2022 All Star Mile voting closed, betting suspended
The 2022 All Star Mile is just 32 days away (March 19), and the voting process to get into the race was bought to a close at midnight on Sunday evening.
Since then, betting for the race has been suspended, with reigning Mackinnon Stakes champion Zaaki and 2021 Golden Eagle winner I’m Thunderstruck the leading fancies before markets were closed.
Both runners were nicely nestled inside the top 10 of voting, which ensures them a start in the race if connections opt to go that way.
On Friday, February 11, the voting leaderboard went into ‘blackout mode’ with the final 48 hours of voting set to remain a mystery until the top 10 vote-getters are announced on Friday, February 18.
Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant was the leading vote recipient before the blackout period, with the Chris Waller-trained mare attracting close to 16,000 votes.
Prior to markets being suspended, Verry Elleegant was a $16 chance with online bookmakers, and that looks a reasonable price considering she finished seventh in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) last weekend in her racing return, beaten 4.46 lengths by Think it Over.
WHAT A RACE!
MUGATOO IS THE ALL-STAR MILE WINNER!! pic.twitter.com/yYaTY4VNj1
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 13, 2021
I’m Thunderstruck (13,984 votes) resumed with an eye-catching fifth in Saturday’s C.F. Orr Stakes and looks on target for a tilt at the All Star Mile, whilst Zaaki (13,981 votes) is set to resume in the Canterbury Stakes on March 5 before heading to the All Star Mile second-up.
South Australian galloper Regalo Di Gaetano (8,231 votes) will find himself in the race for the second year in a row, with his strong support through the Italian community in Adelaide proving beneficial for his connections once again.
The up-and-coming Espiona (5,617 votes) and Mr Brightside (5,848 votes) look almost certain to gain a start, with both horses enjoying wins in weaker company during the Melbourne spring last year.
Group 1 winners Probabeel (5,526 votes) and Behemoth (5,369 votes) look set for another run in the All Star Mile, with both looking to improve on below-average performances in the race at Moonee Valley in 2021.
Elephant (4,513 votes) and Lightsaber (3,525 votes) were both teetering on the bubble when the leaderboard went dark, with the likes of Lighthouse, Flying Mascot and King Magnus snapping at their heels in a bid to gain a start in the $5,000,000 race.
The 2022 All Star Mile is scheduled for Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, March 19, with field of 15 set to duke it out in one of the world’s richest races on turf.
Five wildcard runners will be announced on or before Tuesday, March 8.
The final field, including emergencies and the barrier draw, will be confirmed on the Tuesday, March 15, just four days before the race is run.