Well my Best Bet of the Day won and I also gave you The Cup winner in my Top 4 selections.
It just goes to show - even a blind chook gets some corn from time to time.
It just goes to show - even a blind chook gets some corn from time to time.
How did you do? Were my tips helpful? Let me hear your feedback either positive or negative by leaving a comment.
LOOKING FORWARD
Who's hot?
Darren Weir has trained a staggering 16 winners in the last three weeks - that's more than Peter Snowden and Gai Waterhouse. Nicholas Hall has had just seven rides for Weir this season but they have resulted in three wins and two seconds.
Tomorrow they link up on May's Dream (Flemington Race 6 No. 1) and it would be fitting if he tasted some Group 1 success after stable star Puissance de Lune had his Spring campaign prematurely cut short.
Flemington
*** As of 4pm today the track was rated a Dead 4. The forecast is for a mostly sunny day with the chance of isolated showers late in the afternoon. ***
*** There are no early scratchings ***
Kirramosa will start favourite on the back of her dominant win in last Saturday's Wakeful Stakes. She came from a clear last and rounded them up in the space of a couple of strides to win by over a length and she was pulling away from them on the line. The effort is all the more remarkable in hindsight when you consider that most of the horses that won on the circle (as opposed to down the straight) had been on the speed. Paximadia (Race 1) led all the way. Ruscello (Race 2) led all the way. Side Glance (Race 5) went to the front around the 700m mark and wasn't headed. Polanski (Race 6) sat handy then pounced upon straightening. Red Tracer and Catkins (Race 7) sat 1-2 and ran the quinella. It just wasn't a swoopers day. Except for this girl that is.
Zanbagh is an interesting runner and a filly that I must confess I don't know a hell of a lot about. She came from worse than midfield last start against older mares and bolted in by five lengths. She may have been flattered by the heavy track but each time they have stepped her up in journey this prep she has gotten better. The stable already has a winner this Spring with Toydini successful in the Waterford Crystal Mile on Cox Plate Day and Guy Walter does make a habit of bobbing up with a winner during the Flemington Carnival.
May's Dream is another coming from an in-form yard (see "Who's hot?" column above) and she is the one bred to get a staying trip being out of the mare She's Archie who ran 2nd in both a Melbourne Cup (behind Makybe Diva no less) and a Geelong Cup. Did challenge Guelph in the Thousand Guineas (below) but she appeared to have every possible chance in the Wakeful and the winner did come from behind her and give her windburn as she went past.
Gypsy Diamond - have I mentioned in-form stables? John O'Shea is enjoying a bit of a purple patch with 12 winners at a strike rate of better than one in four in the last 21 days. Amongst those were Melbourne winners Savvy Nature in the Vase on Cox Plate Day, Bernabeu yesterday and of course this girl at the Moonee Valley night meeting 13 days ago. This filly was making good ground late in the Wakeful and was only two lengths behind the winner and meets her 2.5kg better off tomorrow. Hoop James McDonald has ridden a few winners this Spring including It's A Dundeel in his upset victory over odds-on favourite Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.
The next best in the market are Solicit and Arabian Gold. Their runs in the Wakeful were just OK and I have serious questions about their ability to run out 2500m.
Of the four roughies that are $26+ the one I could throw into exotics for a bit of value is Quayside. Her dam Quays won the 2001 Wakeful Stakes and her sire Street Cry won the 2002 Dubai World Cup so you'd think she'd eat up the mile and a half. Last start she stepped up to a trip beyond a mile for the first time and easily accounted for the boys, albeit in a Benchmark 64 restricted to three-year-olds.
Zanbagh is an interesting runner and a filly that I must confess I don't know a hell of a lot about. She came from worse than midfield last start against older mares and bolted in by five lengths. She may have been flattered by the heavy track but each time they have stepped her up in journey this prep she has gotten better. The stable already has a winner this Spring with Toydini successful in the Waterford Crystal Mile on Cox Plate Day and Guy Walter does make a habit of bobbing up with a winner during the Flemington Carnival.
