Macca

Tosen's odds have come in big time from Wednesday ... gotta get on early with the decent odds for the good horses. Brave Smash was $3 for the place yesterday and is now $1.95. All those Morphettville hot favourites have shortened appreciably too. There's definitely a pattern with regards to the odds offered. Especially in Adelaide.

I still vividly remember when many jumped off 'Jeune' after Shane Dye declared that it couldn't win the Melbourne Cup. What a horse was Jeune! In its next start after winning the Cup it won the CF Orr stakes over 1400m running a scorching time.

There's often a fine line between ultimate glory and being an also-ran Wadda ... Tom consistently gets into the finish - that much we do know. If the jockey had not have dropped the persuader with 300m to go the horse may well have won it's last start and the story-line could be a lot different. It is not like it has started hot favourite and then not run a drum like the 'Tosen' ... speaking of which, could Tosen Stardom return to form? Big odds and it often bounces back from a disappointing run. I've backed Kementari but I see threats in that race everywhere ... the race should be a beauty. Eagerly looking forward to it.

Yep ... I like Ace High as well and had already backed it before you made it your best bet Wadda. It is the class horse of the race and the others have to prove themselves. As you said, this is the race that the horse was set for all along. So that's 2 best bets so far with @binman & @Demon77 to follow ... French Emotion - Bendigo Race 6 No.2 ($3.80) Ace High - Randwick Race 7 No.1 ($5.50) I like your place card there as well but what about 'Tom Melbourne' at $4.60 for the place? Carrying only 52kgs it's sure to be flashing home. In fact, that race (The Doncaster) could easily result in a blanket-finish.

Lite'N In My Veins keeps bobbing up and it keeps running well D77 ... that race is a tough one though with any number of chances. Good fields in Bendigo, all things considered. Gator liked my best bet 'French Emotion' and Chris Waller who trains it made mention of it this morning on RSN. It's a good price too. Gator also likes Really Swish in race 3 and the Hayes horse 'Pure Scot' in race 8 ... both represent very good value. As for the first day of the Championships there's strong support for 'She's So Fine' in race 3, 'Don't Give A Damn' in race 4, Alward in race 5, Oohood in the Sires Produce, Ace High in the Derby and Kementari in the Doncaster - this is after watching both 'Form Line' on the Sky Thoroughbred channel and 'Get On' on the racing channel. I'll be keeping an eye out for JJ's tips at Morphettville on racing.com but there are a lot of very short-priced favourites in Adelaide this week (apart from races 2, 4, 8 & 9) Might be some value tips in those 4 races from JJ.

I like a few chances this upcoming weekend including 'Enbihaar' (Race 1 Randwick), 'Despatch' (Race 3 Morphettville) and 'Beat the Clock' (Race 7 Sha Tin) but here's my best bet... French Emotion ($4.20) - Bendigo Race 6 No.2 ... trained by Chris Waller with Brad Rawiller on board. The horse has drawn a decent gate and should at least get into the finish (paying $1.75 for the place) Overall Best Bet Strike Rate 33: 19 - 6 - 1 Australian Group & Listed Races Footnote: 'Brave Smash' ($8.50) is my each-way bet - running in the T J Smith Stakes the horse has a more than decent finishing burst ... 5 weeks off since the Newmarket should have freshened the horse up nicely.

Final fields and barriers are up already for the Four Group 1's at Randwick this coming Saturday ... 'Ace High is $6.50 favourite in the Derby, Redzel is $2.50 fav for the T J Smith and 'Oohood' is favoured over Seabrook in the Sires Produce (although that may change) The Doncaster has produced a really good field with Kementari opening as $4.20 favourite over Happy Clapper & D'Argento. And if you want to give Tosen Stardom another chance you can get 60-1 ! The horse is carrying the same weight as Happy Clapper although both those horses & Humidor are giving a lot of weight away against the rest. Tom Melbourne is only carrying 52kgs - currently $4.60 for the place. Here's a replay of last year's T J Smith, The Doncaster & The Derby ...

Here's a replay of yesterday's 2 Group 1 events ... The Tancred Stakes & The Vinery Stud Stakes.

In the end (for me at least) it comes down to the ease of navigating the website and the best odds on offer ... the TAB loses out on both fronts Wadda. Sat up and watched half the races from Dubai last night and then watched the rest of the races this morning ... some great racing on offer with a lot of good horses involved. I didn't bet on the races apart from a very small multi that didn't work out. They make a very big deal of it over there. Anyway ... here's a replay of the Dubai World Cup followed by the Derby ...

You cleaned up Wadda although we made real hard work of it. Still, a win is a win is a win. Having a go in Dubai tonight? ha ha I've got a 4 pick multi going just for an interest bet ... all favs so I hope to get the chance to cash out. The races from Dubai are on the racing channel - just kicked off.

The tips might have been up but I only noticed them after a few races today ... the tips haven't been there previously when I've looked but I stand corrected. Maybe the word is spreading and racing.com have decided to post up his tips. And backing Osborne Bulls twice would have been a great choice Wadda! ... fairly sure 3.50 was available.

