Glamour colt Press Statement is poised to start the shortest-priced favourite in the brief history of the Randwick Guineas despite drawing off the track in the Group One race.
Bookmakers have kept Press Statement well into the red as he attempts to emulate Weekend Hussler by completing the Caulfield Guineas-Randwick Guineas double.
In a field of 13, Press Statement will start from the second widest gate, but the three-year-old overcame a similar obstacle to account for Lizard Island in the Caulfield Guineas.
Weekend Hussler narrowly beat the Chris Waller-trained Triple Honour as a $1.65 chance in 2008 and Press Statement has opened at $1.50 to give Waller his first Randwick Guineas win on Saturday.
Godolphin will saddle up two runners against Press Statement, the Victoria Derby placegetter Etymology as well as Shards.
Shards resumed as the eye-catching run in the race when a closing fourth in the Eskimo Prince Stakes but couldn’t reproduce the finish when down the course behind Press Statement in the Hobartville Stakes.
“We’d like some sting out of the ground for him,” trainer John O’Shea said.
Etymology finished just ahead of Shards in the Hobartville, convincing O’Shea he is in for profitable autumn.
“I was happy with his run last start and we’ll be looking for him to show more on Saturday,” O’Shea said.
Stable jockey James McDonald takes the ride on Shards while Tommy Berry will have the seat on Etymology.
Stay With Me, the only filly in the race, is at $7.50 while Hobartville third placegetter Montaigne is at $9 with the rest of the runners at double figures.
