Crio’s Racing: “Around the money”

The regulation phrase is that I was “around the money”. But that doesn’t buy pots.
Here’s a betting string by way of explanation…
-It’s my pick for a punters club at Caulfield. Looking for a Carnival bank, I plump for Koonoomoo straight out @ 30/1 – lost by a pimple.
-Over to Flemington and a “black booker” finally fronts. I get on board…Cabernet looks the one at the clocktower but is bloused by a railing Koonoomoo!
-The last at Sandown is a classic Carnival get out and we’ve noted B.Shinn riding for Guy Walter from a tough gate. Hailed at the distance I had a familiar dread as Cabernet stalked Skyerush and hurried by!
Unrepentant and undeterred we front at Moonee Valley, down on points but high on hopes!
I reckon the 1000m Flying (R4) is the best of the day, but they’ve left it out of the last four!.
Here are some numbers to consider for your Quaddy…
MR5- 2040m. 3, maybe 5 and 8
MR6- 1600m. 2,13,15…6 the blowout
MR7- 1600m. 5 + 9
MR8- 1200m. tough raffle. 4,10,12.

Anyone willing to kick off their racing earlier, especially those in the southeast ‘burbs, the forecast is good for Friday night’s “tricodes” meeting at Cranbourne – the first of this concept to be held under lights. Lots of action assured.
The big prizemoney on Saturday is found in Perth and they’ve got 3 Group races to consider.
I have no idea in the G2 Guineas (R7) but analysts see it as a match between 1 and 13.
The Winterbottom Stakes (R8, 1200m, 6.55pm in the East) is the one which will attract national interest. Local star Barakey (5), trained by HayList’s initial stable and compared favourably, is unbeaten in 10 brilliant starts but meets a challenge here. Hallowell Belle (9) E/W forever.
The Railway Stakes (R9, 1600m, at our pubtabs 7.35pm) is a signature WA G1 Classic and, rightfully, has drawn a crack field. Sandgropers will insist that we didn’t see the real Luckygray on his Victorian sojourn and they’ll support him to reinforce that claim. I’d be inclined to include G. Boss’ Rosie Rocket (15) @ 20/1 in this get out.
Sunday we head to Ballarat for another 10 race Cup Day – like so many of these meetings in the past decade, marquee crowds are large but betting is pedestrian.
The day starts with quite a novelty – the 1000m Magic Millions Clackwise Classic is the first scheduled “right hander” in Victoria since Port Fairy finally came in to line in 1947! See this extract from RVL’s site for more history and info.
Full fields aren’t finalized until Thursday so it is too early to tip. Be assured that there will be big fields and always a good Cup and a strong Open sprint. Updates in due course!

Racing looks certain to feature in the News next week, despite the RVL’s extraordinary “solution” of slapping Ollie and accepting that this isolated incident was an instinctive (and well connected) brain-fade under duress and that he’d certainly ridden his own mount to win! The Titanic skipper was right, under RVL interpretations, to assume there were just a couple of ice cubes on the water – no iceberg underneath. Even back when clerics and coppers were presumed incorruptible, the general public suspected jockeys – and, indeed the whole “game” – as crooked. They’ll surely no longer accept being treated as idiots by Racing authorities.
The mail is there are another half dozen hoops quivering in the crosshairs (less nervous now about penalties as some had thought of jail) and that the Samba investigation will take a decisive turn next week.
Stay tuned…and Good Luck!

Comments

  1. Don’t think Tommy Hughes jnr (trainer of Miss Octopussy) would be too pleased with Ollie taking his market!

  2. Skip of Skipton says

    Carbery, Pike and O’Donnell are my picks for the Railway. I’m sticking with the locals.
    The better Eastern Staters have bad gates.

  3. Whatever W Pike is on will do me!

  4. Skip of Skipton says

    Pike is one of three donning the famous Cerise with the white crossed sashes for Bob Peters. Those silks are never far away in the prestige Westralian events. His charge is first up, but given some chance.

  5. Skip of Skipton says

    I just SMSed my good and learned mate Bazza about who he liked in the Railway and he said Pike’s mount also, along with Academus in the Guineas. I’m keen on Harvey’s and S Parnham’s steeds with the funny names. They rate well also. Academus will be a bit short I reckon.

  6. Wow, looking at MV tomorrow the carnival really is over.

    Just thinking of Elvis after listening to Gator giving the speed map for a field of 5 over 2050 at Cranbourne, really useful, not.

    Crio, cry me a river, that’s what punting is all about.

    I have a similar story for last week with Bro number 2 asking what I liked in Adel and said that Rockin Jo was good value. at the time I didn’t know that I’d get 30’s on Betfair and then miss the quaddie x 3 when it went down by a bee’s dick.
    Anyway, that’s history.

    I’m having a try on Bigelow in the 4th due to the amount of pace in the race a a gear change. Whisper Downs in the 5th despite David Hayes and something on Flat Chat who seems to like MV in the next.
    Over in WA it seems to be a big difference in the market between Hallowell Belle ans Pinwheel so may try the latter. In the Railway the draw means nothing in my opinion and I” have a few $$ on King Saul, forgiving his last run.

    My big must know for the day is ” will Elvis declare Playing God and take the risk of a spray from the Budge”

  7. Skip of Skipton says

    Jock, David Hayes is starting to get his shit in a pile up there at Euroa.

  8. Skip,
    I’m still not convinced even though I concede Whisper Downs a good hope tomorrow. I feel it’s still a bit of “son of Sugar Lips” hype, I’ll wait until a few more runs are on the board

  9. and C.Schofield is not city class yet, but D.Dunn is, ahem, out of favour.

    Jock, as a prelude to Ballarat’s right-hander race, maybe you can give some Gawler history?

  10. The Ballarat meeting should be a “stand alone Saturday”

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