Punters have taken a liking to Wesley Ward’s horses at Royal Ascot – I certainly have. Acapulco landed a huge gamble when romping home under Ryan Moore in the Group Two Queen Mary Stakes. Yet when Back At The Ranch, Laxfield Road and the well backed Hootenanny all flopped on Friday, punters appeared to lose the faith.
The same trainer’s Undrafted drifted to 24/1 on the exchanges for Saturday’s Group One Diamond Jubilee Stakes. Would he have been half that price if Hootenanny had delivered? Vying for favouritism perhaps, which makes no good sense at all. Or was it because his owner, NFL player Wes Welker, didn’t even bother to show up?
Maybe he just couldn’t be there? Ward was sweet on the horse’s chances in the morning papers. International sprinters have a good record in the race and the horse had solid Group One form stateside and in Britain. He had a top European Jockey on board in Dettori – Ryan Moore was on Ballydoyle duty, which is no defection. Lots going for him, so why the long price?
It’s a classic example of a market shaping for all the wrong reasons and producing an excellent value bet.
Leave a comment