Racing: Bookies 'getting carried away by Typhoon Tracy'

Prominent corporate bookmaker Mark Read has scoffed at the short quote being served up for Typhoon Tracy in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington.

"Under the odds," were Read's first words after seeing the mare's price of A$2.50 for the 1600m group two feature today. "(That) is far too short for a mare yet to prove to us her worth at the top level and is no value," Read said.

Typhoon Tracy won her first five starts including the group one Coolmore Classic (1500m) but suffered her first defeat when a first-up third to Predatory Pricer and Whobegotyou in the group two Liston Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 15.

Yesterday, Typhoon Tracy was solid at A$2.50 with TAB Sportsbet but eased from A$2.50 to A$2.80 with Read's IASbet.com while Eskander's Betstar offered A$3.

Trainer Peter Moody said Typhoon Tracy could rebound in the Makybe Diva and presented a case that she should be unbeaten as she got caught up in a hot pace in the Liston.

"She was left a sitting shot for the backmarkers," Moody told Sport 927.

"In hindsight we could have ridden our mare a little bit quieter."

Moody said Predatory Pricer and Whobegotyou were benchmark horses.

"I thought it was a terrific effort (in the Liston)," Moody said.

"She chased two tearaways that day and was left a sitting shot for what I think are probably two of the best horses going around in Predatory Pricer and Whobegotyou.

"Tomorrow she's going to get a similar run on top of the speed. You wouldn't think that too many there are going to attack her for the front.

"If she quickens like she did the other day, probably ridden slightly more patiently she should take a bit of running down."

Significantly 12 of the last 16 Makybe Diva (formerly the Craiglee Stakes) winners have contested the Liston Stakes.

Predatory Pricer, Heart Of Dreams (fourth) and Red Ruler (seventh) along with Typhoon Tracy qualify today.

TAB Sportsbet has Predatory Pricer as the danger at A$4 and Heart Of Dreams at A$4.60 while Red Ruler is a A$26 outsider.

Read offers similar odds but particularly likes Heart Of Dreams.

"He is clearly my top pick in the race," Read said.

"This track and distance is the scene of his sensational Australian Guineas win, and expect him to race very handy to the pace on Saturday." Only three Australian Guineas winners have gone on to win the Makybe Diva, the last being Mahogany 15 years ago. Zabeel (1990) and Military Plume (1987) were the others.

- AAP