Godolphin‘s Group 1-bound colt Aft Cabin is odds-on to keep the wins coming when the star young son of Astern runs as the second-up favourite in Saturday’s Group 2 $400,000 Hobartville Stakes (1400m).
Aft Cabin is short-priced favourite in Hobartville Stakes 2023 betting this autumn. Photo: Steve Hart.
Already the three-year-olds is heading all-in markets on a host of upcoming Group 1 races in both Sydney and Melbourne including the Randwick Guineas over the mile on March 4 which is the traditional target for Hobartville graduates.
Aft Cabin made a successful return atoning for missing last year’s Caulfield Guineas after suffering a bleeding episode when he won the Group 3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) by nearly two lengths on February 4.
He stays in Sydney on Saturday heading to Rosehill Racecourse for the Hobartville where Tim Clark comes aboard for James McDonald with J-Mac in Melbourne to partner the returning Nature Strip at Flemington in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
“Obviously, Aft Cabin is a really talented colt and he’s a nice pick-up ride,” Clark told Racenet after picking up the coveted ride on the boom colt in Sydney.
“His win the other day was very impressive and to do it back in Sydney was important as he had already done it in Melbourne on that wet track at Caulfield (Guineas Prelude) last spring.
“I’m sure the team at Godolphin always knew Aft Cabin was a good horse but he proved it to the doubters last start.”
The odds are slim on Aft Cabin to win again after his dominant display last time out with Ladbrokes offering $1.45 for the progressive autumn star in the making.
With the Eskimo Prince Stakes looking the form race to follow into the Hobartville the place-getters from that key lead-up are also being kept relatively safe in betting for the rematch on Saturday.
The John O’Shea-trained runner-up Zou Tiger is at $9 to turn the tables, while Michael Freedman‘s third placed Communist is better value at $18 second-up and fit in gate four.
Zoustar colt Zou Tiger is out to further frank the form from last year’s Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) at the same track and distance.
He ran third behind Jacquinot in that spring feature with the Golden Rose winner going on to take out Melbourne’s Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) last weekend on protest.
Trainer Chris Waller chases a third Hobartville Stakes win this year and looks in with a genuine chance for an upset saddling-up the $7 second elect Osipenko in barrier one.
The Kiwi-bred son of Pierro was well-beaten by Aft Cabin when seventh in the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude last year when failing to handle a Heavy (8) track.
He was better next-up with an eye-catching third behind Golden Mile in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on a Soft-rated track and will improve this weekend on his fifth fresh in the Eskimo Prince getting up to the 1400m.
The 2023 Hobartville Stakes runs as Race 8 at 4:40pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s bumper 10-race Rosehill card in Sydney.
