Macca

Weekend Special (Monday 2.00am) France Ligue 1 Monaco vs Rennes Monaco (Win) & +2.5 Goals Match Score $2.60

And there's some good racing today with 2 feature events up at Sha Tin along with the Horsham Cup (R6) and Seymour Cup (R7) And Race 7 at Horsham & Race 8 at Seymour both carry prizemoney of $100k and that's good coin for Sunday country racing. They race for $200k in the Seymour Cup. But I'm watching those races only but will have a couple of bets at Sha Tin in the 2 feature events. In race 3 at Sha Tin (The Premier Bowl) Pakistan Star & Full Of Beauty should fight out the finish whilst in race 8 (Sha Tin Trophy) Beauty Generation should win from Waikuku & Rise High with Ka Ying Star & Southern Legend running on.

In the U.S.A "Mer De Glace' would have almost certainly been disqualified as it cut across runners in the straight before it was clear. But they have more stringent rules over there. The actual racing is far cleaner over there as a result. But over here the luck can often run your way when winning. As it stands Lane copped a suspension but the $150k winning percentage (plus sling) will sweeten things and more than cover the $20k fine. And the punters (including myself) collect. Beau Mertons & Michael Dee also copped suspensions from the race. But the same thing happens a lot in these big races (with crowded fields) It stands to reason that jockeys are going to take chances. You win some, you lose some. The jockey on 'Best Solution' last year (Patrick Cosgrove) copped a suspension despite the horse winning the race. The only real detterent for riders taking undue risks would be to bring in more stringent penalties (like in the U.S.A) ... but that won't be happening in a hurry DZ. So it will be more of the same where some of the winning punters will feel they've got some payback whilst others will feel aggrieved. That's racing.

Well done Wadda! Outstanding dividend all things considered. Hope you got a decent percentage (or more) I've watched both races a few times (Everest included) and I'm just blown away at how both winners won. Always one to appreciate excellence. 'Yes Yes Yes' is the story though. It's the sort of thing that happens in Europe for 3yo's. A Star is Born (but for how long?) Because the Everest is not an official Group1 race the connections may have to race it on to maximise it's value at stud. But that may not matter when considering how commanding a performance it was. To beat that field the way it did was something else. Amazing! Track record to boot. We witnessed a fantastic 3/4 Mile. The Everest is on the map, good and proper. And the doubt I had (even though I backed it) on 'Mer' in the Cup was the barrier. But it was a walk in the park. Money for old rope. Way too good. Will watch the race again for your take on Constantinople.

I agree BM and because of our prizemoney the imported horses will continue to come here and they might come over earlier and/or in the Autumn. Many horses are now being imported on a permanent basis. For instance ... Hartnell is a horse from the UK. With Winx off the scene any of our races further than 1600m are ripe for the plucking. If we want to win the middle distance races and staying races with home grown talent it's up to the Australian owners & Trainers to find a way to produce our own We need horses like 'Shadow Hero' & 'Thought Of That' x 20 or 30. At least. 'Shadow Hero' was sired by 'Pierro' and 'Thought Of That' by 'So You Think' but we need more quality stallions that can produce more quality stayers. But a lot of our feature races are run over 1000m up to 1600m so where's the incentive? I enjoy watching the distance races but I'd prefer it there were more home grown winners. I just back the imported horses these days because it's the only smart way to punt.

Did something similar but got 2 decent collects. Got the winner and exacta but didn't extend to the trifecta & F4. Shouda Couda Wouda. Ah well, can't complain. In front for the day now with a bit to come. But as Clint mentioned above, Lane rode Mer de Glace perfectly. Helps when you're on the best horse in the race. Did it easy really. A bit of a rough race but Mer De Glace just cruised at the back and then went whoosho. A class above at the weights. Looks a Group 1 horse to me but only carried 55.5kgs. Lane rode it like it was always going to win.

The good bit is that if you get a collect it will pay ok. Or really well for the right choices. Big fields, big pools, big payouts

And now the 9yo Happy Clapper wins the Craven Plate in a brave front-running effort. Gutsy move by Tommy Berry to take the horse to the front early too. Fought like a lion to the line. There's hope for Hartnell (9yo) yet! Caulfield Cup up in 10 minutes.

'Yes Yes Yes' wins the Everest. Glen Boss again on board. Wonder how Darren Weir is feeling right now! (he formerly trained the horse) At $9 starting price there was some money for the horse too (not mine of course) The 3yo prevails. Trecking backed up brilliantly so that Schillaci Stakes lead up was certainly no impediment. Beat a lot of good horses home. Track record too ... 01:07.32. That's fast! Plenty of horses disappointed but it was a crack field and they ran the time. Santa Ana Lane brave in defeat but all honours to the fastest horse in the land Yes Yes Yes! What a horse!

And if 'Thought Of That' wins the Derby it might be the last time we see the horse. Although the Colts that win the Derby sometimes continue on to at least the Autumn carnival in Sydney to contest the Derby's up there. Stud value wins out a lot of the time though. 'Shadow Hero' is a bit of a swooper so we may see a classic finish with both horses involved. And they just ran 2 seconds slower in the fillies 2000m race just completed. That's about 30 metres (12 lengths) And you've noted that Linda Meech stacked them up a bit on 'Thought Of That' It should be noted that 'Shadow Hero' ran a very slick time in winning the G1 Champion Stakes last week (2000m)

Just over 2 seconds off the track record BM. And that track record was probably run on a fast track ('07) ... 'Thought of That' was carrying 57kgs today too. Shades of 'Might and Power' Very impressive winner. It's already into $2.80 equal favourite with 'Shadow Hero' for the Derby. It's out of those 2 now you'd imagine.

