It was a white knuckled ride last week for the bookies at Palmerbet.com with 100-1 chance Gatting defeating Mystic Journey in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes and skittling those who took the MYSTIC JOURNEY/ARCADIA PRINCE promotion.
This Saturday, they are putting their necks on the line again when they take on favourite Begood Toya Mother in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. Palmerbet are offering their punters $3.50 for the Daniel Bowman trained 5-year-old to break through for his maiden Group 1 win.
With one win from his first five races in the provincials BEGOOD TOYA MOTHER didn’t look anything out of the ordinary. His trainer Daniel Bowman could not have imagined that the now 5-year-old gelding would one day start favourite in a Group 1 race. In March this year he won first up at Warrnambool. Then he won again. And again. He just kept winning!
After a first up win in listed company, he stepped up to Group 1 Weight For Age company last start in the Memsie Stakes. Despite over racing from a wide gate BE GOOD TOYA MOTHER finished less than three lengths behind winner, Scales of Justice .
This week, he drops from 59kgs in the Memsie to 52kgs in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. He has drawn better in gate three. Jockey Declan Bates has been with him for the six straight wins prior to the Memsie Stakes should be able to find a good spot and economical run. This is his Grand Final. After Saturday, BEGOOD TOYA MOTHER is heading to the paddock.
Palmerbet CEO Grant Palmer was excited about the race earlier this week, “We took on the Arcadia Price/Mystic Journey double last week and had some anxious moments. Gatting saved us at 100-1. We are happy to take BEGOOD TOYA MOTHER on. He is unproven in this company and it is a race with a lot of depth.”