2017 Country Championships Final tips – best form and betting
LAUNCHED in 2015, the Country Championships gives rural horses and trainers the opportunity to compete for a chance to run at the world-famous Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney for a lucrative pay-day.
After a number of qualifying events around NSW, the top two horses from eight heats will meet on day one of the Championships at Randwick to compete for the $400,000 in prize money.
The field runs incredibly deep for the Country Championships Final, but we have found several clear standouts for the feature country racing event on the calendar.
2017 Country Championships Final betting market
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The betting market has remained pretty solid since the Country Championship competitors were finalised.
This will be the third running of the Country Championships and this looks to be the most competitive and deepest field since its inception.
There are multiple winning chances for the $400,000 race, but we have narrowed the field down to several key selections.
Top pick – Perfect Dare
The manner in which Perfect Dare won in Grafton turned heads and the four-year-old is the justified favourite heading into the Country Championships Final.
The Matthew Dunn-trained gelding absolutely blitzed the field in the opening qualifier by five lengths, setting a new course record in the process.
Perfect Dare is currently $3.20 at Sportsbet and it should be the one to beat.
Next best – Caerless Choice
It is not often an impressive and unbeaten three-year-old goes into a big race at the second best elect, but such is the form of Perfect Dare, Caerless Choice sits outside the top elects and is the next best bet in our preview.
Unlike many of the other runners here the gelding has gotten wins on different types of surfaces, most importantly a heavy track – a deck that it will likely confront on Saturday.
Caerless Choice lacks the racing experience of some of the other runners in the field, but the form cannot be denied. It looms as the biggest threat to the top elect at the $8.50 quote via Sportsbet.com.au.
Must include – Pumpkin Pie
Danny Williams-trained filly Pumpkin Pie is one of the primary elects in the Country Champions market, but we have big queries on the wet track form – otherwise we would place the three-year-old towards the top of our preview.
From three starts on a soft track the Star Witness progeny has won two races, but the one attempt on a heavy track it failed miserably. The filly has plenty of ability but the heavy track form is a major concern.
Maybe the experience the heavy track will benefit the filly, but we are not too keen on +380 at Crownbet.com.au.
Country Championships Final long shot tip – Pelerin
Five-year-old Pelerin has the ability to take out big races in the future, but the Country Championships may be beyond the gelding at the early stage of its racing career.
The Cody Morgan-trained runner has won over half its eight races, but never the 1400m journey that it will confront on Saturday.
Last time out the New Approach progeny stormed home late at Scone to score to qualify, and we think if it can handle the step up in trip it will be a worthwhile punt at +1500 odds via WilliamHill.com.au.