John Thompson doesn't concern himself too much with betting markets, so the drift to $31 about Hooked in Saturday's Epsom Handicap means little to him.
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He knows a couple of things about his five-year-old, which returns to the big spring mile after sitting three-wide and running third in last year.
"He gets back on a firm track, which is what he wants, and his best run is usually third-up" Thompson said. "He is getting back to his best form."
Even the trainer was surprised when favoured by leaders' track, Hooked won the Tramway Stakes on soft going first-up before failing in the George Main Stakes second-up.
"He was outstanding first-up and just didn't fire second-up. I think he is going very well and from the good draw he is going to put himself in the race," Thompson said.
Punters have shied away from Hooked, he has drifted from $17 to $31 at Ladbrokes, as Winx has been a solid favourite around the $2.90 quote.
"She is the obvious horse to punters and they love to came back to Hugh Bowman and Chris Waller, and her last win was memorable in the Theo Marks Stakes," TAB's Glenn Munsie said.
Thompson is player in all three group 1s on Saturday and staying filly Honesta is $8 on the third line of betting behind Speak Fondly and Pearls in the Flight Stakes.
"She had a couple of weeks in the paddock before her last run [when a fast-finishing second to Pearls in Tea Rose Stakes]. She is going to get back and is a real staying type of filly, so will be coming hard at the end," Thompson said.
Orbec completes Thompson's group 1 team and could be his best chance. He went to Kembla for a gallop with Hooked on Tuesday and has had support in the Metropolitan.
"It was just to get him away and fresh him up a little bit. It is something Bart [Cummings] used to do and often, like a lot of things he did, it brought the best out of them," Thompson said.
