Chris Johnson brings Platinum Invador back to scale after running third in the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
Aussie bookies brace for the Invador - he’s even short on the first Melbourne Cup market!
By Barry Lichter • 11 March 2019
New Zealand Derby placegetter Platinum Invador will be on a plane across the Tasman in two weeks - but, incredibly, he’s already on the radar of Australian bookies.
Eight months out from the Melbourne Cup, Platinum Invador has appeared in Sportsbet’s first odds for the Flemington two-miler.
He is rated 25th equal as a tight $41 chance behind the early favourite, last year’s winner Cross Counter at $17, with 2017 winner Rekindling on $26.
The only other New Zealanders on the list are New Zealand Cup winner Bizzwinkle ($101), yesterday’s Auckland Cup runners Blue Breeze ($301) and Sir Charles Road ($301), Zacada ($301) and Tavlin ($501).
Seeing the horse grouped with some of the world’s best stayers shocked Neville McAlister, who races the horse with Lincoln Farms, considering no real consideration has even been given to the November feature.
A more pertinent quote is the $15 and $6 which TAB bookies have on Platinum Invador for the A$2 million Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on April 6.
That’s the race that trainer Lisa Latta has targetted for the horse who will fly to Sydney on March 26 and have his lead-up at Rosehill four days later in the Group II A$200,000 Tulloch Stakes (2000m).
McAlister says Platinum Invador has enjoyed a week’s R and R in the paddock since his eye-catching and unlucky late closing third in the derby.
Today he will start a week on the water walker.
“We just want to keep him off his legs as long as we can. Then he’ll have about a week at Lisa’s before flying out.’’
Fellow Kiwis also in the Australian Derby market are Surely Sacred, Vernanme, Arrogant and Cutadeel.
The Melbourne Cup odds which shocked part-owner Neville McAlister
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Lisa’s comments
Friday at Awapuni
Race 8: Lincoln Towers
4.53pm
“He needs two more scratchings to make the field and, because it’s the first day back racing at Awapuni and they’re running only 12 horses, that looks doubtful. I decided to run him over 1400 metres as I think leaving him at 1200 wouldn’t be the right thing to do. He has continued to work well and had a really nice gallop on the course proper this week.”
Stephen’s comments
Saturday at Te Rapa
Race 7: Billy Lincoln
3.37pm
“He’s bounced out of his trial (third on the Cambridge synthetic) very well and it’s time to kick him off. I wouldn’t expect him to win at 1200 metres but it will bring him on nicely. Then we’ll step him up to a more suitable 1400 and second-up he can be very competitive. Rihaan Goyaram rides and claims 3kg down to 53.5kg.”