The 2011 Queensland Guineas is shaping up as a very open betting race, and punters can probably expect to get at least $6.00 the field.
Ready to Rip for Andrew Williamson and Steven Arnold is current favourite for the Guineas at $6.00.
Ready to Rip has won two of his three starts at Eagle Farm, with his only defeat the track coming at his last start, which was in the Daybreak Lover Handicap. However he did finish off strongly to come fourth and punters believe the step up to the mile is just what the horse needs. Being by More Than Ready he is adept on wet tracks meaning he will be fine if the forecast showers hit Eagle Farm before the last race is completed.
One horse who can be considered unlucky is the Peter Snowden trained Skilled. Skilled will jump from gate 16 of 22 in the Guineas. In his two previous starts before that he has jumped from gate 14 of 16 and 22 of 22.
There has been some support for Skilled since the markets opened and his quote on Luxbet has been trimmed from $9.00 to $8.50.
While his recent form makes for less than impressive reading, you cannot doubt the horses class. He has been placed in Group races such as the Hobartville Stakes, the Warwick Farm Guineas, and the Caulfield Guineas Prelude. He is also won the Group One Champagne Stakes as a two year old.
Benny’s Buttons is another who has come in for support, with his quote being cut from $9.00 to $8.00 in the days leading up to the Guineas.
Benny’s Buttons finished third in the Daybreak Lover Handicap at Doomben but jockey Chris Munce, who will again partner the horse in the Guineas, believes the run was full of merit.
“It was a super run. The horse I was following kept coming back on me when I was trying to go forward.” Munce said.
“I couldn’t get a crack at them until it was too late and he probably should have won the race.”
Smokin Joey is another who has been well backed and the Lee Freedman trained three year old is currently $8.00 in Queensland Guineas markets.
Smokin Joey has raced a dozen times for just one win and that came on debut. He did manage to run second behind Adibesi at Doomben in May and trainer Lee Freedman believes he will be one that is benefited by the bigger racing surface at Eagle Farm.
Smokin Joey raced in some of the major Victorian three year old races including the Caulfield Guineas, the AAMI Vase and the Victoria Derby. While he was unable to produce a result in any of those races punters believe the big race experience holds the son of Encosta de Lago in good stead here.
Another horse with interesting Victorian form is the John Thompson trained Run For Levi. Run For Levi finished second in the Group One Caulfield Guineas behind Anacheeva, but has not been able to reproduce that form. In his last three runs he has finished 15th of 16, 16th of 16 and 15th of 18. He is accordingly listed as a $51.00 chance.
Under the Eiffel is another who showed promising form south of the border before coming to Brisbane. The Tony Vasil trained gelding was able to put some good runs together during his Victorian campaign and he actually started on the third line of betting in the Group One Australian Guineas. However since coming to Brisbane his form has deserted him and he has finished down the track in both the Fred Best Classic and the Daybreak Lover Handicap. Under the Eiffel will be ridden by Michael Rodd and is currently a $16.00 chance for the Guineas on Luxbet
One of the traditional lead in races for the Queensland Guineas is the Fred Best Classic at Doomben. This year the Fred Best was taken out by Falino for Jeffrey Caught and Tim Clark. Falino was unable to back up his win in the Fred Best and finished well down the track in the Daybreak Lover Handicap. Falino will again be ridden by Tim Clark and is a $13.00 chance.
The Queensland Guineas could also be a race for long shot punters. At this stage, Demanding Miss, Count Your Fingers, Illbetricked and Madame Sleeper are all $101 or longer.
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