Category: News

Rising star The Quarterback will start his Australian Guineas campaign in the C.S Hayes Stakes on Saturday.

The Street Boss three-year-old has been well backed by punters with online bookmaker Sportsbet Australia and is the $4.50 second pick for the Group 3.

Hucklebuck is the $3.70 favourite, but VRC Derby winner Polanski ($8.50) is well in commission, while Prince Harada looms at $6.00.

“Hucklebuck heads the market, but punters have narrowed it down to Polanski and The Quarterback. Both have been heavily backed with daylight to the rest,” sportsbet’s Ben Hawes said.

In Lightning Stakes betting, Samaready has received solid support and has firmed from $3.75 into $3.50. Other fancies, Snitzerland ($4.50) and Bernabeu ($6.00) have eased.

Sportsbet will refund punters their bet on the Lightning Stakes if their selection runs second.

 

CS Hayes Stakes
$3.70   Hucklebuck
$4.50   The Quarterback
$6.00   Prince Harada

$8.50   Polanksi
$12      Monkstone
$13      Kushadasi
$15      Worth A Ransom
$15      San Diego
$21      Criterion
$21      Ternado
$26      Mahican
$51      Surge Ahead
$51      Epic Saga

 

Lightning Stakes

$3.50   Samaready

$4.50   Snitzerland
$6.00   Bernabeu
$6.50   Shamexpress

$9.00   Boomwaa

$15      Unpretentious

$21      Aeronautical
$26      Bugatty

$26      Pago Rock
$34      Thermal Current
$51      African Pulse
$67      Brilliant Bisc
$126    Espirit De Bullet

Punters are neglecting Sydney mare Snitzerland in favour of the Mick Price-trained Samaready for Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning at Flemington.

 

Samaready has firmed from $3.50 into $3.25 at Sportingbet while Snitzerland has drifted from $4 out to $4.40.

 

“Five of the top six biggest bets we are holding are for Samaready and she’ll start $3 or shorter if this trend continues,” Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown said.

 

Bernabeu ($6.50) and Shamexpress ($8) remain steady and are the only other two under double figures.

 

Meanwhile, Huckleback is a $3.60 favourite at Sportingbet for the C S Hayes Stakes but The Quarterback ($4.80) is attracting plenty of early interest including a bet of $2,500 at those odds.

 

Black Caviar Lightning 1000m

Sportingbet market

1. Shamexpress                     $8
2. Pago Rock                           $34
3. Aeronautical                      $21
4. Esprit De Bullet                 $81
5. Unpretentious                  $15
6. African Pulse                      $31
7. Samaready                         $3.25
8. Snitzerland                         $4.40
9. Thermal Current               $19
10. Bernabeu                            $6.50
11. Brilliant Bisc                        $41
12. Boomwaa                            $10
13. Bugatty                                $18

 

The odds of New Zealand winning this weekend’s Auckland Nines have been slashed from $6 into $4.25 at Sportingbet after a string of big wagers for the homeside.

 

A bet of $20,000 and another of $15,000 are among the high-volume of wagers for New Zealand to win the inaugural tournament.

 

“They’ve been by far and away the best backed team and they are our worst way by a long way,” Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown said.

 

New Zealand are favourites in front of Gold Coast ($11 into $8), Penrith ($11 into $8), Cronulla ($17 into $9) and Newcastle ($17 into $9).

 

Auckland Nines  Tournament winner

Sportingbet market

New Zealand 9s                $4.25

Gold Coast 9s                     $8

Penrith 9s                            $8

Cronulla 9s                         $9

Newcastle 9s                     $9

Brisbane 9s                         $11

St George 9s                      $11

Manly 9s                              $17

North Qld 9s                       $17

Parramatta 9s                    $17

Wests 9s                              $21

Sydney 9s                            $26

South Sydney 9s               $34

Melbourne 9s                    $41

Canberra 9s                        $51

Canterbury 9s                    $51

 

Gold Coast ($8) continue to be the best backed team this week to win the NRL Auckland Nines starting tomorrow at Eden Park.

 

The Titans have been backed in from $13 this week and sit on the third line of betting to win the tournament.

 

“There is no question they are in the toughest group, which means their opening game against the Wests Tigers is crucial,” said TAB’s Matt Jenkins.

 

“Punters think they will open with a win and have been backed from $1.70 to $1.55 to win their opening game.”

 

They are in the same pool as: Newcastle ($7.50), Cronulla ($9) and Wests Tigers ($15).

 

TAB has just opened betting on the winner of each pool; markets below.

 

Head to head and winner markets attached.

 

In other betting news:

 

• Brad Fittler is $2.50 to score a try against Parramatta, while Steve Menzies is $2.25 to score a try against North Queensland

 

• Sydney Roosters ($2.05) look set to start outsiders against Parramatta ($1.75) in their opening game

 

• Manly ($2.05) has been supported to cause an upset against North Queensland ($1.75)

 

• St George Illawarra, who was $21 before announcing their squad, has continued to firm and are now $9

 

• Josh Dugan, Ben Barba and Konrad Hurrell are all $11 equal favourites to be leading tournament try scorer

 

• Players wearing number nine will receive a 25% bonus to score the first try in all matches

 

• Margin betting is open with options of 9+ and 1-8 for each team; plus the draw (regular time).

