Horse Racing

Lucia Valentina (outside) tops the Caulfield Cup betting markets while Brambles (inside) has made the final field after scratchings. Photo (c) Race Horse Photos Australia

There are horse racing meetings all over the country this weekend, but the feature event is without doubt the Group 1 Caulfield Cup in Melbourne; playing host to 18 leading stayers battling it out in the world’s richest handicap race over 2400m

A capacity field of 18 runners plus four emergencies was confirmed for the Caulfield Cup on Wednesday, however several niggling issues and sickness over a tumultuous 24 hours has seen a total of four leading chances scratched from the final field, arguably highlighted by Japanese sensation Bande.

Contesting a form line similar to that of Japanese superstar Delta Blues in the lead-up to his memorable victory in the 2006 Melbourne Cup, Bande received the greatest share of attention from punters for success in the Caulfield Cup and was clear market mover at the time of his scratching.

Noted to be harbouring a niggling tendon injury, Bande’s shock removal from the Caulfield Cup final field has blown betting on the featured event wide open, with punters now offered even better value in both win and place markets.

Lucia Valentina has returned to racing in scintillating form this time in, and while opening and maintaining status at the fore of betting markets, has now received the biggest share of wagers following Bande’s removal and has cut into clear favouritism.

Early Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer is offered at particularly generous odds for success in the 2014 Caulfield Cup, while first emergency Brambles has moved in from opening odds of $21 to currently feature at a quote of less-than $10.

The Group 2 Caulfield Sprint (1100m) and Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) for mares are also set to run at Caulfield on Saturday, while the Group 3 David Jones Cup (2000m), Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) cap off a truly impressive day of racing; offering even more opportunities to place a winning bet.

Royal Randwick will play host to Sydney’s major card on Saturday, highlighted by the Group 3 The Nivison, contested by mares over 1200m.

Other Sports

The final Bledisloe test for the year between Australian and New Zealand will be played at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night and is shaping as an extremely interesting betting game.

The All Blacks retained the Bledisloe Cup with a comfortable 51-20 victory at Auckland’s Eden Park in August and currently figure as clear $1.28 favourites to cap the series with a win over the Wallabies ($3.80).

The A-League enters Round 2 this weekend and is highlighted by matches between bitter rivals and week 1 winners Melbourne Victory ($2.75) and Adelaide United ($2.45) and a Sydney derby between FC ($2.55) and the Wanderers ($2.65).

Horse Racing

Top sprinter Lankan Rupee will look to return to winning form in the Group 1 Moir Stakes on Friday night. Photo (c) Race Horse Photos Australia

Thanks largely to the AFL Grand Final on Saturday afternoon, Victorian meets will bookend the weekend’s racing schedule at Moonee Valley and Caulfield on Friday night and Sunday respectively, with Sydney’s Rosehill Gardens will play host to Golden Pendant Day on Saturday.

The Moonee Valley card is undoubtedly highlighted by the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1200m), which will see the world’s current leading sprinter line up against the likes of Buffering, Rebel Dane and Angelic Light; Unpretentious the clear outsider in the small field of five.

Securing four wins from as many starts over his autumn campaign including three at the highest level of Australian racing, Lankan Rupee was delivered a shock defeat at the hand of Angelic Light in the Group 1 McEwen Stakes (1000m) first-up this season, but remains clear favourite in markets to win a fourth Group 1 title.

Friday night’s Moonee Valley meet will also see some of the Spring Carnival’s most exciting three-year-old prospects duke it out in the Group 2 Bill Stutt Stakes (1600m), while the Group 2 Stocks Stakes will see classy mares Commanding Jewel and Dear Demi duke it out once more.

The Group 3 Golden Pendant (1400m) headlines an eight race card at Rosehill on Saturday, and offers punters exceptional value from a betting standpoint.

Classy mare Catkins has returned to the track in typically scintillating form this season, and as a result is offered as a particularly short priced favourite. My Sabeel ran a strong second to Catkins in the Group 3 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) most recently, and has so-far received the greatest market share of attention from punters; registering as clear market mover.

The Group 2 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) is set to feature a showdown between Golden Rose placegetters Scissor Kick and Shooting To Win on Saturday, while the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) could easily be taken out by at least half of the 14 horse field.

Racing wraps up in style on Sunday, with the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) headlining a Caulfield card which also boasts the Prelude events for both the Caulfield Guineas and Thousand Guineas.

Peter Moody’s classy stallion Dissident opened as favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 feature but has surprisingly drifted as punters have turned their attention towards the likes of Sweet Idea, Cluster, Trust In A Gust and Moody’s other entrant, A Time For Julia.

AFL Grand Final

The 2014 AFL season comes to an end in fitting fashion this weekend as the league’s two stand out teams, the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn Hawks face off for the flag for the second time in three years.

The Swans ($1.56) have been favourites for the Premiership nearly all season, but are sure to be pushed to the limit by a finals-hardened Hawks ($2.50) side who comfortably disposed of Fremantle in the 2013 GF.

Awarded to the best player on ground in each season’s Grand Final, the Norm Smith Medal is one of the highest personal honours achievable in AFL. Won in 2013 by Hawks defender Brian Lake, the Norm Smith looks likely to go the way of a Swan, with Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin currently sharing the top line of betting ($8).

NRL Preliminary Finals

Following a week off, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers will play host to the Sydney Roosters and Canterbury Bulldogs respectively to decide who will do battle in next weekend’s Grand Final.

South Sydney ($1.70) destroyed Manly in week one of the finals to secure easy passage to this week’s Prelims, while the Roosters ($2.20) were shocked by the Panthers in week one and almost blew a 30 point lead over the Cowboys last week. This match is sure to be the highlight of the NRL week, with many touting these teams as likely Grand Final combatants at the beginning of the season.

Unable to string together much of a consistent run of form over the early stages of the season, Canterbury ($1.76) have hit their straps at the right end of the season, with their tough and grinding style enough to see off a spirited Sea Eagles fight last week. Penrith ($2.10) have been without doubt the league’s surprise packets this year and are incredibly just 80 minutes away from their first Grand Final appearance since 2003.

Other Sports

The English Premier League kicks up another gear this weekend, highlighted by the Merseyside Derby between bitter rivals Liverpool and Everton. Neither side has started the 2014/15 season as the would have liked, adding an extra incentive to what is sure to be a tough fixture.