Aetna Heads Betting For Sprint Trophy - Race Preview

Course and distance winner Aetna is the 5/1 (bet365, paddy Power) anti-post favourite for Saturday`s (10th October, 3:30) Sprint Trophy at York. A co-favourite in May`s Infinity Tyres Handicap, the 4-year-old Mick Easterby-trained hopeful saw off a late charge from future Wokingham Stakes winner Baccarat and potential Sprint Trophy rivals Blaine (16/1 - Numerous) and Fast Shot (25/1 - Numerous) to finish first of the 20-strong field in the Class 2 six furlong dash on soft ground. This York result marked the filly`s second win in as many months after having run on well on her preferred soft ground to take a Class 3 handicap over a shorter five furlongs at Newcastle.

Set to be partnered again with long-time jockey Graham Gibbons, the pair will be hoping for a better performance after only being able to snatch a place last time out in a Newmarket sprint. Aetna failed to defy top weight to finish behind Andrew Balding`s Secret Hint and the Richard Hannon-trained favourite Remember in the filly`s handicap. Followers of this week`s favourite will be keen to forgive the handicap regular such a run, the race her first since her May triumph on a surface too fast for her liking. A quality ride from Gibbons could see the horse line-up in her first Group race of her career, with an entry in Ascot`s QIPCO Champions Sprint Stakes already on the minds of connections.

Ten to one (Numerous) is the price on this year`s Stewards Cup runner-up Ninjago with trainer Richard Hannon hoping that the colt will be able to pick up his first victory in ten runs after being first past the post in a listed race at Ascot back in May 2013. A well-executed hold up ride from jockey Ryan Moore at Goodwood will give supporters and connections alike confidence that the four year old will continue to improve ahead of Saturday`s feature race, should Hannon choose to have Ninjago run off a mark of 105, joint-top weight with Michael Dods` 16/1 (bet365, boylesports, Coral, Skybet, william hill) shot Spinatrix.

Also at 10/1 is David O`Meara`s Watchable who is expected to feature alongside Shergar Cup winner Highland Acclaim (20/1 - bet365, boylesports, paddy Power) for the trainer. Four-year-old Watchable failed to overcome a weak draw in the Ayr Gold Cup finishing mid-division following a promising win in a big field at the Curragh. In-form rider Danny Tudhope was always there or thereabouts on the gelding before hitting the front with a furlong to go and fending off David Marnane`s Zalty by a head.

Tudhope will take the ride once again, should Watchable enter the stalls on Saturday. Despite having never finished better than third on soft ground, the horse`s trainer O`Meara, who is looking to be this season`s leading trainer at York, insists that Watchable can continue to progress on `ground with ease`.

`Watchable and Highland Acclaim would be the two that are most likely to turn up.` The Nawton-based trainer told journalists. `Watchable is a very progressive horse. He couldn`t win at Ayr where he was drawn. I`ve been wanting to run him on ground with ease in it all year, although he has done a lot of his winning on fast ground.`

Other names to consider for the £75,000 jackpot include last year`s Ayr Gold Cup winner Highland Colori (20/1 - bet365, Boylesports, paddy power), dropping back to six furlongs after a string of unsuccessful runs at eight and nine, John Spearing`s Epsom handicap victor Ashpan Sam (25/1 - Numerous) and seven-year-old mud-lark Colonel Mark (40/1 - Coral).

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08/10/2014     © Frixo 2026