 

POOL WINNERS

 

Blue

$2.75 Newcastle

$3.25 Cronulla

$3.25 Gold Coast

$7.50 Wests Tigers

 

Green

$1.90 Brisbane

$3.25 Parramatta

$6.00 Sydney Roosters

$9.00 Bulldogs

 

Red

$2.00 Penrith

$2.60 St George Illawarra

$7.00 Souths

$11.00 Melbourne

 

Yellow

$1.45 Warriors

$5.00 North Qld

$5.50 Manly

$21 Canberra

Mitchell Johnson’s devastating new ball spell and figures of 4 for 51 on day two of the 1^st test against South Africa enticed punters to back Australia into heavy odds-on favourites to take a 1-0 series lead.

 

The Aussies were $2.90 underdogs heading into the 1^st test but are now clear-cut $1.40 favourites at Sportingbet, while South Africa’s odds have ballooned from $2 out to $6.75. A draw is $4.75.

 

“The money had been coming in 4 to 1 in South Africa’s favour before the test started but clearly Johnson’s ability to turn a match on its head was underestimated,” Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown said.

 

“The punters are now well and truly back in Australia’s corner and there’s been strong support for them to win the 1^st test and then go on and take the series.”

 

Sportingbet has opened its market for top Aussie run scorer in the 2^nd Innings and Michael Clarke is a $4 favourite in front of David Warner at $6.

 

1^st test – South Africa vs Australia

Sportingbet market

South Africa $6.75

Draw $4.75

Australia $1.40

 

Australia – Most runs (2^nd innings)

Michael Clarke $4

David Warner $5

Chris Rogers $6

Shaun Marsh $6

Steve Smith $6.50

Alex Doolan $7.50

Brad Haddin $9

Mitchell Johnson $19

Ryan Harris $67

Peter Siddle $67

Nathan Lyon $81

The Warriors ($5.50) will start the team to beat in the two-day inaugural NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park this weekend.

 

The hosts have been the most popular team since betting opened on the tournament in November.

 

They have already firmed from $1.40 to $1.35 to beat Canberra ($3.15) and are rated the shortest-priced team in the opening matches.

 

Newcastle ($6.50) and Cronulla ($8), both in the same pool, are rated the best chances behind the Warriors.

 

Gold Coast ($9) has been the best backed team since all squads were released yesterday.

 

Seven of the 10 teams at the top of betting to win the tournament didn’t play in the 2013 NRL Finals Series.

 

The biggest moves to win the tournament include:

 

–          Newcastle $17 to $6.50

–          Cronulla $21 to $8

–          St George Ill $21 to $11

–          Brisbane $21 to $11

 

Main moves for the opening matches:

 

–          Gold Coast $1.70 to $1.65 to beat Wests Tigers

–          Warriors $1.40 to $1.35 to beat Canberra

–          North Qld $1.75 to $1.70 to beat Manly

–          St George Ill $1.65 to $1.60 to beat Souths

 

 Head to Heads – Saturday

 

Cronulla	$2.00	Newcastle	$1.80
West Tigers	$2.25	Gold Coast	$1.65
Syd Roosters	$2.05	Parramatta	$1.75
Brisbane	$1.50	Bulldogs	$2.60
Warriors	$1.35	Canberra	$3.15
Manly	$2.15	North Qld	$1.70
Melbourne	$2.45	Penrith	$1.55
Souths	$2.35	St George	$1.60

 

NRL Auckland Nines	Open	Best	Tues 6pm	Now
Warriors	$5.50	$6.50	$5.50	$5.50
Newcastle	$15.00	$17.00	$8.00	$6.50
Cronulla	$17.00	$21.00	$9.00	$8.00
Penrith	$8.00	$9.00	$7.50	$9.00
Gold Coast	$11.00	$13.00	$11.00	$9.00
St George-Illawarra	$17.00	$21.00	$11.00	$11.00
Brisbane	$13.00	$21.00	$11.00	$11.00
North Queensland	$13.00	$26.00	$15.00	$15.00
Wests Tigers	$11.00	$15.00	$17.00	$15.00
Parramatta	$13.00	$17.00	$11.00	$17.00
Manly	$21.00	$21.00	$26.00	$21.00
Sydney Roosters	$9.00	$34.00	$21.00	$26.00
South Sydney	$11.00	$15.00	$21.00	$34.00
Melbourne	$17.00	$34.00	$34.00	$34.00
Canberra	$11.00	$41.00	$41.00	$51.00
Bulldogs	$21.00	$26.00	$34.00	$67.00

Fresh off winning the Allan Border Medal, Mitchell Johnson looks a good bet to continue on his winning ways, priced at $2.87 with online bookmaker Sportsbet Australia to be Australia’s leading wicket taker at the upcoming tour of South Africa.
But despite Johnson being tipped to dominate, the Aussies may be brought back down to Earth following their Ashes domination, priced as the $3.25 outsiders to beat South Africa ($1.67).

