Macca

Here are the 3 specials ... all tomorrow morning Monday 6.30am Serie A $4.20 Napoli Win +2.5 goals v Juventus Monday 03.15am EPL $2.50 Liverpool Win & +2.5 Goals Match Score @ Everton Spanish Primera Division Monday 04:30 - Real Sociedad v Atletico Madrid $2.90 Atletico Madrid Win & Over 1.5 match goals Old school combined odds of 33-1 (with a boost) Good luck to anyone who is playing

Best Bet Strike Rate 96: 39 - 14 - 12 Australian Group & Listed Races And here are the replay's of the Group 1 races from yesterday ... Surround Stakes - Nakeeta Jane (logon to watch)

Looks a no-brainer Wadda, doesn't it ? Saturday overnight I've been having a couple of multi's based on the English Championship, League 1 & League 2 ... just 3picks but there is some very good value to be had in those leagues. Anywhere from 15-1 up to 50-1 based on the Win/+2.5 match goals rule-of-thumb. Spurs/Gunners tonight (11pm on SBS) could provide a few goals as well although either team can win.

Spurs vs Gunners on SBS tonight ... coverage starts at 11.00pm. TalkSport Radio TodayFM (EPL Coverage)

You could look at from the connections of Happy Clapper's point of view ... they have given up the chance to win other races with bigger prizemoney along with black-type recognition. That they happened to gain a wild-card was testimony to the horses ability but it's still a bit of a risk running against Winx ... and the fact is that any number of the connections of the good middle distance horses have deliberately avoided Winx - Apollo Stakes (1400m) Chipping Norton (1600m) Ryder Stakes (1500m) Ironically, the All Star Mile doesn't include the best Miler in Australia - Winx. My query is why isn't 'The Autumn Sun' running in the All Star Mile or running against Winx? For stud purposes the ASM doesn't carry any weight yet but when it does become a Group 1 race (along with the Everest) they'll be clamoring to get into the race. My attitude has always been there's no time like the present so the dilly-dallying annoys me ... both races aren't going anywhere so get them both recognised asap.

Next year we'll have a stronger field but in any Group 1 WFA middle distance race the field often tails off after the top 6 or 8 ... to get 14 bona-fide chances in the race would be a promoters dream. They'll make it happen next year by lifting the Benchmark qualification as well as altering the voting procedures to suit ... we might see 5 or 6 wild-cards too. 1 or 2 NQR's is acceptable though given it is a public vote. I reckon the 3 add-ons will be Mystic Journey, Fifty Stars & Hartnell ... add those 3 to Alizee, Amphitrite, Grunt, Happy Clapper & Material Man and you've got a very good field. Moss 'n' Dale & Mr Money Bags could run bold races too. And 1 or 2 of the rank outsiders could end up with a dream run from a good barrier and end up finishing in the top 8 past the post. Good money to be made for the connections of the long-shots.

Weekend Special Monday 03.15am EPL $2.50 Liverpool Win & +2.5 Goals Match Score @ Everton

My pattern is often similar Wadda ... I usually come home strong. I might just cut out the slow starts by cutting out the early stuff! There's a thought ? In other news you'd reckon that 'Mystic Journey' would get a run in the All Star Mile after winning the Guineas today and so might 'Fifty Stars' ... Hartnell as well?

For a moment there ... but in the end Winx ran a sizzling 01:33.27 and did it on the bit Happy Clapper picks up a lazy $114k for the connections for what looked like a bit of a jog-around. Unforgotten a fair way back to 3rd.

What has been really noticeable today is the drifting in the market by horses that were previously at the top of the market ... I've got a few winners up but I've missed on the odds.

Same as last week ... got the 'saver' winner and also got the exacta but the team misses on 'Extra Brut' - I'm picking the team says ugh and sighs. Could have gone for a shortie and that would have been 'She's so High' in race 3 so may re-evaluate my pick going forward.

2 from 2! Team 'ADATR' well in front at half time

It feels like the late afternoon with the races at Flemington ... just gone 1.00pm and we're heading into race 6 already.

