Star Melbourne filly Soft Sand has settled as the unlikely favourite for Saturday's Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara at Eagle Farm.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Colin Little's three-year-old is rated a $4 chance on TAB Sportsbet fixed odds to take out the last Group 1 on the Australian racing calendar, despite coming into the race off a narrow win in open fillies and mares grade at Caulfield last month.
Soft Sand won a recent barrier trial at Deagon by eight lengths.
Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) winner Mid Summer Music meanwhile sits on the third line of betting as a $6.50 hopeful.
Her preparation has been more tumultuous than usual – most of her training staff are in England preparing for stablemate Black Caviar's run at Royal Ascot while jockey Ben Melham may not take the ride after copping a hefty suspension yesterday.
Melham may well appeal the 20-meeting ban he copped after he was found guilty of causing interference in a race at Flemington last month. Katelyn Mallyon badly injured her spine as a result of the interference.
The ban begins on Friday, barring a successful appeal.
Punters have overlooked Shopaholic's seventh placing in the Stradbroke and rate the Danny O'Brien filly a $5 chance to win the Tatts Tiara.
Gai's Choice, who won the listed Gai Waterhouse Classic (1350) last weekend and is chasing a fourth-straight salute for David Pfieffer, is an $8 shot while Chris Waller's Dane Ripper Stakes (1400m) winner Red Tracer is a $9 chance.