May's Dream is another coming from an in-form yard (see "Who's hot?" column above) and she is the one bred to get a staying trip being out of the mare She's Archie who ran 2nd in both a Melbourne Cup (behind Makybe Diva no less) and a Geelong Cup. Did challenge Guelph in the Thousand Guineas (below) but she appeared to have every possible chance in the Wakeful and the winner did come from behind her and give her windburn as she went past.
Gypsy Diamond - have I mentioned in-form stables? John O'Shea is enjoying a bit of a purple patch with 12 winners at a strike rate of better than one in four in the last 21 days. Amongst those were Melbourne winners Savvy Nature in the Vase on Cox Plate Day, Bernabeu yesterday and of course this girl at the Moonee Valley night meeting 13 days ago. This filly was making good ground late in the Wakeful and was only two lengths behind the winner and meets her 2.5kg better off tomorrow. Hoop James McDonald has ridden a few winners this Spring including It's A Dundeel in his upset victory over odds-on favourite Atlantic Jewel in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes.
The next best in the market are Solicit and Arabian Gold. Their runs in the Wakeful were just OK and I have serious questions about their ability to run out 2500m.
Of the four roughies that are $26+ the one I could throw into exotics for a bit of value is Quayside. Her dam Quays won the 2001 Wakeful Stakes and her sire Street Cry won the 2002 Dubai World Cup so you'd think she'd eat up the mile and a half. Last start she stepped up to a trip beyond a mile for the first time and easily accounted for the boys, albeit in a Benchmark 64 restricted to three-year-olds.
Locky's Selections
4 Gypsy Diamond
3 Kirramosa
1 May's Dream
6 Quayside
3 Kirramosa
1 May's Dream
6 Quayside
Other bets
Forarainyday (Flemington Race 8 No. 3) needs another scratching to get into the field because he is second emergency but if he does I'll be having a tickle each-way at the $12. Has only two career wins but both came at the 1100m. In fact he's never been worse than second at this distance in three starts. He also goes well fresh with a win and two placings from his three first-up attempts. As previously mentioned the stable goes well here at this time of year.
Snitzerland (Flemington Race 8 No. 3) is also from a stable that has a habit of bobbing up here during the carnival. If she is at her best she accounts for this lot easily so I am happy to take $4.
Snitzerland (Flemington Race 8 No. 3) is also from a stable that has a habit of bobbing up here during the carnival. If she is at her best she accounts for this lot easily so I am happy to take $4.
LOOKING BACK
Who's hot?
John O'Shea has been operating at almost 25% in the last three weeks with 11 winners from 45 runners. In the same period Chris Waller has had 12 from 88.
O'Shea has two runners at Flemington tomorrow and both are in Race 5 - Diamond Oasis (No. 7) 10th and Bernabeu (No. 9) 1st $13.00 win / $3.90 place.
O'Shea has two runners at Flemington tomorrow and both are in Race 5 - Diamond Oasis (No. 7) 10th and Bernabeu (No. 9) 1st $13.00 win / $3.90 place.
Flemington
Melbourne Cup (Group 1, 3200m, handicap)
I made the mistake of looking for value and ignoring the obvious. The best horse won. Red Cadeaux was gallant (again!). Mount Athos the only forward runner who held on. Simenon one to follow. Dandino and Fawkner were brave from well back.
Last time I wrote:
"Fiorente has not run a bad race since coming to Australia and given that he ran second in this race last year he's not really that badly treated with just 55kg. Barrier five is a big plus because it means Damien Oliver can position him closer to the lead than in previous runs. Gai Waterhouse horses have placed in this race three times. He's had the ideal weight-for-age preparation."
Locky's Selections
12 Seville (12th)
21 Verema (FF)
6 Fiorente (1st) $7.00 win / $2.70 place
18 Hawkspur (20th)
21 Verema (FF)
6 Fiorente (1st) $7.00 win / $2.70 place
18 Hawkspur (20th)
Other bets
Salon Soldier (Flemington Race 8 No. 5) showed promise at his first Australian start and comes from a form stable and will be ridden by a jockey in great touch at the moment. He's been well found in early markets though. $2.50. 1st. $2.90 win / $1.50 place. Good horse.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
No double standards here!
- Paul Beshara, Flemington, 5 November 2013
- Paul Beshara, Flemington, 5 November 2013
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