Melbourne…Cloudy. Showers. Winds west to southwesterly averaging 15 to 25 km/h. Max 14 Brisbane …Fine Max 20 Here’s a tip. You’d rather be at Eagle Farm! That’s not to decry Melbourne’s racecard, as it is actually a good Flemington winter meeting tomorrow. But who’d want to shiver in that wind tunnel of a betting ring [Read more]
Racing: Brisbane and the Valley
May 28, 2010 by 7 Comments
by Chris Riordan Saturday’s feature meeting is again in Brisbane, highlighted by the exceptional Group One Doomben 10,000 which provides a smorgasbord of quality chances, headlined by Ortensia, Hot Danish and Whobegotyou. A very good meeting there and a crack race but I can’t possibly offer any direction for punters. Locally, Moonee Valley doesn’t get [Read more]
Crio’s racing…look at some form!
May 21, 2010 by 1 Comment
The usual suspects go around tomorrow at Caulfield as winter sets in and racing’s profile drops away. For what it is, your basic meat’n’veg mid-season card, the meeting is OK but for many of us it is time to cut the losses. Even Elvis, our intrepid Groote Eyelandt correspondent, ruminated yesterday on trying for a [Read more]
Racing: The Ramsden Day Ramble
May 14, 2010 by 10 Comments
by Chris Riordan Budget week can be an appropriate time for us to review our financial strategies; in this case revisit some of our punting maxims and the big philosophical questions and queries that need to be addressed in the search for success. Today I’m going to incorporate four dilemmas in to the discussion on [Read more]
A long weekend of punting
April 23, 2010 by 6 Comments
“Dog’s Breakfast” is an ill-advised phrase in a racing column – especially into the jumps season – but there can be no denying that this weekend’s races are “all over the place”. Victoria’s main day is at Flemington on Sunday, with Sandown and Bendigo “featuring” on the Saturday and Monday. crio
Racing: Doncaster Day at Randwick
April 16, 2010 by 13 Comments
by Chris Riordan Correspondent “Carringbush” joined our forum last week with some salient observations from his visit to Randwick’s Derby Day. The small crowd figure was a point of obvious concern and we can only hope that more people recognize the quality of tomorrow’s Doncaster Day and that the AJC starts to regain kudos for [Read more]
AJC Derby: Quality and intrigue
April 9, 2010 by 14 Comments
by Chris Riordan Racing purists love the Randwick Carnival which begins this Saturday with The Derby. The AJC Derby is Australia’s premiere 3 year-old event and the 2010 edition has quality and intrigue. Whilst discards like Manhattan Rain reinforce my “no pre-post” evangelism, those who make it to the barriers are chasing prestige, stud kudos [Read more]
Racing: A Red Letter day across the country
March 19, 2010 by 5 Comments
by Chris Riordan Back to reality this week as Caulfield is justifiably overwhelmed by Rosehill’s drawcard. With good noms tonight and bumper fields in both Sydney and Adelaide on Saturday, it is little wonder the Victorian metro meeting is a bit skinny. I’m going to Moonee Valley Friday night and then the MCG Saturday so [Read more]
Link: The secret life of strappers
March 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
From ABC Radio National’s 360 Degree program, delve into the secret life of horse strappers. Click on the link below. Comments welcome. www.abc.net.au/rn/360/stories/2010/2830043.htm Almanac Admin
Racing: Almanac on the money on Sequel Saturday
March 15, 2010 by 7 Comments
by Chris Riordan It was a wonderful day’s racing at Flemington and Randwick and, I must add, Almanackers were once again well directed if they looked to our site for guidance. I warned to avoid the early races and the first “shortie” got rolled with the winner, Master Harry (Moody/Nolen) very impressive. crio
Racing: Turn left before taking in a great card on William Reid Stakes day
February 11, 2010 by 7 Comments
By Chris Riordan As you scurry in to the Valley and clear the turnstiles, there’s a choice of three directions to take. Punters push straight ahead into the betting ring or beyond to the bars, the stands and the lawn. Sometimes I try to swing right because the stalls and parade ring are beautiful… grand [Read more]
Racing: Good things as far as the eye can see on Awe Stakes day
February 7, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The meeting at Caulfield on Saturday lived up to its promise. Emphatic winners and good formlines to follow. The Blue Diamond Preludes were terrific entrees to the main event in a fortnight. Tony Vasil’s debut filly, Psychologist, blitzed her opponents to scream to the top of the betting markets. Stories had leaked on Friday that [Read more]
Racing: Plenty at Caulfield for occasional and dedicated punters alike
February 5, 2010 by 16 Comments
Even if you don’t have the time, inclination or bank to invest into Caulfield’s Orr Stakes formguide, the replays and stewards’ reports will be compulsory texts for anyone with an interest in the Autumn Carnival. These fields cover the whole gamut! Spring punters will have heard of Cup stalwarts Viewed, Shocking, Zipping and Littorio, all [Read more]
Racing: How I met Patrick Valenzuela
February 3, 2010 by 5 Comments
By Philip Tyndall On Saturday as I was walking through the car-park at Flemington, I came across a bloke standing under a gum tree looking like he wasn’t sure where to go. He was well dressed in an open-necked shirt, and he had a black travel bag with a “Melbourne” airline tag on it. I [Read more]
Racing: Nicconi shines on day that will shape autumn markets
January 31, 2010 by 5 Comments
By Chris Riordan The Lightning Stakes lived up to its reputation as a “good horse’s race” when Nicconi bloused Wanted with a whirlwind finish at Flemington. The roll-call has been enhanced by recent winners’ subsequent success abroad, and the Lightning victor looks suited to the pathway trodden by Takeover Target, Fastnet Rock, Miss Andretti and [Read more]
The table
November 16, 2009 by 3 Comments
by Damian “Dips” O’Donnell Our dinners at home were always noisy, cluttered affairs. The eight of us would sit around the delightful (though tiny) old mahogany table, which seemed to have a talent for expanding whenever Mum found there were additional mouths to feed. It could have been someone’s mate, a cousin, the local parish [Read more]
Sandown Classic: Freeman and Flynn’s final spring fling
November 15, 2009 by 5 Comments
by Mark “Makybe” Freeman True to form, Sandown Classic Day proved a benefit for punters, with very gettable trifectas and first fours in the Guineas and Classic, a very gettable quaddie (even I managed 4 per cent of it!) and even a very gettable Big 6 that paid more than three large. Freeza
Racing: All Silent for me, but pace needs to be on
November 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment
By Mark “Makybe” Freeman Lovely days racing ahead of us, punters, and plenty to get excited about on the punt. For my little stable of horses to follow, the Patinack is a cracker. I’ve got All Silent, Mic Mac, Nicconi and the Cat in that order among my top 10, so I’ll be all over [Read more]
Gorilla jumps in; break out the Crownies, Daff!
November 3, 2009 by 11 Comments
By Mark “Makybe” Diva Our wide cup trifecta landed a very nice $1062 return for the hunnert invested after Shocking put paid to Godolphin’s boy – second again for the Sheikh. So for Daff’s cash we’re now well and truly in the black. I wish I could say the same for myself after today’s result, [Read more]
Drawing on past lessons
November 2, 2009 by 6 Comments
by Mark “Makybe” Freeman The big one is all about levering that lovely dead money in the tote trifecta and first four pools, punters. It’s about taking the opportunity to cream the healthy dividend off all the once-a-year types making selections based on cat’s names, gran’s birthday’s and fave colours. Freeza
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