Extreme Choice ‘very bright’ heading into the Oakleigh Plate
DUAL group one-winner Extreme Choice has been installed as the $3.60 favourite at Sportsbet.com.au to add a third major to its name in the Group One Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday.
The Mick Priced-trained runner will be racing in Warnambool for the first time since its failure in the Coolmore Stud Stakes back in October, where the three-year-old finished in the second half of the eight-horse field.
Extreme Choice is one of only three runners alongside Victory Stakes-winner Fell Swoop ($6 at Sportsbet.com.au) and promising four-year-old Hellbent (+600 at Sportsbet.com.au), that are in single figures for the group one race at Caulfield.
Trainer Mick Price believes his colt is ready to return to form on Saturday.
“He had his main gallop on Saturday morning in company,” Price said.
“He worked over 1000 metres and ran very good time and pulled up good in the wind.
“This morning (Tuesday) on the course proper he was by himself and didn’t have such a hard gallop, but didn’t need to.
“He’ll go into the race very bright, very sound and he’s had a really good prep.”
Price believes his galloper has matured since its last start and will present as a much more battle-hardened horse on Saturday.
“He’s quiet enough around the stable but he’s started to become a colt of late,” the trainer said.
“Not so much in spotting fillies, but how he looks.
“He’s a much more muscled young colt now and is starting to exert a little bit of masculinity which is a good sign.”
It may just be a field of nine that take to the turf for Saturday’s group one, but the top-two elects in the market are the only runners punters think are capable of winning.
Sportsbet.com.au representative Will Byrne said the money has come for last year’s Moir Stakes winner.
“Extreme Choice is very popular. He holds the most money, four-times the amount of Fell Swoop. He has also has received twice as many wagers than Fell Swoop and Hellbent is friendless,’’ Byrne said.
2017 Oakleigh Plate
Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au
Fell Swoop – $6.00
Hellbent – $7.00
I Am A Star – $10
Flamberge – $13
Kaepernick – $13
Wild Rain – $17
Sheidel – $17
El Divino – $17