Odds on the best in 2017 George Moore Stakes betting in Brisbane on the weekend have firmed following the early withdrawal of Egyptian Symbol who kicks things off in Sydney instead.
Egyptian Symbol will resume racing in Sydney on Saturday avoiding the wet track at Doomben in Brisbane for the George Moore Stakes 2017. Photo: Steve Hart.
Heavy rainfall in Brisbane over the week has the Doomben track at a current Heavy (10) rating for Saturday’s meeting that is headlined by the Group 3 $200,000 George Moore Stakes (1200m).
The George Moore Stakes field has already suffered its first scratching with Warwick Farm horseman Bjorn Baker withdrawing his Stratum mare Egyptian Symbol.
The five-year-old hasn’t raced since her midfield eighth to Tycoon Tara in Doomben’s Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1350m) on June 24.
She has trialled twice since in Sydney and will remain there for her first-up summer run that has been rescheduled from the George Moore to Rosehill’s $125,000 Listed Starlight Stakes (1100m) on Festival Stakes Day.
Egyptian Symbol is drawn gate nine, which could become seven with emergencies out, in the Starlight Stakes field and is at $6 to win.
The Starlight Stakes also remains a back-up option for the Rodney Northam-trained Big Money who is dually accepted for it and the George Moore Stakes on Saturday.
Last seen finishing third in the Choisir Stakes (1100m) at Randwick on November 7, eight-year-old Big Money won the 2014 edition of the George Moore Stakes but hasn’t won a race since the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in February of 2016.
Northam has stated he does not want to run Big Money on a Heavy Doomben track.
The horse is an outside quote of $16 for the Starlight Stakes and is just shorter at $13 in George Moore Stakes betting for the weekend at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Racing Queensland officials are confident the Doomben course proper can get back to a Soft track rating in time for George Moore Stakes Day despite Wednesday’s inundation.
“It blew the prediction out of the water pretty quickly. We had in excess of 60mm,” Doomben course manager Jim Roberts told The Courier Mail on Wednesday evening.
“If it was a race day, cars on the infield would have been in trouble. The water was really running off Ascot Hill. I haven’t seen it like that for a long time.
“If conditions help us out, we will get back to Soft by Saturday. This track can change pretty quickly.
“There’s not a lot of rain forecast, so hopefully that’s right and it stays that way on race day.”
The bookmakers are suggesting track conditions are a non-issue for current George Moore Stakes favourite Calanda, the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Snitzel four-year-old leading markets at $3.20.
Check out the latest weekend racing odds for the George Moore Stakes 2017 and Sydney races now at Ladbrokes.com.au.