Odds against hot favourite winning race

Just seven favourites have won the Sun Met in the last two decades, and only two since 2010, when River Jetez beat her favoured big brother Pocket Power.

Igugu, trained by Mike de Kock who sends out today’s hottest fancy Hawwaam, jumped from the starting stalls as 15/20 favourite in 2012 and Brett Crawford’s 2/1 favourite Futura took the honours in 2015.

Crawford has Undercover Agent (50/1) in the race today.

Last year’s winner, Rainbow Bridge, was ante-post favourite but started as second favourite to Do It Again.

The biggest outsider to have won was Martial Eagle, who stunned racing fans under an ice-cool ride from Aldo Domeyer to win at odds of 80/1 in 2013. Domeyer rides 16/1 outsider Twist of Fate today.

Other long-shot winners included Alastor (50/1) in 2005 and Bunter Barlow (33/1) in 2001.

The biggest coup might have been landed by Smart Call in 2016. She opened at 40/1 on raceday and went through the stalls at 8/1.

There should be few hard-luck stories afterwards with this small field of just 13 horses because the draw is unlikely to play a major role in the outcome.

Jockey Bernard Fayd’herbe, who will be on Bunker Hunt (35/1), has the best record in the last 20 years of the jockeys riding in the race today, having won it three times already – twice on Met King Pocket Power and again aboard Futura.

He was favourite all three times he won the race.

Anton Marcus, riding Hawwaam tomorrow, was on Rainbow Bridge last year and also partnered Hill Fifty Four in 2014.

The most successful Met trainer in the last 20 years with a runner this time is Mike de Kock with two wins – Badger’s Coast in 2000 and Igugu in 2012.

Home-ground advantage is telling in the race, with local trainers winning about two thirds of the Mets run from 2000.

– Citizen reporter

The most successful Met trainer in the last 20 years with a runner this time is Mike de Kock.