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Almanac Racing – Spring…finally!

It’s officially Spring and the fixtures are seriously good, many even time-honoured. The race names provoke excitement – Rosehill has its G1 Golden Rose supported by the Theo Marks, Kingston Town and Sheraco – what a pity they finish it off with an $85k BM78 Rosehill Bowling Club Handicap. At Flemington it’s the old Craiglee Stakes meeting – an annual highlight of big fields and emerging stars. Unfortunately Melbourne’s form students are facing a dilemma familiar to our Sydney counterparts with a rock hard track at present but up to 30mm possible on Friday. HQ drains superbly but it would be foolhardy to lock in any pattern just yet.

Inevitably the footy will overwhelm any publicity and coverage of this cracking raceday, though at least with no MCG match a few should head out Racecourse Road. They’ll be well rewarded.

Let’s hope the good horses can wrench focus from racing’s ongoing debacles – the Chief Steward’s being labelled a liar at the cobalt inquiry; Mark Zahra’s being sued for $1m+ over a race fall; Sandown was called off today after 3 races on a Good3…

I fear the Winning Post will be my solace by about halftime tomorrow (Thursday) night as once again the races replace any interest in footy once my team exits. If the Dogs go as poorly as my recent punting efforts we’re both doomed.

The Carnival is on our doorstep. Get involved. Good luck!

 

Comments

  1. Cap d’Antibes. Discuss.

  2. Winning Post are running a punters census. Here’s the link. Have your say….
    http://www.winningpost.com.au/wp/survey

  3. Thanks. Completed.
    Jury still out on Flemington track this week. Rain’s going around us and forecast not quite as dire.

  4. Winning Post missed a few opportunities fro questions on track bias. Should have asked: when you discover the track bias do you bet more or lots more.
    Lots of rain here today – thunderstorms, 25mm plus, gutters overflowing etc. just when things were looking like drying out.

  5. Yeah…pretty shallow questions. Looking to reinforce previously held views. Nevertheless I like the Winning Post.
    Any thoughts on the Golden Rose?

  6. Sydney isn’t my speciality but thought either Astern or Derryn, I did think McIntosh may be a first up chance in the next–magic man on board.

  7. Magic Man has a run of 29 outs in Sydney. Most at shortish odds too I’d reckon. He was on board last time Winx got beaten as well….

  8. I expect your response would be “so he’s due”

  9. Love that sort of trivia

  10. The gates a worry for Astern jock?

  11. Budge, you’re trying to predict all my answers
    Magic Man– not due but overdue. Yes he rode Winx when it was last beaten ( Sydney Oaks and Jock backs Gust of wind at 30’s ish) but Winx got beaten the run prior to that as well behind Fenway ( Tommy Berry up) and 2 before that beaten by First Seal.
    Astern- did come from mid field last start and won with authority- the only real blip on his radar was the Slipper, I’m pretty sure McDonald will find a way but save on Derryn. I think the others are a bit over rated but expect i’m likely to be proven wrong tomorrow
    I notice Sydney is a soft 5 and Morphettville a heavy 9 at this point. Flemington a good 3 but that may change although it would appear to take a flood to get the track into a rain affected state these days.
    Doggies looked very impressive last night or were WC just crap and expecting it to happen?

  12. Henry Plumptre from Darley said they will more than likely ride Astern from the back of the field.

    Think Old North will run a big race in the Theo Marks, then go on to to be very competitive in the Epsom.

    At Flemington, keen on:
    R2 – Missrock – class horse, experience up the straight, Fastnet Rock’s come into their own as 3yos
    R4 – Tashbeeh – back from wfa G1

  13. Budge,

    Just tried to participate in the Winning Post survey, but fell at the third. Wouldn’t let me answer yes to all. Never mind.
    Cap d’Antibes. Another great product of Better Boy,as was Prize Lad etc. Owned by a bloke who was a bit of a ponce from memory, but was kind of ahead of his time. Sent her overseas ultimately and had her covered by the likes of Nureyev and Riverman. She produced a French 2yo Stakes winner first uo over there I think. Great racemare.

