A long weekend of punting

“Dog’s Breakfast” is an ill-advised phrase in a racing column – especially into the jumps season – but there can be no denying that this weekend’s races are “all over the place”. Victoria’s main day is at Flemington on Sunday, with Sandown and Bendigo “featuring” on the Saturday and Monday.

Sydney, however, present four Group Ones on their Cup Day this Saturday. It is a classic mix, with a 1600m for juveniles, WFA challenges at 1400m and 2000m and the traditional 2 mile Handicap. Yet the youngsters are untried at the distance (and many on rejigged programmes) whilst the QE lacks depth and the Cup is lucky to maintain its status. The All-Aged Stakes is going to hold plenty of interest though many, like me, are wondering about sending good money after bad…for me, Mic Mac, for many, Hot Danish. Danleigh is flying but needs a hot pace and maybe Melito will just pip them all again. A good race.

I’ll be at Sandown on Saturday but not looking to bet. There are, though, some tempters. With some rain, I’ll look at Mrs Walters (R5,No5) to pinch a break down the hill and, if there is some pace in the last, I’ll back Larry’s Never Late to “get out”.

Our Sunday meeting, provincial elsewhere, features the time-honoured St Leger, nowadays a second-rate staying challenge although the topweight (56.5 kgs), Rundle, is very promising. But from Barrier 16 and at a short quote, I’ll risk and maybe try in-form Paddy Payne with his (No 4) Star of Jeune.

Now committed, I will look at the double figure odds for Moody’s (No 10) Good Medicine in the sprint, before tackling the excellent last race, the RSL Plate, where Hissing Sid will seek to continue its tease towards Warrnambool in what is a bonafide Country Cup that he should dominate.

Thus flush, we’ll look towards the Western Districts and the Carnival which is now only a couple of weeks away. Anyone heading down to the ‘Bool who might be interested in meeting for a beer and even a feed, please get in contact. It is a landmark sporting occasion and thus valued by this site.

Comments

  1. Peter Flynn says

    Jessicabeel e/w in the Cup.

    I wish we had a decent batch of mile-and-a-quarter wfa horses.

  2. Carringbush says

    Will stick stick with Ollie on Zavite in the Cup with 2,7 and 10 for the tri. Really intrigued about Dr Fremantle in the QE – good reports abound which probably account for the short odds. While it would be a great story to see Hot Danish win, I’m sticking with Danleigh at a suitable distance at WFA in the All Aged.

  3. Are you going? Track rating?

  4. Crio,

    If the fav wins the St.Leger easily on Sunday, will the headline read “Rundle Maul”

  5. mark freeman says

    If only Lloyd had decided on him braining them in the SA Derby, then that’d be the best header the Adel Addy ever ran.

    Good money after bad for me too Crio. MMac’s my last gasp to restore some pennies to my empty ole´ biscuit barrell. It’s just that had he got outside Hot Danish on the turn in the Tommy Smith he would have kicked away and beaten a fast finishing Melito by a half length. But Oliver on Wanted kept Bowman on the inside and Mic Mac didn’t like it one bit. He savaged the line once he saw some daylight, or at least when he agreed to take a run along the inside. Bowman said he hung in, which could easily happen again, but at least from the wide marble he should be attacking them from down the outside this time.

    In preparation for the Bool, Gears and I are also having something on Billy and Symon Wilde’s Eight Edges at the ‘Rat tomorrow (Ara that is), and will back up on Sid on Sunday, still no Hokai, but is an each-way certainty in that cart-tugging affair.

    And the Bool – Gears and will be on our tenth consecutive (bar the ’04 affair) and looking forward to it as always. Crio if you like I might write up something this week and post it and we can work out meeting arrangements from there. Let us know what happens re getting a gig swinging a full one.

    Good punting folks (and go Shshshuueeyyy Bowman)

  6. I give Metal Bender s show in the main sprint. Unbeaten second up. Will be 40/1.

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