This Saturday at Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney, the two horses topping the 2011 Caulfield Guineas betting odds will face off in a highly-spruiked showdown.
Peter Snowden’s dual Group 1 winner Helmet and the exciting Anthony Cummings-trained Smart Missile are the two early favourites to win the $1 million Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on October 8 during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival 2011.
But first the pair will put their Caulfield Guineas claims on the line in Sydney, starting with this Saturday’s $125,000 Group 3 The Run To The Rose (1200m).
Australia’s No. 1 online bookmaker Luxbet currently have Helmet as the Caulfield Guineas 2011 favourite at $7.50, but Smart Missile is following closely at $8.
Exceed And Excel colt Helmet certainly has the credentials, having won four of their five starts to date including the Group 1 AJC Sires Produce Stakes – Champagne Stakes double last season.
Darley’s supremo trainer Snowden rates Helmet very highly and believes he is up to the challenge of their first-up run this Saturday, the 2011 Golden Rose in Sydney next month and then Melbourne’s Caulfield Guineas.
“He has only had one trial, but he is forward enough to win,” Snowden said.
“It is going to be short of his best distance but being fresh I’m sure he’ll put himself somewhere there.”
Meanwhile, Cummings is not keeping quiet over his confidence with Smart Missile.
The Fastnet Rock colt remains unbeaten in their two career starts to date, most recently having defeated the fellow Snowden-trained Golden Slipper winner Sepoy in the Todman Stakes at Rosehill in March.
Smart Missile, however, is an uncapped and untapped talent having missed his chance to win at elite level as a juvenile being scratched from the Golden Slipper at the barriers.
“I think he is the real deal and he can be the star of the show,” Cummings said of Smart Missile who won an impressive trial at Randwick on August 5.
“(Helmet is) a talented horse and he has a very good record but my view is he is not as good as Smart Missile.”
Third favourite in the Caulfield Guineas odds at Luxbet, the John O’Shea-trained Foxwedge ($15) is also engaged for The Run to the Rose this Saturday, the colt looking for back-to-back wins already this prep after winning the Group 3 San Domenico Stakes (1100m) first-up on August 13.
Meanwhile other gallopers fancied and firming in the 2011 Caulfield Guineas markets include Ron Leemon’s Manawanui ($15) after their win in the Group 3 Up & Coming Stakes at Warwick Farm last Saturday, The Rosebud winner Aeronautical ($17) and the Bart Cummings-trained Do You Think ($19) who resumes in the $125,000 Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
See below for the top Caulfield Guineas All In – Win odds at Luxbet.
For the full markets on all of the Caulfield Guineas 2011 nominations and to enjoy a bonus bet valued up to $400 this spring, head to Luxbet and open your new account quoting the codeword BONUSBET when you make your first deposit!
2011 Caulfield Guineas Odds
| Horse | Odds* |
|---|---|
| Helmet | 7.50 |
| Smart Missile | 8.00 |
| Foxwedge | 15.00 |
| Manawanui | 15.00 |
| Aeronautical | 17.00 |
| Do You Think | 19.00 |
| Mosheen | 21.00 |
| Rekindled Alliance | 21.00 |
| Amah Rock | 26.00 |
| Chase The Rainbow | 26.00 |
| Huegill | 26.00 |
| Just The Tonic | 26.00 |
| Masthead | 26.00 |
| African Pulse | 31.00 |
| Boys On Tour | 31.00 |
| Club Command | 31.00 |
| Decircles | 31.00 |
| Golden Archer | 31.00 |
| Raffles Pegasus | 31.00 |
| Thats The One | 31.00 |
| The Great Snowman | 31.00 |
*Odds are Fixed Win/All In & subject to change – check Luxbet for updates and to bet now