Crio’s Racing: Iconic tracks to shine on Australia Day

We’ve a busy few months ahead as the Comedy Festival overlaps Autumn Racing for our hearts, minds and wallets. Sal Perna launched an early bid for the 2013 Moosehead Award with his straight faced confirmation that everything is, has been and always will be just hunky dory in the Racing Industry. He’s got wacky Andy Demetriou writing his stuff.
If only we could believe him. Perhaps the Karakatsanis double-act could call on him to review their inspired comic storytelling – which stewards rejected, instead slapping them with a guilty verdict of “tubing” Howmuchdoyouloveme at Flemington in Cup Week.
Conspiracy theories are part and parcel of a game of greed but it is hard not to believe that the whole joint needs a shake up and that, as a consequence, something whiffy will fall out!
A great Autumn is the fillip required and there will be plenty of meetings for followers to get their teeth into. My suspicion is that momentum will build in another fortnight and from there it’ll be a fabulous month of top class fixtures.
This holiday weekend is always a busy one for the gallops with a plethora of iconic tracks commemorating Australia Day – Hanging Rock, Balnarring and Great Western will all attract crowds of picnic goers.
In Melbourne we kick off the weekend with the resumption of Valley Nights. MVRC will be rightly disappointed with the acceptors for their G2 Australia Stakes – as was the case for the VRC 6 days beforehand, there’s a rich $120,000 feature with few runners. Pinwheel’s odds on! Undeniably 3/1.
The “Action Attraction” has a spate of nights scheduled for the weeks ahead – these thrive with good horses and fine weather but can be otherwise pretty ordinary. This was a Black Cav meeting last year. We need a fine forecast or it could be a lacklustre event in the betting ring.
The pattern continues the following afternoon for the MRC’s first of 3 consecutive Saturdays. The calendar looked promising but the acceptances are just OK – and again there’s an undersubscribed feature – the G2 Zeditave Stakes (MR2, $120,000, 1200m) has only 4 runners and is of modest quality.
The Blue Diamond Previews will certainly garner attention, especially the fascinating fillies edition (MR4, Listed, 1000m, $120,000). The conservative option is to select Montsegur (4) from the prolific juvenile stock under Peter Snowden, but I need SA feedback re the boom filly Miracles of Life (5) and her rider L. Stojakovic. And it looks far from a match race, with punters speculating on Moody’s Mystical Miss (8) and interest for the brilliant Sandown midweeker Donna Madeira (7) and the fascinating C.Williams/Gai duet attached to Swing Vote (3)…plus others – watch betting!
The Quaddy is more pedestrian:-
MR5- 1100m. Loveyamadly (5) all the rage at 6/4. Open otherwise. Huge query on Corsten’s No.4
MR6- 1400m. (Dillon Stakes, Listed, $120,000) British General is hot, hot, hot.
MR7- 1000m. 2,8,9.
MR8- 2000m. Tough. 8,2,6.
I’m hoping to get down to Mornington for the MRC’s Monday holiday meeting and complete a weekend treble. I’ll need some ammunition to survive on the punt. Any advice welcomed.
Despite the odious Betstar drivel we are getting here as an Aussie OI! Oi! type campaign, it is great to see racing joining cricket and tennis as centrepieces of a National celebration. Cheer a few winners home.
Good luck!

Comments

  1. Miracles of Life beat a “good un ” in Molto Bello at her first start so looking at that form I think she is going to be more than competitive. Daniel Clarken is an up and coming trainer and although Lauren S is an apprentice she hasnt done anything wrong on her’
    I await Jocks analysis as well but its good to see them trying out interstate.
    Dennis Oleary has a big 24 hours taking Outlandish Lad to MV tonight and then back to saddle up at Morphetville tomorrow.

  2. I watched the tapes of “Miracles” winning. Amazing. Reminiscent of Rancher – we always reckoned they just tied N.Waymouth on and the horse took over.
    This will be a new experience for horse and rider – the travel, the track, the tempo.
    What are the right odds?

  3. Miracles of Life is probably the most impressive 2YO winner from SA since New Atlantis. The only other one that comes to mind is Eagle Falls winning a 2YO by 6 or 7 lengths. Undoubtably also won a listed race here on debut before winning the Diamond 2 starts later.

    It’s interesting that Teeley Assets have 3 runners all with different trainers.

    From what I know of the runners there is a fair bit of speed and I assume that Gai’s runner, Swing Vote will attack the lead, maybe bringing Donna Madiera across. A lot will depend on where Miracles of life lands. If it leads or sits outside the lead it can probably win but if it doesn’t lead or sit outside it’s in trouble. I don’t have much confidence in the rider when “in the field” and I think if that happens the locals hoops will give her some grief. I’ll either be having something on Mystical Miss or laying Miracle of Life for the place at about 2’s on.

