Australian Derby betting guide, form, odds and best tips
THE Australian Derby is a $2 million feature on day one of The Championships which is always a great betting race for punters.
There is currently four runners at single figure odds which gives punters plenty to choose from, but we’ve sorted through the entire field and found our best bets and value runners.
Get the best odds for the Group 1 Australian Derby with Ladbrokes.com.au which is offering enhanced odds for all 13 runners in the race.
2017 Australian Derby enhanced odds market
Odds shown are for Ladbrokes’ enhanced odds market. Maximum bet of $100*
1. Prized Icon – $14
2. Gingernuts – $4
3. Inference – $5.50
4. Jon Snow – $9
5. So Si Bon – $14
6. Hardham – $21
7. Anaheim – $10
8. Ruthven – $26
9. Harper’s Choice – $41
10. Hollywood Mo – $81
11. Impavido – $21
12. Righteous Mate – $151
13. Shine Tak Star – $301
With the odds boost at Ladbrokes.com.au, punters are getting some seriously good odds on offer. Gingernuts is paying $3 with local bookmakers, but $4 is being offered with the stand out bookmaker.
There has been some money come for fellow New Zealand runner Jon Snow throughout the week, but the next best in the betting is clearly Inference which has looked good throughout this preparation.
Australian Derby top pick – Gingernuts
The Kiwis have come with force during the Sydney autumn carnival and Gingernuts looks the clear top pick for the Australian Derby.
The Te Akau-raced gelding has rattled off four consecutive wins and it comes into this on the back of an easy Rosehill Guineas win.
It defeated a similar field by over two lengths in the heavy conditions and the son of Iffraaj will get conditions to suit again.
It can win on the dry, however, as it showed when romping home in the New Zealadn Derby at Ellerslie. That came over this distance so there’s no problems there and it still did plenty wrong during the run.
Jockey Opie Bosson has a good record when he travels to Australia and he’ll likely settle the $4 favourite at Ladbrokes in a forward position before kicking away down the straight.
Australian Derby next best – Jon Snow
We’re going for an all-New Zealand quinella after Jon Snow proved us wrong last week.
We doubted whether finishing third in the New Zealand Derby would be good enough form to win the Tulloch Stakes, but it was never going to get beaten.
The Baker/Forsman-trained three-year-old is also a son of Iffraaj and it’s bred to stay all day. It went forward in the Tulloch Stakes and led them a merry chase – with 2.8 lengths back to Prized Icon which was struggling to keep up.
It has won twice on a rain-affected track and it could give Gingernuts something to chase as they turn. The value is with Jon Snow at the price of $9, but we think it’s just a fraction behind Gingernuts on ability so it’s our next best.
Derby value runner – Anaheim
It may as well be a Kiwi quinella as Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young line up Anaheim.
The son of Fastnet Rock made good ground late in the Rosehill Guineas behind Gingernuts after getting too far back in the run.
If it settles closer to the pace the three-year-old might have a better chance of winning and there’s no reason to doubt its form. It ran on well in the Australian Guineas behind Hey Doc and any extra distance will be welcomed greatly.
Drawing the inside barrier probably isn’t ideal at that time of the day on a heavy track, but Hugh Bowman is riding in good form and he can work his magic.
$2.70 to place at Sportsbet is a price worth taking for multiples.