Big bets hits and misses: 2YO flops while Stradbroke punters rejoice
Well-bred juvenile Isthmus was a major bust for punters, but the heavy-hitters bounced back with rising stars Without A Fight and Think About It both winning in impressive style at Eagle Farm.
Check out which big bets hit and those that missed the mark across Australian racing on Saturday, June 10.
HITS
$20,000 on Think About It @ $3.60 (Topsport)
$16,000 on Think About It @ $3.60 (Topsport)
The brilliant Pride-trained galloper made it nine wins from 10 starts and back-to-back Group 1s with a dominant performance in the Stradbroke Handicap. He was a drifter from $2.90 out to $3.60 (SP) but never really looked like losing after lobbing in a lovely trailing position.
$10,000 on Without A Fight @ $2.90 (TAB)
$9000 on Without A Fight @ $3.30 (Neds)
$5000 on Without A Fight @ $3.30 (Ladbrokes)
A wet track brought the import undone in the 2022 Melbourne Cup but his two runs since have been sensational. He sat back in the Q22 and was still a mile off the leaders at the top of the Eagle Farm straight but his final furlong was devastating, ripping home to score by 1.89L.
Without A Fight takes out the Q22!
He puts two impressive wins together at just his third Australian start. pic.twitter.com/yGGIZ3mtm7
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 10, 2023
$10,000 on Frigid @ $6 (Topsport)
It was a big day for 3kg-claiming apprentice Wiremu Pinn, with grey mare Frigid part of a Sandown Hillside treble.
$5000 on Democracy Manifest @ $5 (TAB)
This TAB punter would have been able to pay for a few succulent Chinese meals after Democracy Manifest's barnstorming Randwick win. He's developing a bit of a cult following this horse, in part thanks to Darren Flindell's calls of the Waller-trained gelding.
$5000 on Universal Flair @ $7.80 (Topsport)
This was a beautiful watch, with Universal Flair running her rivals ragged in the fourth at Belmont. The 3YO filly clearly has a liking for wet tracks, relishing the heavy conditions to record her third career win.
MISSES
$51,000 on Crafty Eagle @ $2.80 (Topsport)
Crafty Eagle was a dominant winner on resumption but was unable to back it up in the last at Randwick. He settled back and just battled home to finish midfield in a busy finish.
$20,000 on Normandy Bridge @ $3 (Topsport)
The Maher and Eustace stable had a monster day but Normandy Bridge couldn't get the job done for them in the final event at Sandown. He loomed large in the straight but a ground-saving ride from Wiremu Pinn on Deepstrike proved the difference.
$10,000 on Yellow Brick @ $1.65 (Ladbrokes)
$10,000 on Yellow Brick @ $1.60 (Neds)
$5000 on Yellow Brick @ $1.65 (Pointsbet)
The Yellow Brick road led to nothing but pain for the above three punters. Opinion was mixed over whether it was pilot error or not, but the hot favourite just wasn't able to run down Rediener who was given a peach of a ride by J-Mac.
A boilover! Rediener upsets the short-priced favourite in Yellow Brick and multis around the country are turned to confetti! ???? @mcacajamez@cwallerracingpic.twitter.com/YjeRvxubMZ
— 7HorseRacing ???? (@7horseracing) June 10, 2023
$7000 on Isthmus @ $8.50 (TAB)
$5000 on Isthmus @ $11.15 (Sportsbet)
$4000 on Isthmus @ $5 (Neds)
The betting flucs were all over the place with Isthmus, firming from $9 into $5 before getting right back out. The late drift proved to be spot on though, with the well-bred juvenile failing to fire a shot in the Eagle Farm opener. She beat just two runners home in a very plain performance.
$6000 on Hawaii Five Oh @ $5.50 (Neds)
He was given every chance and looked some hope early in the straight but the 3YO colt was simply no match for the finishing burst of Think About It in the Stradbroke.
$5000 the place on Vilana @ $11 (TAB)
It was good shopping by this punter to secure $11 the place but as the old saying goes, ‘you can't eat overs'. Vilana, who jumped at $21, found trouble in the run to finish midfield in the Eagle Farm feature.
