosehill on March 31 in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m).
The early Hall Mark Stakes betting market mover backed in from $6.50 to $5.50 meanwhile is the returning Hawkes Racing-trained Firsthand.
The five-year-old son of Star Witness has won five of his 12 career starts so far and is first-up on Saturday for his Group race debut.
His latest run was back in early December when only two lengths back in a 1400m race at Rosehill running sixth.
He looks well-weighted in this, has Brenton Avdulla booked for the ride and with previous winning form at the track and distance presents as a danger.
To help sort the genuine contenders from the pretenders and unlock any value in the Hall Mark Stakes odds this weekend, below are our tips to run the trifecta in Randwick Race 3.
1st
#9 Star Reflection ($12)
Tipping an upset with the Kris Lees-trained Time Thief mare Star Reflection at an attractive price. She gets in on just 54kg and has the rails run from barrier one with top hoop Kerrin McEvoy riding. The five-year-old has been the picture of consistency this time in, including her last start fourth at blowout odds in the Group 3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m). Only goes up a kilo here, yet to run out of the money at the track and is a perennial placegetter over the distance (10:-0-5-2). With a jockey change and fitness on her side, could be her chance to shine at value odds.
2nd
#2 Dothraki ($3)
Deserving favourite racing in very consistent form from a stable that deserves respect. Won a Group 3 at Rosehill over 1100m two back before the lead-up second in the Star Kingdom carrying 59kg on both occasions. Back to 58kg here in a winnable race, Angland knows the horse well, small field and good gate all works to his advantage.
3rd
#1 Takedown ($17)
Another blowout chance, this Gary Moore-trained son of Stratum has been racing below par of late but could atone. Hasn’t won a race since November of 2016, but that was the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) in Perth so he’s got class when in the right form. Internationally performed, but needs to improve on the poor lead-up performances. Still, his latest two were in Group 1 sprints so dropping back in grade he can surprise.
Back our insider Hall Mark Stakes 2018 tips online at the best Randwick racing odds now through Ladbrokes.com.au.
