Racing: Search resumes for ones to follow

By Chris Riordan

Neighbours were chatting on the footpath this week. It was approaching 6pm and still light. Winter is fading and the joys of spring can be sensed.

Saturday’s fields reinforce this. It’s by no means a feature card, but the Liston Stakes meeting, for a time a Sandown fixture but now “Classic Caulfield”, heralds the beginning of form analysts’ search for the “ones to follow”.

Race fans know that we need some stars to emerge. Good horses head overseas, boom champs like the Hussler and last year’s Liston winner, Light Fantastic, won’t figure and there seems a dearth of quality weight-for-age protagonists. At  last fortnight’s Caulfield meeting, I am Invincible proved a misnomer and got a puncture at the top of the straight, presenting old Let Go Thommo with a WFA mantle.

Club in-fighting, jumps protesters and whip legislation have dogged the sport.

The tide began to turn last week when the tremendously promising Mic Mac won the Auries Star but the bar at the footy all gasped at El Segundo’s slashing return in the same race. These two have big roles to play.

Several of their contenders will strut on Saturday. Liston runners include Predatory Pricer, Whobegotyou, Typhoon Tracey and Heart of Dreams, all early fancies for the Cox Plate, and Race 5 contains Vigor, a real Flemington horse, and the frustrating Von Costa de Hero.

The whole program is sprinkled with possibilities for a myriad of future flutters. With many local footy sides finishing up, I recommend a reconnaissance to The Heath.

Comments

  1. The fields for Caulfield are a massive hike on those tolerated by the stalwarts recently, but I’m still mostly in “watch” phase.
    There’s some great value but even more interest in how the form will shape for Spring.
    I’ll be having a crack at Orange County in the Liston, but watching others with a keen eye.
    BETFAIR gives a good chance to speck on feature races. The pools are still too thin to “lay” but I’m prepared to have a sniff on a couple and expect the odds will shorten after exposed form. For example, I’ll have a little on Heart of Dreams to win the Cox Plate ($22) and also Vigor for the Cup ($36). Good runs tomorrow will shorten their odds and, other than an injury, I expect no dramatic drifting otherwise.

  2. Whilst on BETFAIR (as I invariably am), I must say that my plan this weekend is to watch the races but investigate other punting options.
    Tomorrow morning (Saturday) I’ll have a peek at Richmond to lead at quarter time. If they can’t lead early, I reckon they are no hope, so I’ll look to LAY Collingwood at under $1.50 for that market.
    I’ll also be looking at the US PGA and EPL markets, trying some multis and laying some shorties.
    Good Luck.

  3. Mark Freeman says

    I’ve been nipping away at my boy Hissing Sid for Caulfield Cup at the 100s and now into 50s (clearly not on the back of my outlays though) and another I’m married to, Tuesday Joy for Cox Plate which she’s being aimed at this year. I also liked Mic Mac from the first time I saw him win, and have 55s about him for the Plate, he’s into 15s I saw somewhere the other day, but I’m with Ollie, who after riding him to the very solid Aurie’s Star win said he might be a bit brilliant at this stage, and a mile might see him out.

    The Great Man (TGM) from Warrnambool, Fletch, has spotted the winner of the NZ Oaks, Jungle Rocket, at 67s for the Caulfield Cup on some books. Her NZ Oaks win is on YouTube, and she knocked off subsequent AJC Oaks winner Daffodil in the process, but admittedly Daffodíl’s was a massive run.

    I like your idea of Vigor winning the cup, I can just see D. T. O’Brien with the thing in his paw, might still be good value at that price Crio.

    As the Coodabeens say, all mere spekalation.

  4. Peter Flynn says

    A little something on Heart of Dreams might be the go.

  5. Punters,
    Don’t neglect Rosehill today.
    “Little Lonhro”, Denman, clashes with the really impressive Hus der Lieften in Race 6, whilst the Slipper winner, Phelan Ready,takes on a small but ineresting field including Triple Honor, Kroner and Mentality in the Premiere Stakes.

  6. uncle tony says

    Early days in readiness for the “big stuff” of Spring.It has for some time been my contention that in August it is wiser to do more watching than punting and that it is better to be taking the odds closer to double figures than not,to be investing on race fit horses in the first instance and then those returning with a decided class advantage.So today my money goes to Caulfield in race three where I will be coupling Headaway,Rostova and Noesis in the Mutiples (class factor)In Race 6 -Typhoon Tracy(class-all class) and In race 5 Maxisun on race fitness.Sydney is a little trickier but I do like race 5 class and race fitness specials Fritzs Princess and Pheland Ready through the muntiples.Short but sweet building the bank to splurge in late october and November

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