Telegraph Handicap and Wellington Cup betting guide with tips

Trentham

TWO of New Zealand’s biggest races run this Saturday at Trentham with the $250,000 Group 1 Telegraph Handicap and the Group 3 Wellington Cup.

The 1200m Telegraph Handicap is one of the featured sprints throughout the summer carnival and it has been won by some of Australasia’s best.

It has attracted a maximum field of 18 runners plus emergencies with favouritism going to the Australian-performed Start Wondering and Perfect Fit.

The $250,000 Wellington Cup is run over two miles and a big field of stayers will line up. There is no standout favourite, so punters are getting great value with every runner in the field.

Punters can place bets on any New Zealand race with CrownBet.com.au.

Crownbet.com.au

2017 Telegraph Handicap market and betting guide

1. Start Wondering – $6
2. Adventador – $31
3. Perfect Fit – $3.20
4. Odyssey Moon (AUS) – $10
5. Passing Shot – $41
6. Statham – $26
7. Speech Craft – $21
8. Longchamp – $34
9. Mighty Solomon – $21
10. Miss Appleton – $31
11. Signify – $61
12. Brighton – $21
13. First Serve – $7
14. Reilly Lincoln – $13
15. Lady Zafira – $41
16. No More Tears – $21
17. Slice Of Class – $51
18. Luna Rossa – $9
19. Irish Moon – $15
20. Volks Lightning – $12
21. Rocanto – $51

Punters wanting to back Start Wondering are getting great value at $6 with Sportsbet.com.au. The Evan and JJ Rayner-trained gelding is paying $4 in New Zealand having won the Group 1 Railway Handicap at its last start.

The six-year-old performed well in Australia which included three wins at Rosehill against the likes of Paceman, His Majesty and Marenostro. Its form since returning to New Zealand has included two wins and it won its only start at Trentham by two lengths.

It wide draw of 14 might have put some punters off, but Trentham is suited to runners coming down the outside and we’re expecting Start Wondering to fight out the finish.

The current favourite is Perfect Fit which has firmed in from $5 to $3.20. The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare has won six from 14 starts and although it didn’t fire at Eagle Farm in the QTC Cup, it’s much better suited back on home soil.

It hasn’t had experience at Trentham which can be tricky, especially when navigating the swooping bend, but respect the amount of money coming for it and the inside draw should see it settle on the speed.

Australia is represented by Odyssey Moon for Robert Smerdon. The four-year-old has won only four from 21 starts, but comes into this having taken out the Standish Handicap at Flemington.

It didn’t beat much on that occasion, but Australian sprinting form stacks up nicely in New Zealand and Smerdon wouldn’t bother travelling if he wasn’t confident. That confidence took a hit when it received the visitors barrier draw of 19, but it’s not without a chance at odds of $10 and $3.30 for the place.

Palmerbet betting

First Serve is an interesting runner for Team Pitman. The four-year-old mare has won seven from nine starts and has shown some slick sprinting skills, but it has never taken on a field of this quality.

The daughter of Swiss Ace likes to settle on the speed and that will be no problem from barrier four. It has a light weight of 54kg and it has the ability to run quick times which is needed to win the Telegraph Handicap. $7 on offer is a solid price for each way punters.

Luna Rossa must be considered based off its form in Australia. The Baker/Forsman-trained filly by Written Tycoon has won two from nine starts and it got close to the likes of Legless Veuve at Caulfield during the Melbourne spring carnival.

It wasn’t able to show up in the big races, but it drops right down in weight to 52.5kg with Matthew Cameron in the saddle and it won a trial leading into this. It looks a big danger at $9 with Palmerbet.com.au.

Predicted Telegraph Handicap result:

1st – Start Wondering
2nd – Perfect Fit
3rd – Luna Rossa
4th – Odyssey Moon
5th – First Serve

2017 Wellington Cup field and betting guide

1. Kaharau – $67
2. Mister Impatience – $16
3. Bloodstream – $7
4. Jacksstar – $10
5. Alinko Prince – $9
6. Sly Romance – $10
7. Fanatic – $8
8. Guarantor – $34
9. Perfect Start – $21
10. Savaria – $11
11. Zambezi Warrior – $13
12. Snow Secret – $15
13. Balham – $9
14. China Star – $51
15. Antonio – $101
16. Pop ‘n’ Scotch – $41
17. Echezeaux – $13
18. Clarify – $6
19. Sopraffina – $12
20. Show Maccool – $101

Clarify is the current $6 favourite at Sportsbet, but it is drifting in the market and it’s currently paying $9 in New Zealand.

The four-year-old burst into Wellington Cup calculations with a destructive six-length win at Ellerslie on New Years Day and it looks to have a fair amount of ability. It has never run at this level and this is a tough field, but it must be considered on its most recent effort.

Apprentice jockey Shaun McKay rides for his father and down in the weights at 53kg will give it every chance to show that explosive turn-of-foot.

There has been money flowing for Bloodstream which won five consecutive races last spring. The Terri Rae-trained gelding hasn’t won since, but it has been working up in the distances and the two miles looks ideal for this staying type.

It was last seen finishing off stoutly on this track and that experience will do it plenty of good. It opened at $6 and has drifted out to $7 at Bet365.com, but there is plenty of local support on this runner so expect its current price to firm in come race day.

Alinko Prince is a past winner at Trentham which came last time out. The Fraser Auret-trained runner was too good for its opposition in a similar field to this and that holds it in good stead for this.

Bet365

Its form prior included three second placings behind the likes of Sampson and Jacksstar, which is good form and it won’t have to improve much to figure in the money.

It has been respected in the market at $9 which is much better than the $6.50 on local markets.

There was no reason why Fanatic disappointed as the favourite in the City of Auckland Cup last start, but it could rebound quickly.

The Sanders/Sweeney-trained mare travelled like the winner coming into the straight, but it found nothing in the straight. It won its only start at Trentham when it defeated Sofia Rosa in the Oaks and that’s cracking form if it can recapture its best.

Take Fanatic for some value at $8 with Sportsbet.com.au.

Predicted Wellington Cup result:

1st – Bloodstream
2nd – Fanatic
3rd – Clarify
4th – Alinko Prince
5th – Jacksstar

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments