Macca

In the end your choice looked a no-brainer Wadda, but what a horse Alligator Blood is! Did it easy but the connections have said that it may not run in the All Star Mile due to the horse possibly coming to the end of it's campaign - but this horse doesn't know when to quit. It's an absolute beauty! But I reckon they will run it in the All Star Mile ... and probably win too. It's a winner. There's talk of the horse running in the Everest or the Cox Plate in the Spring. And the connections knocked back a recent offer of $3.3Million (it's a gelding)

How about the horse racing industry? "He ran good" is often used as well as "She done well" etc etc. In fact, the horse racing industry leads the field (no pun intended) with the misuse of nouns & verbs. Jockeys & trainers alike.

I agree in part rjay but even though I'm a super-fan of State footy I can't really see a future for the concept. I went to the 2008 game and once that Mexican wave happened in that game I knew it was doomed. And it was a close finish too ... no dog in the fight see. As stated in an earlier post it needs a worthy cause for starters but that's not enough. It was on the nose from about the mid 80's onwards coinciding with the sport becoming more professional and with the advent of the interstate teams. For whatever reason the clubs don't want it and therefore the fans don't want it (we're extremely tribal to our teams etc etc) The signs were there in the 70's too as the big clubs back then didn't really want to risk their players (thus the 2 players per club rule?) Injuries are the biggest fear for fans alike. No such thinking up North though as State of Origin is arguably bigger than the NRL Grand Final ... the thinking is completely different. A stark difference ... like chalk & cheese. And that makes me quite envious because even though I'm quite critical of the way AFL is played these days I desperately want it to be the clear No.1 sport in this Country. Anyway, it was great to cheer home my team tonight and yes, I really am a Vic fan. All the way back to when Ross Dillon was CHF for the Vics in the late 60's.

Well I loved it and I'd love it if footy was played as it was tonight Instead of that we usually get scramble ball with 30 players on the ball = an unholy mess. Garbage to my eyes. Many ex players don't care for it either. And I rarely watch it so can't be accused of not putting my money where my mouth is. But tonight was footy as it should be played. I reckon people are so used to watching footy in such a congested style that they've forgotten how skilful the game can be.

All Stars? That mob needs a new name (minus the Stars bit) Victoria is the superior football state (by far) and that fact was one of the reasons State footy died out. We (the Vics) even used to try and even the score by restricting the rep numbers to 2 per team. And we'd still brain 'em. And Demon players have a proud history in State footy (esp Flower, Hardeman, Wells & Alves from the 70's) Only Jetta tonight though. If the game had have happened last year we might have had 5 or 6 representatives.

Each to their own Cards There is no legislation on what anyone can like or dislike (sports, politics, religion, whatever) Vics 15 points in front - go Victoria!

Footy fans engaging in a Mexican wave ... says it all really, doesn't it. They haven't got a dog in the fight but you've got to wonder why the 'wavers' bothered to go to the game. It's simple Cards, if you don't like it, don't watch. It's what I do. All sports are the same, the higher the skills, the less perceived intensity. Soccer can be like that and many League State of Origin games can look a bit tame because of the skills. And what about the high scoring NFL encounters?

I'm not wrong ... this is the type of footy that I prefer to watch. Fast, highly skilled, open football and not congested. As the sport once was. Clean ball movement with very few unforced errors. What's not to like? I'm also a big fan of Ice Hockey, Soccer, NFL, Rugby League, Union, Baseball, NBA and nearly every Olympic sport. Each to their own hey?

Anyway, I'm thoroughly enjoying tonight's game and if others prefer to watch 'scramble-ball', go right ahead. Ha ha!

They look fair dinkum to me ... the sport is basically keepings-off these days so what on earth do you expect if the most highly skilled players are all involved. A much much better version of keepings-off. Stands to reason You put 2 low skilled teams against each other and you're going to see an ugly mess. Looks more intense but it's a ruse.

There's plenty of intensity ... the skill level means less congestion and more open footy And State footy has always been like that. Lower skills = congestion, packs etc.

It's a fantastic standard and a great showcase tonight. Here's how you sell the sport to new eyes. I really envy what they do up North with the State of Origin Rugby League. It might work in the pre-season (demand-wise) if the game was for a worthy cause. And there's plenty of worthy causes so that part of the equation is do-able at least. But Aussie Rules fans are way too rusted on to their teams only. Worthy cause, players being always available, as part of the pre-season and then embraced by the fans ongoing - big ask but I'd love to see it. We could at least play these high standard games every now and again (every 3 or 4 years)

Best Bet Randwick Race 6 No.1 Flit (Win) $3.80

It is boring monoccular ... the advanced scapegoat (Oscar) cops it by default. Ingerson, Hughes, Campbell, Shanahan would all cop it at various times. Blame the last thing visible? Meanwhile, a dysfunctional forward line* is often the real cause of a team being broken down by the opposition (albeit recognised later on) And the forward line only ever seems to get the blame as a group. It's what we do. *70's & early to mid 80's - Demons dysfunctional forward line (main issue)

