Caloundra trainer Natalie McCall is not complaining, but she is continually bemused by the way bookmakers rate Spectroscope.
Despite some strong form in recent months, Spectroscope is again rated in double figures for the Listed Bernborough Handicap (1600m) on Saturday at Eagle Farm.
A former Godolphin horse who did his early racing in France, Spectroscope has never run a bad race for McCall since joining her stables last year.
At his first run for McCall, Spectroscope started $20 when beaten a length into seventh place in the Listed Sunshine Coast Cup.
McCall had hoped to tackle the Group One Stradbroke with Spectroscope but a training setback kept him out of the the winter.
First-up from a break, Spectroscope was a $31 chance when he finished third under 60kg in a three-way photo at Eagle Farm.
He was then $12 when third in the Mooloolaba Cup behind top galloper The Candy Man and he was $17 when he struck trouble before finishing a length fourth in the Listed Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at his most recent start.
It is the type of form which would have most horses around favourite for the Bernborough, but Spectroscope is at $12 in most markets.
“He is getting down in weight and you know he will try,” McCall said.
“Maybe it is because I am training him.”
That is a highly unlikely reason as McCall is one of only four Queensland-based trainers to have a Group One Stradbroke winner (River Lad, 2014) in the past 30 years and currently has one of the best win strike rates, at 27.6 per cent, of any trainer in Australia.