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Royal Ascot

Odds-on Cracksman has bookies running for cover as liabilities mount

Cracksman: will not run this afternoon
Cracksman: as short as 4-7 for Royal Ascot's Prince of Wales's StakesCredit: Alan Crowhurst

A win for the Frankie Dettori-ridden Cracksman in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes is the Royal Ascot result the bookies fear above all others.

John Gosden’s four-year-old, a brilliant winner over course and distance last October in the Champion Stakes, has been heavily backed ante-post and is now as short as 4-7 for Wednesday’s Group 1.

Nicola McGeady of Ladbrokes, said: “The Dettori-Gosden factor is always a huge draw at Royal Ascot, and the one we fear most has to be Cracksman.

“It’s not long since we were 5-4 and now he's 4-6, with money pouring in all week. Even now, his price isn’t short enough to put punters off.

“He definitely isn’t one we'll want to take on, with liabilities already looking daunting.”

Pat Cooney, spokesman for bet365, had a similar story to tell. “We felt Cracksman appeared vulnerable after his narrow win in the Coronation Cup, and went odds-against immediately afterwards,” he said.

“His price has only gone one way ever since, and I think we’re all now presuming he’ll win. He's by far the best-backed horse with bet365 at Royal Ascot, and stands alone as our biggest single liability.”

Paul Binfield, representing Paddy Power, said: “There won’t be much craic at Power Tower if Cracksman does the business.

“We pushed his price out to 11-4 immediately after his Epsom win – where not every racing pundit was impressed – and weren’t even convinced he’d show up at Ascot.

“He was backed down to 6-4 that evening and punters have continued to wade into him at every price down to 8-11.”

Another Dettori/Gosden runner, Calyx, a five-length winner on his Newmarket debut this month, has attracted significant support for the Coventry Stakes with bet365.

Cooney added: “Calyx has been very popular and could be challenging for favouritism come the off. We're 5-2 about him, and everyone seems mad keen on him.”

It is not only Dettori who has a huge Royal Ascot fan club. Ryan Moore has enjoyed many memorable days in the Ascot sun, and Cooney believes Thursday’s Gold Cup will develop into a huge betting race with the two jockeys going head to head on market leaders Order Of St George and Stradivarius.

“We’re 2-1 each of two, with Order Of St George being the stronger at the moment,” Cooney said. “We feel it’s going to be a race of huge punting interest and we'll be looking to get a result.”

The opening-day clash between flying US-trained filly Lady Aurelia, successful at the meeting for the last two years, and the Charlie Hills-trained Battaash in the King’s Stand Stakes could also be one of the most significant races of the five days in terms of betting turnover.

McGeady said: “Battaash is the one we want beaten in the King’s Stand Stakes. However, we're still happy to be competitive and take him on, with Lady Aurelia standing in his way. It should be a thrilling rematch.”

Bookmakers report that betting on the major handicaps at Royal Ascot has yet to significantly take off, but McGeady fears a win for Sir Michael Stoute’s middle-distance star Crystal Ocean, winner of both his starts this season, in Saturday’s Hardwicke Stakes.

“The Saturday is the busiest turnover day of the week and if Crystal Ocean wins the Hardwicke we'll be ending the week on a sour note,” she said.

“Whether punters are looking to claw back from a bad week or spin their winnings, he's the obvious one for them to get stuck into.”


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Published on 15 June 2018inRoyal Ascot

Last updated 07:32, 16 June 2018

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