Got my copy alright BM ... my local newsagent shut down a little while ago as is the growing trend so now have to go elsewhere. I have a connection to the managing editor of WP as I played cricket with his brother for quite some time. Still a great publication but I especially like the feature articles including the overseas write-ups. The 'Backtrack' section is fascinating too ... not included of late though for some reason.

Best Bet Flemington Race 8 No.1 Extra Brut $4.80 (Place)

The All Star Mile if Johannes Vermeer wins tomorrow? Probably gets a wild-card if so. Apparently the horse is ready-to-go and is being well supported Wadda. Gets in extra well in the weights tomorrow and is a Group level performer. I was tempted to make it my best bet but have it included the horse in an exacta instead. Otherwise the horse would be aimed at a possible quick back-up in The Australian Cup next week or perhaps the Ranvet (2000m Group 1) at Rosehill in late March (23rd) ... and then the 2000m QEII Stakes (Winx) or the $2Million Sydney Cup (run on the same day - April 13th)

There are any number of feature races right across Australia on the weekend ... 3 x Group 1's, 4 x Group 2's, 4 x Group 3's & 7 x Listed Races. The majority of the Black-type races are at Flemington & Randwick but Morphettville, Ascot & Doomben also have their own feature races. Winx runs around again in the Chipping Norton whilst the Australian Guineas, Surround Stakes, Blamey Stakes & Guy Walter Stakes are also standout races with quality fields throughout. Racenet Form Guide

Just checked in Wadda Found out late that Etymology was flown in last night but it was supposed to be flown in last Friday evening. Not sure what happened there but they might have been better off saving the horse for Saturday (it was entered for the Roy Higgins Quality - race 2) Eastender won to complete the Cups treble (Hobart, Devonport, Launceston) whilst Lamborghini ran 3rd. Oliver's mount not in the finish and Etymology weakened badly. Forgive run though. But Eastender is worth following for the upcoming Country Cups. It is not a bad horse and is very honest.

You're right, there's not much there (although there was a few years ago) Found this article but I think if the figure was North of 1500 tests per year these days there would be some sort of recent internet history pointing us that way. And with 700+ players in the system, the average wouldn't be more than 2 tests per year. And they aren't blood tests (which is another issue) By the way, the reason I've brought PED use into the conversation is that I see a correlation & connection between illicit drugs & performance enhancing drugs. Just my opinion but the dealers would be dealing both so why wouldn't those seeking these drugs seek both? AFL targets stars for performance-enhancing drugs testing (May 2011)

Bottom line ... They may as well shut WADA down ... a miniscule organisation with no teeth. Not their fault either ... it is just the way it is LDvC.

Try google - you'll have your answer in no time.

I obviously 'meant' conducted tests ... whoever does those tests was never my point. So what do you think about the AFL's token efforts towards PED use? I urune test per year per player ... it might be 2 tests. Do you think the sport is clean?

If WADA had their way the AFL would conduct weekly or fortnightly blood tests (for PED use) As it stands the AFL conducts (on average) 1 urine test per player per year. Which is a token effort.

There's a few decent races coming up at Launceston on Wednesday ... notably races 6, 8 & 9. Damien Oliver is on a couple of fancied runners in races 8 & 9 whilst James Cummings has engaged Etymology in the $250k Launceston Cup - Race 8. Full Card - Launceston Cup Day

The AFL have deliberately gone away from the traditional teams to these 'Marvel' type teams much like CA went away from the State based teams to City based teams in the big bash. Huge opposition at first but now mostly readily accepted DZ. But the thing that stood out for me was how much the players seemed to embrace the whole concept ... you'd expect as much with the broadcasters, the AFL and those others that are connected to the idea but the players seemed to treat AFLX as a bit of fun and their attitude seemed to fit in with what it is. Not that they were fair dinkum as we saw almost no tackling, zero sledging, no hard hits or anything that even resembled real footy. But that's the whole idea - the concept is a deliberate foreign concept much like t20 is to Test cricket. They are looking for a different audience - 2 bites at the cherry with AFL being the other way of attracting a younger audience. I don't like it but it doesn't bother me either.