AZKADELLIA is hoping take the first step towards creating history this weekend in the Doomben 10,000 after Sportsbet.com.au installed the mare as the $2.80 favourite.
The Victorian runner is at the head of affairs for Saturday's Group 1 race at Eagle Farm and is the $4.40 favourite for the Stradbroke Handicap two weeks later.
The Ciaron Maher trained four-year-old is aiming to be the first horse since Campaign King in 1988 to complete the Doomben 10,000-Stradbokes Handicap double.
Only four horses in history have completed the double and no female horse has ever won both races in a single year.
Ciaron Maher believes the Doomben 10,000 on Saturday will be the perfect lead in to the Stradbroke Handicap on the 11th of June.
“The way she is doing it will be pretty nice timing to have her right for the Stradbroke,” Maher told Melbourne radio station RSN.
“I think a run two weeks out will only bring her on.”
Maher believes his mare will appreciate the softer ground.
After finishing third in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick last month, Azkadellia went on to win the Queen Of The Turf stakes on soft ground just a week later.
The trainer thinks his horse can replicate those feats this weekend.
“She's galloped on it [Doomben] Tuesday week ago and let down quite nicely,”
“The tracks [in Brisbane] don't get as firm as they get down home,”
“They're older, more consolidated tracks and they've had a bit of racing on them and I think it's a different type of firm.
“She seemed to enjoy that as there was a little bit more give in it,”
Despite the weight of expectation, punters have rallied around Azkadellia to create history.
Sportsbet.com.au's Christian Jantzen believes the former Group 1 winner is capable of doing the double.
“It's a big ask to win the double, but Azkadellia is receiving strong support in both races.” Jantzen said.
“Campaign King was a superstar sprinter and we don't think Azkadellia is in his league, but the quality for both races is down this year,'' said sportsbet.com.au's Christian Jantzen.
Markets courtesy of sportsbet.com.au
Doomben 10,000
$4.60 Fell Swoop
$5.50 Delectation
$6.00 Dothraki
$6.50 Music Magnate
$10 Rageese
$15 Charlie Boy
$17 Scarlett Billows
$17 Stratum Star
$21 Two Blue
$26 Hooked
$34 Divine Centuri
$51 Tivaci
Stradbroke Handicap
$6.00 Black Heart Bart
$6.00 Counterattack
$11 Ghisoni
$12 Malaguerra
$13 Artlee
$13 Fell Swoop
$13 Kaepernick
$13 Music Magnate
$15 Rageese
$15 Under The Louvre
$17 Delectation
$17 Dothraki
$17 Japonisme
$17 Rangipo
$17 Supido