    I know you are a fan of Xtarvagant. Your thoughts?

  14. Elvis, interesting that you went from Cap D’antibes to Prize Lad, overlooking Tolerance, Century et al. I suspect there was a big 50 cents EW on Prize Lad in a fair race somewhere in your formative years

  15. Jock,

    I expected Budge to bite first. Prize Lad was a big baldy faced chestnut, and yes, he was my favourite horse growing up. I even had a letter to Racetrack published that bemoaned the lack of recognition of this champion Group 2 Chirnside Stakes winner who ran 3rd in a Newmarket to Coolalinga and Tauto I think,, and I was there on the outside rail when the 22 or 24 runners thundered past me. He was on the outside and literally feet from me. Cue it Bruce……..Speshshshshshshshsal.

  16. That’s gold Elvis.
    I am trying Super Too MR2

  17. Taking the Budge position my question is: So the bottom line was a loss?

  18. Jock,

    Nice Budge impersonation. And the pragmatic answer is …. Yep. But a courageous third.

  19. I’m waiting to see what the track will be like tomorrow but I’m leaning to risking Black Heart Bart given his form is mainly up to 1400 and he’s drawn a bit wider with some speed inside so may not get a great run. Not quite sure at this point if I go at Palentino or hope that Alpine Eagle starts fulfilling his early promise.

    On Xtravagant, I think he’s potentially a top horse ( who went way too hard early at his only aussie run) but may find Kinglike a bit nippy with a weight swing.

  20. It’s been wet but not too bad. Genuine slow?

  21. Thanks boys for the impersonations. Xtravagant next start at 7or 8 furlongs for mine. So Prized Lad couldn’t even beat Coolalinga? Hardly worthy of a letter to Racetrack Elvis. He’s no Dor Kon.

  22. Crio – good4

  23. Trying a couple of roughies in Melb, and just happen to be stablemates from up north. Happy Event in the 2nd race, not attempting to spell that!, and Dreams Aplenty in the Danehill, both around $21. Kinglike just wins if he’s right, trialled ok.
    Thought Nikitas had a rough hope at 50s in the Rose, could be a real knockout race with several of these over rated??
    In Adel thought Unspun had a chance at big odds in the soft, may need a little luck from back on the fence but Gatt wil be aware of that.
    I must admit feeling slightly nauseous when Hawks kicked that goal late and thought they were going to sneak home by a kick again, thankfully the Footy Gods stepped in! Hopefully the Dog’s can dispose of them next week.
    Good luck to all.

  24. Mick Goodie said yday and this morning he thought Flem would get an upgrade. Jocks now reporting worse than soft5. Frustrating. ……

  25. Budge, any comment or doing the Wally May?

  26. Weiry’s horses are just bullet-proof

  27. As predicted Moreira was due for some wins in Sydney helped by some ordinary rides by others (see Bowman on Counterattack).
    Otherwise, no comment.

  28. Re Cap d’Atibes. Great horse Was owned by a bloke named Rex Lipman, bred by Nelligans at Sandilands. They also bred and raced Stormy Rex and Sheraco (race 8 at Rosehill today is named after her) amongst others.
    Rex also owned a filly named Wise Virgin who won the Goodwood as a 3yo.
    Rex , at times,wore a monocle.
    The monocle never caught on as fashionable eyewear.
    Although Mon Oncle is one of my favourite movies.
    Anyway, Elvis I suggest you google Rex Lipman and you will discover he was many things .
    But a ponce?? I think not.

  29. Mick – here’s some reasonable feedback:
    “He had a very interesting life. Anyone who has occasion to wear a monocle however is in the running to be called a ponce.”
    Thanks for your input Mick. Stormy Rex never produced for me, but he won a VRC Derby and beat So Called in the SA Derby (and added a WA Derby)! I vaguely recall Wise Virgin’s Goodwood win as a 3yo in that great year for SA sport 1973.
    Old Rex Lipman had a penchant for quirky horse names. I gather he was from your neck of the woods?…a non-poncy part of SA.

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