Australia: Bettors have hands full in Wellington Boot
There are 14 Australian-bred 2-year-olds in Sunday’s $151,000 Wellington Boot at Wellington Racecourse in Australia – four winners and 10 maidens.
In early betting on Friday, the maiden fillies Deep Expectation and Sweet Baby Boom were drawing more action than the two-time winner Last Bid Liam, a colt.
The Wellington Boot is run at 5 1/2 furlongs and is the track’s richest race.
Last Bid Liam has won 2 of 5 starts, with the wins in consecutive starts in a five-furlong handicap at Dubbo on Feb. 13, and a handicap at 5 1/2 furlongs at Coonamble on March 13. Last Bid Liam set the pace at Dubbo, and won from a stalking position at Coonamble.
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Last Bid Liam should have an ample pace to follow in the Wellington Boot, the seventh race on an eight-race program that begins at 9:55 p.m. Eastern or 6:55 p.m. Pacific on Saturday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.
Deep Expectation was the 5-2 favorite in early betting even though the filly is winless in four starts with two second-place finishes. Trained by Peter Robl, Deep Expectation was second by 2 1/4 lengths in a maiden race at Canterbury Park on March 13 behind favored Willinga Beast.
Deep Expectation was well placed throughout and dueled briefly for the lead before fading. Sweet Baby Boom was sent to the front in that maiden race and led into the stretch, but could not sustain the effort, finishing third by 2 1/2 lengths in her first start.
Sweet Baby Boom, trained by Adrian Bott and Gai Waterhouse, is likely to be near the front early in the Wellington Boot. Jockey Winona Costa takes the mount on Sweet Baby Boom for the first time.
Aside from Last Bid Liam, the winners in the field are the colt Spinosaurus, who won going 4 1/2 furlongs in October in his lone start, and the fillies Nalabelle and Ventus.
Nalabelle led throughout a five-furlong maiden race in her debut on Feb. 10 and was seventh of 10 in a minor handicap at five furlongs at Canberra on Feb. 25. Ventus won her debut in a five-furlong handicap at Quirindi on Feb. 18.