Crio’s Racing: Gold, Gold, Gold for Slipper Day

Slipper Day is a phenomenon. The novel glitzy, social extravaganza splashing fortunes to precocious youngsters has evolved into a magnificent programme that should showcase the very best of Australian Racing.

On the evidence of this Saturday, I’m not certain that it delivers.

Is it The Championships again casting a scheduling shadow or do we just not have a breadth of talent to sustain such an extended period of Group racing?

Some of these races are not as good as those contested a couple of weeks ago – but fortunately an influx of noms from Japan and New Zealand has added intrigue and quality to some of the features.

Although the first has some interest – Mossfun v Atmospherical – the meeting doesn’t hit its straps until Race 4, The Ranvet, the first of a run of five successive, fascinating Group Ones.

 

SR4 (Ranvet Stakes 2000m WFA G1) –

Contributer’s form has been irresistible. Can’t quite understand the push for He’s Your Man. Silent Achiever and Lucia Valentina add the local class. Big query is Japanese visitor Tosen Stardom.

tip: fav. Save Japan’s.

SR5 (Rosehill Guineas 2000m 3yo SW G1) –

Disappointed that Shooting To Win and Kermadac have gone elsewhere as these 3yo colts need a GF. Hallowed Crown is a winner. Sweynesse is unders. Big watch on the Kiwi duo which quinellaed their Derby. The victor, Mongolian Khan, has the Max Baker/ Opie Bosson polish whilst C.Williams is on Donna Logan’s challenger Volkstok’n’barrell.

tip: fav again. Box with Kiwis.

SR6 (Galaxy 1100m H’cp G1) –

Really good race with lots of chances. Some tricky draws. The conundrum is Deep Field. Is this the G1 they’re angling for? Quaddy players must go very wide.

tip: Rubick. Save on Sweet Idea.

SR7 (Golden Slipper 1200m 2yo SW G1) –

A rich raffle. Can’t argue with form but wouldn’t cash a free bet.

tip: Vancouver from English.

SR8 (George Ryder Stakes 1500m WFA G1) –

Fascinating, unconventional edition of this race. The old WFA combatants don’t excite. Rather, we look to the 3yo colts and their battle with the Japanese visitors.

tip: speculate on World Ace and Real Impact.

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Victoria’s main meeting on Saturday is at Bendigo – Golden Mile Day – where they get big fields and competitive racing on a fantastic track, yet the initiative has still not really been embraced by metro folk who, rather than taking a weekend trip to the goldfields, elect to take time off or watch events on TV (if that’s possible now with the demise of TVN).

Group Racing in Melbourne is at Moonee Valley on Friday Night with the running of the G2 Alister Clark Stakes (MR6 2400m 3yo SW). Nowadays the next tier take this on and Weiry’s Stratum Star will be short. The remainder of the card is just OK and a good crowd is weather dependent.

The Alister Clark was once upon a time prestigious – times have changed. No Surround v Family Of Man any more.

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Looks like I’ve got the weekend off. Might get to the Valley tomorrow night and will certainly be monitoring Rosehill’s happenings.

As always, looking for good tips and good stories.

Good luck!

Comments

  1. Reckon you’re a big tough on the Sydney card. Looks a cracker to me.
    Especially looking forward to the Rosehill Guineas. I think the market is all wrong and the NZers should be the favourites. Mongolian Khan is a beauty. Tough, genuine and classy. Volkstok’N’Barrell is a more brilliant type and wouldn’t surprise if he goes to the Doncaster after this rather than the Derby. I’ll be with Mongolian tomorrow.

    Check out Mongolian Khan’s run, particularly the last 2 against VNB (which was fave both times)

    http://www.nzracing.co.nz/SystemTemplates/RaceInfoSearch.aspx?q=mongolian khan#horse

    Find Mongolian Khan, click on performance then scroll down to the videos next to each race. Enjoy!

  2. cowshedend says

    Kept watching the videos last night to find something to beat Contributer, Lucia Valetina was a fair run 2 starts back but got donkey licked by Contributer last start.
    Japanese horse out(no video), the others couldn’t blow wind up it!
    Also might ask Lachy Hunter how the Dogs will go Sunday, and it was his old man who put the bet on for Honest Ollie, although hope the VRC rather than the AFL hear the case,Hunter might end up with a free holiday post season

  3. How would anyone want to bet on preseason footy…as part of a multi!
    I thought we were meant to be “victims”?

  4. back to racing…what’s happened to the Alister Clark?
    It has a fantastic honour roll but has tinkered with conditions over the years.
    Found the results from 1977 version…1600m, WFA…fought out by great 3yr olds.

    1DH – Family Of Man/ Surround
    3 – Ngawyni
    then followed…Desirable, Bonfield, Ease The Squeeze, Romantic Dream, Wave King, Maybe Mahal, Park Glenn.

  5. Slipper_Headwater
    Galaxy-Fast n Rocking
    Manion Cup-Tremec

    At Bendigo I’m giving Chivalry it’s last chance before mentally consigning it to the knackery and also like Winter Chiller in the 6th. Adelaide is a no go zone but tonight a local lines up in the A-Clarke, October Date and will be very hard to beat-I’m not keen on Stratum Star at 2040 metres.

    How the NZ and Japanese line up in Sydney will be intriguing.

  6. CSE – don’t give up on Lucia Valentina. She’s never been placed 2nd up (from 4 preps) but is unbeaten 3rd up in 3 preps including 2 x Group 1 wins. Be warned. Any rain would help.

    Crio – all the races around 77 era look good today. Maybe we were young(ish) and impressionable.

