Opinion
I am back playing with my money after a few winners last week, hoping to keep the ball rolling with Saturday’s meeting, which has been moved to Randwick due to the expected heat.
Units bet: 33
Units won: 38.30
Total: +5.3 (based on one unit win bet on each top selection, NSW dividends)
It is still too early for the two-year-olds, so we will start with Race 3 (the Highway, no less) this week.
Race 3: No.8 Alot To Hoffa
I’m having a throw at the stumps here, taking Alot To Hoffa at the big price – a six-year-old from Muswellbrook with only three starts to his name. Danger! The top-weight Greenspan is the obvious risk – plenty of Highway form but will get back.
Race 4: No.8 Night Of Power
I am backing Night Of Power to progress. He won at his second start in Australia and now steps up to a solid Saturday grade. I am praying he jumps with them! Turnberry looks well-in and Romani Girl ran well against the girls up the coast – happy to leave her out at my peril.
(PAUL CROCK/AFP/Getty Images)
Race 5: No.7 Rari
Not much to sing about here – mostly midweek graders stepping in for a shot at Saturday. Rari is one of these who will go forward and give himself every shot. Subpoenaed is the class, and has been running in big fillies races (and not doing much), but you have to think a horse that was $3.20 in a Group 2 last start isn’t here for a holiday.
Race 6: No.12 She’s Ideel
And now they throw a distance race at us! Good luck here. I’m again going on potential and that means a horse trained by Bjorn Baker. She’s Ideel has been working through grades at short prices and steps up in distance here. She can handle it. Costello will run the trip and has good second-up form, while Birth Of Venus and Cisco Bay go into the quaddie as winning chances.
Race 7: No.5 Alizee
Hello group racing! Sticking with one of the old faves here, Alizee won a similar class race first-up last prep, was three lengths off them in the Everest when wide, and is four from five fresh. Irithea is my other tick, looking a great bet on her Gold Coast effort.
Race 8: No.6 Destiny’s Own
Tricky little race with quite a few chances. I’ve landed on Destiny’s Own, having his first start for a new trainer and on the back of a few reasonable trials for this. Manhattan Mist also rates well, Ronstar steps up in distance but pops up from time to time, and Tony’s Reward is right in it wearing blinkers for the first time. Press Box is the blowout, with the great jockey at odds Jay Ford on top.
Race 9: No.12 Lashes
I didn’t tip Lashes last start and won’t make the same mistake this time. Lashes runs against the fellas but gets significant weight relief, so I expect good things. Inanup is in great form and is in well with the jockey’s claim, and American Magic carried a huge weight to win last time. Reloaded is being spruiked around the place – he would want further than 1200 but I’ve been wrong before.
Have you ever tried your skills in a Racing daily fantasy competition? Put your best picks to the test for one day and see if you can scoop the pot with Draftstars. Looking for great odds on racing and sport? PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Without a Fight completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Tuesday as star jockey Mark Zahra went back-to-back in the big one after…
The race that stops the nation is upon us again. Every horse in the Melbourne Cup has reasons they can win, and reasons they…
Those who want to have a really big collect on Australia’s greatest race, without risking too much, have to look at the exotic bets.
While most of the attention is on Ciaron Maher and David Eustace's Gold Trip, there's no reason why stablemate Future History cannot upstage him.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver is quietly confident his Melbourne Cup mount Alenquer will be passed fit to give him a farewell ride in the…
Melbourne Cup day is here again, and it’s never anything less than exciting. The Cup itself will of course be full of drama and…
