Sangster surges to Auckland Cup favouritism

March 4, 2013

Sangster surges to Auckland Cup favouritism

Heavily-backed Sangster has surged in from an opening fixed odds price of $31 to now sit alone as a short-priced, $2.20 favourite for Wednesday’s Auckland Cup at Ellerslie.

TAB Head of Fixed Odds Racing, Phillip O’Connor, said Sangster was an outside chance when betting opened on the 2013 Auckland Cup in November 2012, but three impressive runs in the past two months have seen the price plummet as punters lined up to back the Cambridge-trained gelding.

“Sangster’s opening price was about right when we first opened this market,” said O’Connor. “There were a number of horses who could take out the Auckland Cup, but it’s always difficult to gauge form and availability so far out.”

That didn’t faze punters, however.

“We saw money coming on right from the start, but not enough to cause concern. It wasn’t until we received a $1000 at $31 that we reconsidered our position,” O’Connor said.

Since then Sangster has secured a game second at Trentham on January 10 and two impressive wins – the first over 2000m at Te Rapa on February 9 and the other over 2400m at Ellerslie on February 17.

Chapparone ($5) and Annie Higgins ($9) fill out the top-three, while Blood Brotha is a $12 shot to complete the unprecedented, single season “Triple Crown” of the New Zealand Cup and Wellington and Auckland cups.

The Auckland Cup is run over 3200m at Ellerslie. Record crowds are expected to watch New Zealand’s greatest staying race, which jumps at 5.55pm on Wednesday.

1 Spiro $26
2 Blood Brotha $12
3 Ransomed $31
4 My Scotsgrey $12
5 Back In Black $81
6 Sangster $2.20
7 Crocodile Canyon $41
8 Annie Higgins $9
9 Single Minded $21
10 Hiace $31
11 The Hand Of Faith $81
12 Savanah Rush $16
13 Arcenciel $41
14 Zara Dancer $81
15 El Soldado $51
16 Chaparrone $5
17 Inanoff $51
18 Grande Bellezza $51
19 Miss Isle $41
20 Princess Kyoto $41
21 California $31
22 Cottonwood Sky $101

For more information, please visit:
www.nzracingboard.co.nz
www.tab.co.nz
www.theraces.co.nz

ENDS

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