The unbeaten Jukebox has been backed into 2017 Vain Stakes odds of $3.80 and is a clear favourite to win the Group 3 event at Caulfield on Saturday.

Jukebox will defend his unbeaten record in the Vain Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Jukebox will defend his unbeaten record in the Vain Stakes. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Jukebox was set to start the 2017 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes as one of the favourites after he started his career with a win at Geelong and a victory in the Inglis Premier (1200m) at Caulfield on February 4, but he was controversially ruled out of the race after showing signs of lameness.

The Snitzel colt has not been seen at the races since his Inglis Premier win, but that has not stopped punters getting behind the three-year-old and he has been $5 into $3.80 to maintain his unbeaten record.

Another horse that has been well-backed in the 2017 Vain Stakes betting market with Ladbrokes is Team Corstens-trained Kobayashi, who is into $6.50 after opening at $5 earlier in the week.

Kobayashi stamped himself as a horse to follow with an impressive victory in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Cup (1200m) at Caulfield on April 29, but co-trainer Troy Corstens suggested that punters take a cautious approach with the I Am Invincible colt ahead of the Vain Stakes.

“He is really well,” Corstens said.

“He has had two trials – he worked down the straight and won that trial and then we gave him a corner trial and he was very good in that.

“I think that there is a fair bit improvement left in him, so whatever he does Saturday I expect him to take a fair big of improvement from that.

“I would he happy if he finished top four or five, but he is nowhere near wound up.”

The big drifter in the Vain Stakes betting market with Ladbrokes has been Wait For No One, who has drifted from $12 out to $17 in the past 24 hours.

Wait For No One has not won since he won the Debutant Stakes on debut in October last year and he returned to the races with a second place finish behind Azael at Flemington on August 5.

The Vain Stakes odds of Cliff Edge’s ($9 into $8.50) and A Thousand Degrees ($16 into $14) have shorten narrowly, while the likes of Ducimus ($9 out to $10) and Evil Cry ($34 out to $41) have been on the drift.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.