Lonhro colt Plague Stone has rocketed up the market order for the 2018 Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on March 24 following a brilliant barrier trial win at Warwick Farm.
Sunlight, above, is the current favourite for the 2018 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
The James Cummings trained Plague Stone was marked at $34 for the Golden Slipper Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au earlier in the week but is now on the third line of betting at $13.
The Magic Millions 2yo Classic winner Sunlight heads the Golden Slipper betting at $6 ahead of the Team Hawkes trained Estijaab and Chris Waller’s Performer who share the second line at $9.
Plague Stone was given an ease up after running second on debut to Secret Lady in the $150,000 Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on November 25 but put himself back into Golden Slipper contention with a four and three quarter lengths win in a 807m Warwick Farm barrier trial on Thursday.
Cummings said that he was surprised to see Plague Stone showing so much dash as a two year old as he is bred to be a miler and middle distance horse.
“He’s a very interesting horse, he’s bred to run a mile and 2000 metres but he has a real on switch inside him and when he jumps from the gates he really wants to use his speed,” Cummings told racing.com.
“The more he can learn to conserve his energy the more of a potent force he’s going to be on the racetrack.”
Cummings will give the Lonhro colt plenty of time to get over his trial win and has selected the $150,000 Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick on February 17 as his Autumn Carnival launching pad.
“Look for him to be running in the Pierro Plate in a couple of weeks at Randwick, it will be a nice little race over 1100m to kick him off in and should set up a really good foundation for him for the rest of the autumn.”
Golden Slipper Stakes markets are set to be altered this weekend with equal second favourite Performer the odds on favourite to win the Group 3 $150,000 Toyota Material Handling Canonbury Stakes (1100m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
A win or a loss by Performer will affect the top of the Golden Slipper Stakes betting.
Early market order for the 2018 Golden Slipper Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Sunlight, $9 Performer, Estijaab, $13 Plague Stone, $17 Exceltic, $21 Neutrality, Ef Troop, Setsuna, Royal Witness, Oohood, Long Leaf, $26 Dynamited, Gongs, Irish Bet, Legend Of Condor, Fiesta, Satin Slipper, Outrageous, $34 Qafila, Santos, Spin, Avantage, Sizzling Belle, Stratosphere, Wagner $41 or better the rest.
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