  7. Rosehill Guineas – Mongolian Khan
    Galaxy – Knoydart
    Slipper – Lake Geneva
    George Ryder – World Ace

  8. Crio seems to have nailed the Rosehill card! –

    Rosehill Guineas – Hallowed Crown. NZers will be savings themselves for the Derby
    Galaxy – Kuro (if gets a start), otherwise Rubick
    Slipper – Vancouver
    George Ryder – World Ace

  9. …..and for the other G1 –

    Ranvet – Contributer

  10. First starter tonight at the Valley named Ay Oh Whey Oh – out of mare called Walklikeanegyptian

  11. cowshedend says

    Gold Budge! Bet if it was out of ‘am I ever gunna see your face again’ it would never have got through!

  12. Or “Living next door to Alice”

  13. Have to say that the card at Bendigo looks good and a few SA horses engaged all of them have some e/w chance
    The locals have a few engaged in Adelaide tomorrow and Northern Zhar will be have a chance to see if it’s top class
    The Slipper has been beyond me in recent years but as a rough e/w I will have something on Hooked in the Ryder
    However bowls takes pride of place as we fight for a spot in the Grand Final next week
    If ever there was a sign jumps races in SA was dying an early glance showed one nominated for a hurdle next week at the Bridge midweek

  14. Happy to go with your tip tonight Jock.
    btw…Warrnambool?

  15. Crio,

    All the limelight of Rosehill aside, Bendigo is a great meeting. More runners on one card than Sydney can normally dish up in six. This Bendigo card is the heart of racing. Not all Godolphins, Hunter Valley socialites, and imports. Good, capacity fields going around for good, realistic money. That to me is why Victorian racing is far and above the other states.

    Slipper. I like Headwater ( To me, his win at Rosehill was impressive enough to forgive his wide all the way failure at Randwick) and that thing of Mick Prices, He is out of a Zabeel mare who is from a Danehill half sister to Rubiton.

    I have always been a big fan of the Kiwis who lob in Sydney at carnival time, and I am with Budge, who put me on to the Mongolian and the other one in the Guineas.

    If the Japanese don’t win the George Ryder, then I reckon a good 3yo will and I have plonked for Kermadec, back on home soil.

    This has taken me a week to type, hope it isn’t now retrospective.

  16. Elvis: Headwater-snap- check the record next start of all horses who puled up with a respiratory issue..it’s incredible.
    Budge comment not too far away now

    Bool- negotiating leave- Dodge there this weekend so it may never recover-he has requested that I invest $50 on his behalf, thinking something all up Tremec in Syd to get a big result and then ask for a percentage

  17. Jock,

    Your Headwater response. Please explain.

  18. Absolutely agree with you Elvis re Bendigo….did the shouting last year but hadn’t time for form nor spruik this time around. Unfortunately bookies and punters not committed. Programme and prizemoney fantastic

  19. Pulled up with respiratory issues last start, maybe due to being 3 deep no cover but the record of horses who come out next start after that has happened is fantastic.
    I’m forgiving that run and if that is forgotten then it’s a 3/1 chance and we can get 10’s or better. Don’t like Vancouver, reckon it will get a New Atlantis run

  20. Couldn’t back VVancouver at quote from the gate

  21. Jock,

    Thanks foe expounding mate. I agree, the Headwater odds are pretty, pretty, pretty good .

  22. Reckon you’ll get 20s due to Elvis & jock both agreeing. I’m half keen on the stablemate.

  23. Agree it’s a good program for Bendigo but can’t look past the great horses running in Sydney. Who are the best 3 horses running at Bendigo? What odds Jock for the bool?

  24. Odds for ‘Bool” are currently evens. Have Doogy hotel booked but week off work still an issue, will have clarity within 2 weeks.
    Like Budge I’m having trouble getting enthused with Bendigo, lots of runners but pales when compared to Sydney.

  25. Picked a bad day to stay off the punt…just looked at G1 winners and got each in 2.

    btw Jock – easier to get digs in Pt Fairy. I drive to course.

  26. We were in Berrigan Saturday for the inaugural Finley Cup. It was won by Hardenup, the Corowa horse trained by Mandie Jones. Hardenup had never won outside of Corowa before this start, so i didn’t take him ; more fool me.

    Berrgan, which runs the Victorian way is a nice track. Isi t the only track oer the border running anti-clockwsie? I alwys thought it was, but i’ve heard Denillquin also runs anti-clockwise. I need confitrmation , if any one can assist,

    We popped into Yarrawonga on the way up, visiting the Pelican hotel, emblazoned by the photos of Pelicano. He won some group 3 races and listed races,including the Murray Bridge Cup.

    On the way back we popped into the Yarrawonga Community market on the banks of the Murray. The Yarrawonga Football Club had a stall there so we popped over for a good chinwag. Conversation was going well: Fevola, Pigeons premiership prospects for 2015, all was going wel until i mentioned Bill Vlahos; conversation finished, whisc is not a suprise. Where is Bill Vlahos ?

    Glen!

  27. Glen, I’d thought that about Berrigan too but research indicates Deni goes left handed also.

  28. Ta Crio, that provides clarity. I might put Deni on the bucket list for future reference, but as it’s now down to only two meetings per year, New Years Day , and Anzac Day, i’m unsure when or if, we get there.

    Glen!

  29. Glen, I reckon the Deni meetings are ANZAC and Caulfield Cup days

  30. Crio, Anzac Day is a definte. When Deni had three meetings per year , it was New Years Day, Anzac Day and Caulfield Cup Day, but since about 2012 it’s been reduced back to two. I feel they’ve lost the October meeting.

    Glen!

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