Mahuta is currently available at 2016 Magic Millions Guineas odds of $4 and he remains a narrow favourite in betting for the feature race that will be contested at the Gold Coast on Saturday.
Mahuta is set to start the 2016 Magic Millions Guineas as a narrow favourite. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos
Mahuta opened as a $4 favourite when the Magic Millions Guineas field was released on Monday and he has remained steady at that price – despite arriving in Queensland 24 hours later than expected due to issues with a cargo plane in Melbourne.
The Flying Spur colt beat quality fields to take out the Listed Gothic Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival, but trainer Darren Weir is concerned about how he will handle the Queensland way of going.
Egyptian Symbol is currently on the second line of Magic Millions Guineas betting markets at a quote of $4.80 and the lightly-raced filly has been rock solid since the final field was released.
The daughter of Stratum started her racing career with three consecutive victories and she did not have a great deal of luck when second in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes (1200m) at Wyong on December 17 and the Group 3 Vo Rogue Plate (1300m) at the Gold Coast on Boxing Day.
The only other horse that is available at single figure Magic Millions Guineas odds is Team Snowden-trained Flippant, who is back into $5.50 after she drifted from $5 out to $6 following the barrier draw on Tuesday morning.
Flippant failed to fire when she returned to the races in the Listed Brian Crowley Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 17, but she beat Egyptian Symbol in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes and has impressed in a recent barrier trial.
While Mahuta is on top of the Magic Millions Guineas betting market with Ladbrokes, the best-backed runner has been Gai Waterhouse-trained Flamboyant Lass, who has been backed from $15 into $12 in recent days.
Flamboyant Lass has been an inconsistent performer during her racing career to date and she failed to fire in the Wyong Magic Millions Stakes, but before that she finished just outside the placings in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 3.
There has been a sprinkling of support in Magic Millions Guineas betting markets for In His Stride ($51 into $34), Madotti ($17 into $15) and Sir Bacchus ($11 into $10), while Real Good ($67 out to $71), Dram Of Red ($26 into $31), I’m Belucci ($11 out to $14), Single Gaze ($26 out to $31) and Star Of Night ($81 out to $91) have all been on the drift.
