Xtravagant is an extraordinarily talented young horse for Te Akau and its trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards and you can completely ignore his last-start failure at Trentham when rider Matt Cameron said the colt with the Hollywood looks couldn't use his natural speed in the rain-affected footing.
If you take the view the $2.70 is a fraction too short, then the $5 about Sacred Star is probably good value. Only the rain-affected footing at Trentham last start brought him undone and his high-level sprinting, including winning this last year, is superb.
• Vespa is set to scoot in the NRM Sprint at Te Rapa.
The Elusive City four-year-old entire is one of seven group one winners in the field and goes into the weight-for-age event in superb order, according to Otaki trainer Johno Benner.
Of the seven runners in the Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham sent out at $11 or less, fifth-placed Vespa was the only one to finish in the first 10.
TAB bookmakers have installed Vespa as a $10 equal fourth favourite.
• New Zealander Turn Me Loose has been the best-backed runner in the C F Orr Stakes at Caulfield.
Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, Turn Me Loose will be having his first start in tomorrow's Orr (1400m) since his win in the Emirates Stakes in November.
He has firmed in early markets from $6 to $5.
- Additional reporting: NZ Racing Desk, AAP