A dangling carrot in the form of $100,000 has drawn several runners to Saturday’s Inglis Bonus but if punters are correct the money is safe with the sponsor.
Two of the top three horses in betting are ineligible for the bonus because they were not bought at an Inglis sale.
Darley homebred Albrecht, a smart winner of his only start at Canterbury in June, is the $3.50 favourite while $7 third elect Relaxed And Happy was passed in at the Magic Millions Adelaide sale.
Queensland trainer Liam Birchley is one of two interstate trainers targeting the race, along with Victoria’s Jason Warren who will start Proper Madam.
Team Hawkes has also travelled White House up from its Melbourne base to run.
Birchley is bringing Harlequin’s Gold to Sydney specifically to chase the bonus but a drying track is dashing his hopes.
“If I could change anything it would be the weather,” Birchley said.
“I was hoping it would be a bit wetter because we know he handles it and with the quick back-up he would have been well prepared for it.”
Canterbury was rated a slow six on Thursday with no rain forecast.
Harlequin’s Gold is one of the outsiders at $17 but he will have the advantage of being hard fit.
The gelding, a $4500 Scone purchase and the cheapest horse in the race, began his preparation in May and has struck form at his past two starts with wins at July’s Grafton carnival and Doomben last Saturday.
“He’s been a bit slow to work it all out,” Birchley said.
“He’s coming to the stage where he’s almost had enough and if the race wasn’t there he’d probably go to the paddock but with the bonus and the fact he’s going so well we decided to come.”
Anthony Cummings will start $320,000 Magic Millions buy On A Given Day and unlike Birchley, he is happy to see the sun.
“Her win was at her only start on top of the ground and the form out of that race has been good,” Cummings said.
“She’s probably starting to look for a little bit further and that’s why she got a bit out of her ground the other day.
“I think that will still be the case but it’s going to be a strong race with pressure up front so I think that will suit her.”
Cummings also nominated Diamond Earth for the 1200m race but she has been sent for a spell after returning from a hit-and-run raid in Adelaide in light condition.
