Houtzen drifts in Golden Slipper betting after barrier draw

GOLDEN Slipper favourite Houtzen has drifted out from +280 to +340 at WilliamHill.com.au after drawing barrier 16 for Saturday’s feature race.
The Queensland filly will attempt to become just the third horse in Golden Slipper history to win from barrier 16, but the team will take solace from the fact that short-priced favourite Vancouver won from the gate in 2015.
Trainer Toby Edmonds admitted he was “more hopeful than confident” going into Saturday after the barrier draw.
“It’s nothing new,” Edmonds said of his galloper, which overcame a wide barrier to win the Magic Millions 2Y.O Classic.
“She knows where she goes, she just gets to the outside fence outside the barrier.
“Tough for (jockey Jeff Lloyd) now.”
The trainer believes his horse has the versatility to overcome the potentially difficult barrier.
“If we’ve got to roll the dice she’s ready to do it.
“She’s got great gate speed (so) we could punch her forward and see where we get in the run.”
The other main player in the market, superstar Sydney-sider She Will Reign remained steady in the market despite drawing barrier 13.
No horse in Slipper history has ever won from gate 13, but trainer Gary Portelli is confident his gun elect (which is the $5.50 second favourite at Crownbet.com.au) has the ability to bounce back from its first ever defeat two weeks ago.
“She pulled up enormous,” Portelli said of She Will Reign after the filly struggled to show its customary speed to the line on a heavy surface at Randwick.
“I worked her this morning, just to give her an easy gallop over 1000m this morning on the course proper at Warwick Farm and didn’t ask much of her but she worked with a mate.
“Last 50m I just said to Glen, who rides her during all the work ‘just give her a little squeeze, make sure there’s something there’ and she went up into that gear she goes up into and just went straight past it.
“When she came back to me if you didn’t know you wouldn’t have known she’s been out to work so she’s in great order going into the race.”
Portelli believes that the racing experience of the heavy track a fortnight ago will hold the gun filly in great stead for Saturday’s race.
“Now that we’ve seen the weather that’s come in I’m glad that we raced her two weeks ago because she’s got that fitness to fall back on now.
“She’s had the feel of a pretty heavy track and she’s also had a go at 1200m.”
2017 Golden Slipper betting odds
Market provided by WilliamHill.com.au
She Will Reign – +400
Catchy – +600
Pariah – +700
Tulip – +1000
Frolic – +1400
Formality – +1400
Menari – +2000
Teaspoon – +2500
Veranillo – +2500
Trapeze Artist – +2500
Single Bullet – +2500
Trekking – +2500
Invader – +2500
Diamond Tathagata – +6000
Chauffeur (Emergency 1) – +6000
Madeenaty – +6000
Showtime (Emergency 2) – +7000
The Mission (Emergency 3) – +20000