The TAB wasn't joking when it said last night it couldn't list a market for Sunday's $1 million Karaka Million because it didn't have space on its website for a listing.
What might have sounded like a dodgy excuse from a bookmaker was straight up, says TAB bookie
Thad Taylor.
Punters are pretty keen to have a crack after yesterday's all-important barrier draw helped sought out the leading prospects for the inaugural running of the dash for cash on Sunday evening.
"We have to wait until one of the options spits itself out to make space to allow us to list the race where it won't confuse punters."
But Taylor was happy to indicate the order of favouritism, even if the prices hadn't been quite finalised in advance of the listings this afternoon.
"San Bernardino will open favourite, no question about that," said Taylor.
San Bernardino guaranteed a huge following when he drew barrier No 3.
"But it's not only the barrier draw. I wasn't put off, like some seem to have been, that he was beaten at Ellerslie last start," said Taylor.
"I thought it was a very good ride by Sam Spratt to get Lady Alberton to the front on the home turn. If it'd been the other way around I'm sure the result would have been different."
Fyfetheknife (No2), Il Quella Veloce (No7), Al Quahah (No4) and Raid (No 8) all drew reasonably well and with barriers 1 and 6 drawn by the emergencies those gates will move in either one or two places.
Notable wide gates are Vincent Mangano (No18) and Silk Spur (No14).
Trainer Paul Moroney said he is not too disappointed that I Robot drew gate No11, because he had hoped for a mid-field gate rather than in close to the rails.
"He didn't react too well to being caught back along the inside from a close in gate at Ellerslie so the No9, where he will probably come out of, isn't too far from that," Moroney said.
