Fourteen will take on hot favourite Legal Eagle in the J & B Met at Kenilworth on Saturday week. The field size is one less than the average of the last ten years.
The race conditions permit as many as 20 – which used to be the norm just over two decades ago – but big hitters like last year’s winner Futura and his stable companion Legislate have discouraged no-hopers and there were no real surprises among those not declared earlier today.
The public gallops and draws take place on Thursday but the bookmakers were quick to react yesterday with Betting World going 12-10 about the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate winner who, as a four-year-old, receives a half kilo weight-for-age allowance from 3-1 second favourite Futura, 5-1 chance Legislate, Summer Cup winner Master Sabina (12-1) and Captain America (13-1) .
Smart Call, the only filly in the race and bidding to give Alec Laird his first Met victory since London News 19 years ago, is a 12-1 chance.
World Sports Betting go fractionally longer about Legal Eagle at 13-10, a point shorter about Smart Call and a point longer on Master Sabina.
Supplementary entry Act Of War was a notable omission from the 15 declared for the Betting World Cape Flying Championship in which last Saturday’s Sceptre beaten favourite Carry On Alice is highest rated.
The Mike de Kock-trained Kingston Mines and champion jockey Gavin Lerena head a field of 16 in their bid to win the J & B Jet Stayers for the second successive year.
Mike Bass’s Cape Fillies Guineas winner Silver Mountain is a short-priced favourite (evens with BW and 18-10 with WSB) for this Saturday’s CTS Million Dollar. Cape Guineas runner-up Brazuca heads the market for the Investec Cape Derby at a best-priced 5-2 and Same Jurisdiction is 16-10 for the Klawervlei Majorca.
By Michael Clower
Met prices:
Betting World: 12-10 Legal Eagle, 3-1 Futura, 5-1 Legislate, 10-1 Deo Juvente, 12-1 Master Sabina, Smart Call, 13-1 Captain America, 20-1 Paterfamilias, Mac De Lago, 50-1 Light The Lights, 60-1 Punta Arenas, Helderberg Blue, 80-1 Gold Onyx, King Of Pain, 150-1 Krambambuli.
World Sports Betting: 13-10 Legal Eagle, 3-1 Futura, 5-1 Legislate, 11-1 Deo Juvente, Smart Call, 13-1 Captain America, Master Sabina, 18-1 Paterfamilias, Mac De Lago, 45-1 Light The Lights, 55-1 Punta Arenas, Helderberg Blue, 75-1 Gold Onyx, King Of Pain, 125-1 Krambambuli.
Picture: Legal Eagle (Liesl King)
