Grand Marshal has been backed into 2015 Sandown Cup odds of $5.50 and the Sydney Cup winner is now on the third line of betting for the Listed event that will be held at Sandown tomorrow.
Grand Marshal has been the best-backed runner in 2015 Sandown Cup betting markets. Photo by: Sarah Ebbett
Grand Marshal opened at Sandown Cup odds of $7.50, but there has been consistent support for the tough stayer to return to winning form for the first time during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival.
The Dansili gelding was well-backed in the lead-up to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), but he was one of a number of horses that were completely ruled out of contention due to the careless ride of Frankie Dettori on Max Dynamite and he could finish no better than 21st.
Almoonqith is also set to back-up from the Melbourne Cup and he is currently locked in a battle for Sandown Cup favouritism along with progressive stayer De Little Engine at a quote of $5.
Almoonqith stamped himself as a leading chance in the Melbourne Cup with a dominant victory in the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21, but he was never able to get into the race in the Melbourne Cup and there is still a question mark over his ability to run out a strong 3200 metres.
De Little Engine made a promising start to his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign, but he returned to winning form with an outstanding staying performance in the Bart Cummings Tribute Handicap (2800m) at Flemington on November 3.
The other Melbourne Cup runner that is set to back-up in the Sandown Cup this weekend is Gai Waterhouse-trained The Offer, who was one of the few horses that made up ground in the Melbourne Cup to sneak into the top ten.
Waterhouse told Racing Ahead this morning that she was thrilled with the Melbourne Cup performance of The Offer and she believes that the Sydney Cup winner is very well-placed in the 2015 Sandown Cup.
“He was really impressive, he did everything right and he ran on really well where the horses really weren’t running on, which was out wide,” Waterhouse said.
“I am very happy with him.
“I think he has a great chance tomorrow, a really great chance.”
Murray Baker-trained Maygrove is the only other horse available at single figure Sandown Cup odds of $8 with Ladbrokes, while there has been a sprinkling of support for two-time runner-up Like A Carousel ($16 into $14) and extreme outsider Refectory ($126 out to $101).
