Races

Real Punters Play Here – Doncaster Mile

Posted on | Posted by TABtouch

Racing And Sports’ Brad Bishop points out the esteemed company that Sheza Alibi is already in ahead of this year’s Doncaster Mile, brought to you by TABtouch.

Much of the success of horse racing in Australia was built on the egalitarian nature of its biggest races.

The Melbourne Cup remains the country’s number one event and for more than a century Victoria’s second biggest race was the Caulfield Cup.

Sydney’s No 1 race has changed over the years but one that has stood the test of time is the Doncaster Mile.

Like the big Cups in Victoria, the 1600-metre event is a handicap race.

By nature, they are designed to ensure a level playing field, which is generally reflected in the betting.

Odds-on favourites are rare. In fact, across the three races, just six horses have started ‘in the red’.

The only one to do it in the Melbourne Cup was the biggest name of all, Phar Lap, who won at 8/11 ($1.73 in modern language) in 1930.

Tulloch won the 1957 Caulfield Cup at 4/6 ($1.67), while the only other horse to start odds-on in that race was Tobin Bronze, who ran sixth at 8/11 in 1966.

In its 160 years, just three times has the Doncaster Mile had a favourite start sub-even money.

A decade ago Winx won at $1.80, the same converted price as 1926 winner Valicare, while Sky High was 9/10 ($1.90) when he ran third in 1961.

That trio could have company this Saturday with Sheza Alibi a chance to start odds-on in this year’s Doncaster Mile at Randwick.

At 10.30am Thursday, the Victorian filly was $1.95 with TABtouch.

Whether Sheza Alibi starts odds-on is to be determined, but the Peter G Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained filly will be in good company even if she drifts a few rolls.

Winx is one of only three horses to start sub-$3 in a Doncaster in the past 30 years and the other two also own a place in the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

Sunline was 10/9 ($2.10) when she did what Sheza Alibi is striving to achieve and won as a three-year-old filly in 1999, while Lonhro was $2.10 when he finished fourth in 2003.

Sunline was also favourite, at $2.90, when she won again in 2002 and is the only other sub-$3 favourite in the past 30 years.

Five other favourites have won in that time, but Mr Brightside ($6 in 2023) is the only punters’ pick to score since Winx.

Typhoon Tracy, who ran 14th at $3.30 in 2010, is the only filly to start favourite since Sunline and she has endured the same Doncaster fate as most fillies in the 21st century.

Typhoon Tracy is one of 17 fillies to run since 2000 and one of 16 who failed to place. The only one to do so was Norzita, who finished third in 2013.

Three-year-olds dominate the TABtouch market on this year’s event with Autumn Boy $7.50 second elect with his Chris Waller-trained stablemate Sixties sharing the $15 third line. The other three-year-old engaged is Attica, a $20 chance.

They all head into Saturday’s race out of a different final lead-up.

Sheza Alibi hasn’t started since her brilliant win in the Randwick Guineas (1600m), in which she defeated Autumn Boy and Attica, while Sixties heads in off a win in the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m).

Autumn Boy bounced out of the Randwick Guineas to win the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 21, while Attica progressed to the George Ryder Stakes (1500m) on the same day.

Attica could manage only eighth that day, but the Ryder is the race that five of the past seven three-year-olds to win the Doncaster have come through and the race four-year-old mare Stefi Magnetica contested at her final lead-up last year.

The George Ryder Stakes is clearly the most prolific producer of Doncaster Mile winners with 15 of the past 30 having rounded out preparations in that weight-for-age contest at Rosehill.

Gringotts (second), Pericles (third), Headley Grange (fifth), Linebacker (seventh), Evaporate (ninth) and Encap (10th) are the others engaged in this year’s Doncaster who come through the George Ryder.

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