Blinkers have done the trick apparently with 'Thought of That' but the horse may go from a maiden winner at Donald to a Victorian derby winner within the space of a 25 days. Prizemoney 23k to $2Million. Meteoric rise. Whooda thunk-it.

Nice early collect for you Gorg ... I tend to ignore the earlier races but I did have an exacta in that race but no good. Small outlay only though. James Jordan's Morphettville tips are up on www.racing.com. There's a few value rumners amongst his tips. And JJ is in very good form lately. Gator's Caulfield tips can be found on racing.com as well (under the Best bets banner)

I have found that exacta's are a better percentage play for me Wadda. I still do the odd 'Spec' trifecta or F4 but they're much harder to get (and I like winning) However, there is a projected $2Million F4 pool in the Caulfield Cup today and the pool for the Everest is probably along similar lines. A chance to win big. And I've decided from here on in to not make any comments on jockeys at all! You won't hear a whisper from me. Contrarily, you blokes can say whatever you like. I am officially out of those conversations ?

My best bet is Race 5 No.3 (Soothing) $3.10 So what do we all like in the Caulfield Cup & The Everest? I'm with Mer De Glace in the Cup but not with any confidence. Taken an exacta with a few involved. And I'm sticking with Sunlight (E/W) at very good odds in the Everest but again, the race is a good one for the exotics. 2 big races in each State? I like it. A point of difference is fine by me and there are enough good jockeys around to ride on the good horses (in each State) I look upon it as increasing the interest across the board. Competition is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. The racing bodies in Melbourne will disagree but they'll get by. n.b. RSN (The Greater 3UZ) have got Peter Moody on for the next 2 hours live from Caulfield (from 10.00am)

Pats Rams Texans

The Caulfield Correspondant (Wadda) is probably going to collate our picks (all-up style) but we've still got the Morphettville Marauder (Binman) to come. Well over 1500-1 already though (boosted) for the 5 picks. Worth a coffee outlay! And I hereby dub the newest member of the team the 'Moonee Valley Maestro' (JV7) Here is the official list of nicknames Dee Zephyr - Flemington Forecaster Binman - Morphettville Marauder Wadda - Caulfield Correspondent Gorgoroth - Randwick Rampager JV7 - Moonee Valley Maestro ProperDee - Warwick Farm Whisperer Macca - Hong Kong Wizard

Best Bet Saturday Caulfield Race 5 No.3 Soothing $3.10

Now I get it ... thanks Skuit. But I'm sure I'm not the only one confused by it all but their 'deficit' could be quite hefty, all the same. As an example the difference between pick 4 (less 20% discount) and picks 40, 59, 60, 80 & 94 is 875 points ... 1628 versus 743. Which is the equivalent of about pick 21. So they can secure another player and then Green if they got hold of pick 3. As it stands, they are almost certainly going to have to use pick 6 on Green. A club higher up in the order will probably bid on him And because of that, the swapping of picks involving our pick 3 is still on the agenda. It's back to the point where they (GWS) won't want to use pick 6 on Green. And again, if we've knocked back pick 6 and next year's 1st round pick then what's it going to take? And can a deal even be reached?

Example form might work best for those not up to par with the workings Let's just say that no club bids on Tom Green before GWS's pick 6. And then GWS then pick another player from the draft using pick 6 (not an academy player (Green for instance) or father/son player) And then a club bids on Green at pick 7. How does GWS then secure Green? At the moment they hold picks 40, 59, 60, 80 & 94 and that adds up to 743 points. Can they get points from elsewhere or by some other means?

Rookie upgrades no longer require a draft pick number. Rookies are upgraded prior to the draft and I believe each upgrade acts as a draft pick (without the number attached) At least, that's what happened last year so I'm assuming that's how they do it now. So unless we trade picks 3 & 8 ... it will probably be rookie upgrade, pick 3 and then pick 8. And we'll possibly make a bid on Tom Green at pick 3.

Yeah they can get Green with pick 6 if Green has been bid on earlier (picks 3, 4 or 5) but that's it. The scenario put forward was they trade up to pick 3 and then double-dip. (i.e ... pick another prospect at pick 3 and then use the points from their remaining picks to claim Green if Green is bid on after they've had their pick 3) The trouble with that is that picks 40, 59, 60, 80 & 94 doesn't carry enough points to end up being 80% of say pick 4. Those picks add up to 743 points. Pick 4 is worth 2034 point. Pick 5 1878 points & Pick 6 1751 points.

See post below (forgot to do the quote bit)

Leaderboard in the Tipping Comp 6 - JV7 5 - Dee Zephyr, Go the Biff 4 - Macca 3 - Dappa Dan 2 - DeeSpencer, Layzie, Clintosaurus, Gorgoroth 2 points on offer this as are all the odd-numbered weeks Good luck!

Not sure that's right though GTB ... it's what we were hearing but I don't reckon there's any incentive for GWS to obtain pick 3 unless they want a player other than Green. It's my reckoning that the existing picks they have are there to match a bid for Green anyway Right now they've got picks 6, 40 then 59, 60, 80 & 94.