KEY POINTS:
The TAB yesterday opened up Crossyourheart at $1.20 hot favourite for Matamata tomorrow but the agency does not expect that to stifle betting.
In fact, they're expecting massive business at those restrictive odds for the $120,000 Robin, Duke Of Bedford Matamata Breeders Stakes.
Crossyourheart has looked far and away New Zealand's best juvenile at this halfway point in the season.
Even though favoured with an ideal passage, Crossyourheart destroyed talented The Pooka in the $500,000 NZ Bloodstock Classique at Te Rapa and The Pooka won stakes races either end of that effort.
Against her own sex, Crossyourheart looks unbeatable outside of shocking bad luck tomorrow.
"We've opened her at $1.20, what else can we do?" said the TAB's head bookie Paul Lally.
The TAB have only once previously offered odds as tight as $1.20 on a galloper - Don Garcia in a juvenile race at Te Rapa. "And he got beaten by Chant," said Lally.
The TAB does not expect that will create a negative around Crossyourheart and expects big betting.
"The big bets come on the day and we'll take some good hits on the filly," said Lally.
The second favourite on yesterday's book at the TAB, and the only other runner at a single figure quote, was Liatris at $9.
Crossyourheart is four from four, will have this race then the $175,000 Ford Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie on March 10 after which a decision will be made on whether a late entry fee will be paid on her behalf for the Golden Slipper Stakes in Sydney.
The Australian-bred filly looks one of the best chances in a decade or more to become New Zealand's first winner of the race they call the dash for cash.
The remarkable feature of Crossyourheart is that in not one of those four wins has she been put to the test.
As dashing as the sprint was that carried her nearly five lengths clear in the $500,000 Classique, you were left with the impression there was still a little left in the tank.
The Mark Walker-trained Liatris is one of the first crop of outstanding racehorse Rock Of Gibraltar.
She drew barrier No 13 of 13 runners at Te Rapa on debut, sat outside the leader, led, was headed and came back to win.
To improve sufficiently to test Crossyourheart is a tough ask, but there will no doubt be some natural improvement.
Another Matamata filly in Satinka was impressive winning at Avondale a few weeks ago, even though in an easier field than she strikes this time.
Such is the dominance of the favourite, you can get $15 about Satinka and she is third favourite.
* The TAB yesterday took a big hit on class filly Veloce Bella to win the $700,000 Mercedes Derby. One punter claimed the TAB for $8000 at $11.
There had been doubt whether Veloce Bella would run in the Oaks at Trentham or the Derby at Ellerslie three weeks earlier.