“There has been some early money for the Aussies on the back of smashing the Poms, but we think it might be a different story on the South African deck,” said Sportsbet’s Shaun Anderson.

 

South Africa v Australia Series Betting
$1.67     South Africa                  

$3.25     Australia
$5.50     Draw
Series Correct Score
$4.50     Draw 1-1                  

$4.75     South Africa 2-0

$5.00     South Africa 2-1

$6.50     South Africa 3-0

$8.50     Australia 1-0
$8.50     Australia 2-1
$11        South Africa 1-0

$15        Australia 3-0
$15        Australia 2-0

$41        Draw 0-0

Top Australian Series Wicket Taker
$2.87     Mitchell Johnson                   

$3.50     Ryan Harris

$4.00     Peter Siddle

$6.50     Nathan Lyon

$8.00     James Pattinson

$10        Jackson Bird
$12        Shane Watson

$21        James Faulkner

$51        Steve Smith

Top Australian Series Runscorer
$3.50     Michael Clarke                   

$4.50     David Warner

$5.50     Chris Rogers

$5.50     Shane Watson

$6.00     Steve Smith
$7.00     Shaun Marsh

$10        Alex Doolan
$15        Brad Haddin

$51        James Faulkner

$67        Mitchell Johnson

The Australian Open has lost another defending champion with Victoria Azarenka ($1.16) losing to Agnieszka Radwanska ($5.25) in the quarter-finals.

The no. 5 seed from Poland is now $2.75 to win the title after starting the tournament $41; she was $15 before today’s victory.

Dominika Cibulkova ($2.35) caused a minor upset earlier today when she beat no. 11 seed Simona Halep.

Two-time finalist at the Australian Open, Li Na, is the outright favourite at $2.15 with the exit of Victoria Azarenka.

Of the four remaining players in the women’s draw, two of them – Eugenie Bouchard ($101) and Dominika Cibulkova ($201) – started the tournament at massive odds.

Some of the big names that have been sent packing at short odds include:

$1.03 Juan Martin Del Potro (round 2)

$1.03 Petra Kvitova (round 1)

$1.05 Serena Williams (round 4)

$1.09 Novak Djokovic (quarter-finals)

$1.16 Victoria Azarenka (quarter-finals)

$1.25 Lleyton Hewitt (round 1)

$1.38  Maria Sharapova (round 4)

 

Women’s winner

$2.15 Li Na (started $11)

$2.75 Agnieszka Radwanska (started $41)

$7.00 Dominika Cibulkova (started $201)

$7.00 Eugenie Bouchard (started $101)

 

Women’s semi-finals

$4.00 Eugenie Bouchard

$1.25 Li Na

$3.15 Dominika Cibulkova

$1.36 Agnieszka Radwanska

 

Men’s quarter-final

$1.73 Roger Federer

$2.15 Andy Murray

 

Men’s semi-final

$1.68 Stanislas Wawrinka

$2.20 Thomas Berdych

A surge of support for the Penrith Panthers has seen them firm into outright second favouritism behind hosts New Zealand to win next month’s Auckland Nines.

Punters have supported the Panthers from $11 into $7 with online bookmaker Sportingbet, which puts the club just behind the Warriors at $6.

“Punters have been steadily chipping away at the Panthers since the start of the year and if the money continues they could easily start the tournament as the favourite,” Sportingbet’s Andrew Brown said.

“They’ve got the right players to light up the tournament and if their backline fires they will be the team to beat,” Brown said.

Wests Tigers are $9 third favourites ahead of Gold Coast at $11, with Brisbane, Canberra and Souths all at $13.

2014 Auckland Nines Winner

Sportingbet market

New Zealand $6

Penrith $7

Wests $9

Gold Coast $11

Brisbane $13

Canberra $13

South Sydney $13

Newcastle $15

North Qld $15

Parramatta $15

Cronulla $15

Sydney $15

Canterbury $17

Manly $17

St George $21

Melbourne $26

Smart sprinter Moment Of Change is set to start his campaign on a winning note in Friday’s Australia Stakes.

Online bookmaker Sportsbet Australia received plenty of early support for Moment Of Change, who is the firm $1.65 favourite for the Moonee Valley Group 2. Nearest to the five-year-old in betting is Richie’s Vibe $5.50.

“Moment Of Change is a winner at Group 1 level and finished second to Buffering at his last start before a spell. It’s unlikely any of his opposition would get near Buffering, so we expect Peter Moody’s five-year-old to be too classy and just win,’’ Sportsbet’s Shaun Anderson said.

Richie’s Vibe, who has performed well at Listed level, has eased slightly and Sea Lord ($6.00), is the only other runner under double figures.


Australia Stakes
$1.65     Moment Of Change
$5.50     Richie’s Vibe
$6.00     Sea Lord
$15        It Is Written
$17        Tokugawa
$21        Zedi Knight
$21        General Jackson
$51        Counted
$81        Spot On Target
$101      Big Buddie