Yes, good point Wyl ... but for me it's nothing personal. Without looking back on what was last season, sometimes you just just have to re-jig and get going again with a new way of addressing things. As others have mentioned about a new start for various players, that rule can apply to any player on the list. e.g. the aging warrior in Jones, the young fella in Hunt still trying to find a way and the much-maligned Oscar down back are 3 prime examples. If all 3 of the aforementioned players shine this year (albeit a long shot) we'll be playing finals again. Of course, I'm assuming that the improvement or continued 'par excellence' elsewhere with various other players (Gawn, Oliver, Brayshaw, Salem, Harmes, Viney et al) should or would happen at the same time for the desired outcome (finals) to come to fruition. Again, it's a very big departure to go with just a captain & vc but nonetheless, it's a ballsy move by the club. No risk, no reward.

Here's a few interesting articles that are worth a look ... New favourite worth the weight in Sydney Cup Fierce Impact heads emergency queue for All-Star Mile Happy Clapper, Avilius share Doncaster Mile topweight What Blue Diamond were the bookies watching? (Richard Callader's Column) And the replays of the feature events from Saturday ...

Congratulations to big Max on being appointed captain ... another notch on the belt and well deserved. In fact, his appointment is also a reward for the hard-yards that the bloke has put into the club. Apparently we don't have an 'official' leadership group to complement Gawn & Viney but I suppose we've decided to go old school. I've always felt that leadership groups are overrated anyway but to dispense with the concept is really quite surprising. I'm also surprised that many here who are all-in on leadership groups are not forthcoming with their former strong views on the subject. It's a big swing to go the other way. An add-on deputy vice captain would have been my preferred option but we should get by if both Gawn & Viney can play the large majority of the games.

I'll multi it up with 1 or 2 others to get some value. Maybe even a treble with 2 others. Race 10 No.1 Monica (Moreira) looks a show as well as Race 5 No.4 Good Beauty (Purton) Rather than win bets I often pick out 3 that I fancy and then have 3 doubles & a treble. If 2 of the 3 get up I make a profit. If all 3 salute it's happy days Wadda! Anyway, the Demons win and Petracca dominates! Makes you wonder why we haven't played him in the middle previously.

Sha Tin Race 7 No.3 More Than This ($2.70) ... Purton on board. Drawn wide but gets back anyway and then rattles home ... 'Golden Sixty' the danger but they'll probably quinella the race.

Had an fairly ordinary day myself Wadda ... 1st & 3rd all day (with exacta's) and Gator & JJ tipped 1 winner between them (so they were no hope!) But the 3 feature races on Blue Diamond day at Caulfield are nearly always very tricky. I usually do quite well up in Sydney and at Morphettville on this raceday but not today. I didn't even look at Tagaloa & Pippie but both were just too good. Got a reasonable late collect though and I'll live to fight another day ... Moreira & Purton tomorrow might come to the rescue!

'Streets of Avalon' wins the Futurity ... ridden a treat by Ben Melham. The horse is such an honest performer. 33-1 could be had back a few days ago and it started at 9-1. The money came late and now Streets of Avalon gets a run in the All-Star Mile. Alas, I wasn't on it today as I though the 3 heavily favoured horses would fight out the finish. Tough horse and a well deserved win.

You really love your multi's don't ya Wadda! I'm forever struggling at a 2pic! I've got nearly all of your above picks but in exacta's and a couple of 2pics (and the 2pics are sure to fail! ... very small outlay though) My tip today Pandemic looked the winner half way down the straight but died on its run ... on that performance I struggle to see it becoming a group horse (after failing against that type of field) I thought it would go straight past them ... disappointing. Having said all that the inside running looks the go today ... Hanseatic will need to bring its A game to win the Blue Diamond.

Best Bet (Saturday) Caulfield Race 3 No.2 Pandemic (Win) $2.30

I didn't see the race live Wadda but there's not much I do miss live when it comes to the Olympics. So the impact (whilst very big) can't replace seeing it live. On RSN today they were talking about the great horse racing rivalries and there's been more than a few (Sunline/Northerly, Fastnet Rock/Alinghi, Redoute's Choice/Testa Rossa etc etc) Previously we've seen Better Loosen Up & Let's Elope in a match-race whilst Big Philou & Rain Lover were matched up in similar fashion going way back ... youtube has both match races available to view. And now we have Alligator Blood/Catalyst/Super Seth and maybe even Chenier as middle distance rivals. The rivalries are great for racing ... even better than stand-alone great thoroughbreds such as Winx & Black Caviar (IMO)

Both Santa Ana Lane & Gytrash are sired by 'Lope De Vega' and both horses on the Dam side are sired by Fastnet Rock. And like Santa Ana Lane, there is a somewhat unfashionable view of the horse (Gytrash) so the odds could remain attractive. Having said all that, the horse has just come into 4-1 favourite for the Newmarket Hcp!