    I have exercised that hard fought Public Service right of flexitime today in order to be prepared for a big weekend of racing, so I’m hoping it’s well spent or I’ll be on home maintenance by Sunday. I have already had something on Outlandish Lad tonight, I think it’s the only danger to Pinwheel and have taken the 25’s Sadalbari in the last tomorrow and at first glance I’m not keen on British General, now up the weights and has La remas who will make the pace and maybe set it up for Highly Recommended or even Under the Eiffel ( who has tanked it more that Bernard Tomic in the last 12 months)

    There is an interesting runner at Terang today in the 6th, part owned by prodigal cousin to Crio and Budge-Strato Mostro. Very unlucky 2 starts back at the Valley and missed the start last time. If it jumps it may be too good for them at Terang-Blinkers off/Winkers on.

  4. Good summary Jock. Thanks for adding to my comments with sound advice .
    Enjoy the “flexi” – I reckon a few of the “Community Bike Riders” will struggle in the wind today

  5. Yea Cup Sunday, not to mention Hanging Rock on Saturday. Always a good days racing on the bush tracks !!!

    Happy punting,

    Glen!

  6. Skip of Skipton says

    Mount Zero and Thermal Current in the BD previews. Check the time and last 600 sectional from their previous outing.

  7. Budge,

    You know what a form student I am. After hours on the Speed Maps, I’ve come up with these:

    CAULFIELD:

    Race 1, The Tip Top Butchers Plate – No.3 Legcut

    Race 3, Excitable Boy. Love Warren Zevon. Just hope he doesn’t “Rape them and kill them, and build a cage with their bones” That would be bad for racing.

    Race 7, Trifecta: Vatican, The Minister and Beyond Pardon.

    Race 8, No. 11, He’s A Steal. By Gonski, the sire of one of my potential champions and Skip Town. The form is franked.

    On a more flippant note, I will be focussing on Sydney tomorrow. All those races with more that 6 runners. Wow.

    Race 7, The Great Deciever goes head to head to head with the two Ernies, Earnest Ernest. Mouth watering.

    The last, War Charm wins with luck, but watch for the 2nd emergency, Joe Pride’s Toffler (see Caulfield Race 7 Trifecta selections)

    Hope you find one at odds.

  8. Elvis,

    Melbourne Race 7 trifecta looks like a royal commission hearing.
    I also like Vatican

  9. Elvis – tragically I can see you having a winning day with your (even more than usual) bizarre thought process.
    Surely you backed the last winner at the Valley?

  10. Send lawyers, guns and money

  11. Wow!! Miracles Of Life is one of those horses that will bring the crowds to watch. Fantastic win.

  12. Skip of Skipton says

    What was the winning margin, Budge? I missed it.

  13. Going away to win by 4

  14. Skip of Skipton says

    Ouch! Do you reckon she can punch out a strong 6 furlongs?

  15. Beer Garden the omen bet for the last on Australia Day

  16. She’s not a pure speed machine and was strong to the line. Reckon 6f will suit well.

  17. Skip of Skipton says

    She’s a class above the fillies there. Ran 8/10ths quicker than the colts too. Having said that, watch Thermal Current’s run.

  18. Yes I saw that. Amazing run.

  19. Skip of Skipton says

    A lesser horse would have raised the white flag. He’s a big chance at 25/1 fixed odds.

  20. We went to Yea for Sunday’s Cup Day meet . 6 race card. Nice track, lots of shade and a good turn out. I was pleased to see Tuddy there. In the last few months he’s become a semi regular at the Royal Oak in N Fitzroy, now i see him on track @ Yea. he gets around. Looking good for 70.

    Cavallo Reigns, won the Cup, well riden by Clay Douglas. I had Adam Bodey on the toppy Dell, which was also the fave. Not to be. Bodey is leading the picnic jockeys premiership, which he has won 11 times prior, but didn’t set the world on fire. He had 5 rides, his first on a maiden, in the second, was a winner, after that just a placing for the rest of the day. Clay Douglas who was second on the table only go the one winner; The Cup winner !

    Nice gesture after the second saw Jockey Rob Kirkpatrick, marry Shelley Strong, on track. Robs fellow hoops formed a guard of honour, then Rob came out and rode a second in the following race. No more races at Yea, until November, but put it on your radar fellow almanackers.

    Happy Punting,

    Glen!

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