Once into the site click on Morphettville races then click on 'tips' (above right) We should give ourselves an extra win for the strike rate! Well tipped gentlemen. Gailo Chop just found the distance a bit too long. Almandin is a champ though - Sydney Cup is next up for the horse in a couple of weeks. Could be a very good field too with a few of the stayers running into a bit of form. Fanatic & Ormito should be starters. Hiyaam was too good for them in the Vinery.

James Jordan's tips have been posted up on Racing.com

I've worked a couple of trifectas around the picks D77 ... looking forward to the 2 Group 1's though. For a bit of each way value I like Torvill in the Vinery Stud Stakes (Race 7 Rosehill) and Golden Mane in the Easter Cup (Race 7 Caulfield)

The Quarantine laws have been relaxed too - the following article (below) is from last year. Overseas raiders enter quarantine ahead of trip to Melbourne

To be honest I don't know for sure DJ ... for instance, if there is a "Ire" next to the horses name do we assume that the horse was bred overseas? I would have thought yes but it's a good question. Gailo Chop was bred overseas and raced in Europe for its first 12 races ... so there's one. Almandin is another as well as Harlem. These horses have been here for a fair time now so we may be assuming that they are not from overseas. I reckon all the overseas horses currently racing here have slipped under the guard. The fanfare with regards to overseas 'invaders' usually surrounds the Melbourne Cup. As previously stated, I welcome the interest from overseas for a number of reasons. The owners & trainers here might disagree but it should also be noted that the overseas horses are often placed in the hands of the local trainers.

Just a note on the Internationals ... there are no fewer than 7 of 9 in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes to be run tomorrow. I suppose being a $2Million race it's no surprise. 2 from France and 1 each from the UK, Ireland, Germany, Japan & New Zealand. The scratching (Libran) is also from Ireland so it could have been 8 from 10. Most or all will probably run against Winx in the $4Million Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the 14th of April.

Yeah I like Osborne Bulls as well D77 ... the horse is looking for the 1400m too. I'll be including Ken's Dream in a trifecta as well - thanks for the heads up. There are some wide-open races at Rosehill tomorrow - especially the Vinery Stud Stakes & to a lesser extent the Emancipation Stakes. The Easter Cup at Caulfield is a good betting race as well ... I like those sort of fields being a trifecta punter. They are racing at Oakbank instead of Morphettville tomorrow but I'll be following JJ's tips with interest ... I've figured out a way to use his tips in trifectas by taking his first 2 tips to win (as a base of a 2-4-6 trifecta)

It should be noted that the ex-captain is no angel ... he's confrontational as well and often spoke to his own players and the umpires in a rude and ill-manner way. Verified by players from other countries. But these professional sportspeople often live in a bubble and are often blissfully unaware of the consequences of their actions - until it is too late. Then the tears flow - feeling sorry for themselves because of their own stupid actions. As always, the whole story needs to be told and nothing conveniently left out ... as an example we got off very lightly with our own involvement with Dank. As it turned out the doctors involved with the club were dispensed with but looked at in isolation, we were very lucky that the focus was on Essendon during the drugs scandal. 'Moving On' hey ... not this time. I hate that overused phrase anyway. It's like that other one "It is what it is" ... code for 'Can we talk about something else?' With the cricket thread being down at the moment this is the only thread where we can express our views so here's a view from the outside that is worth listening to BBC Podcast - Australian Cricket Scandal

I'm getting in early with Gailo Chop for my best bet. Rosehill Race 6 No.1 ... $2.60 is currently available. Gailo is basically meeting the same horses that it has beaten recently. The trend should continue. The distance is a slight query with Almandin being the main danger. Overall Best Bet Strike Rate 31: 17 - 6 - 1

Some very interesting stats there DJ - well researched. As we are no doubt aware by now, the prizemoney on offer here outstrips what Winx could earn for the connections racing overseas ... by quite a long way too (unless she was to tackle the 2400m classics like the 'Arc'. I had a look ahead and the races that she could have contested overseas within that 1600m - 2000m mark are only worth around the $1Million mark where as the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Randwick) on April 14 is worth $4Million & The Cox Plate $3Million. And the other races Winx contests here are often worth around the $1Million mark anyway. It's my hope that horses like Enable, Winter and/or Churchill are brought down to Oz in the Spring or Autumn. It would be a fantastic advancement for our racing if that were to happen and in turn, Winx would have some real competition. Footnote: If the Queen Elizabeth Stakes & The Cox Plate were both held in the Spring or Autumn we'd soon see the Internationals coming. Probably won't happen of course - just a thought.

Winx now not going to Royal Ascot but will contest a 4th Cox Plate - I would have been happy either way but the mare contesting another Cox Plate will be something special to look forward to. Of course, Winx will still contest the 2000m Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 14 before going for a spell - the race is worth a cool $4Million. Here's the full story Australian Group & Listed Races

2 more big Group 1's coming up this Saturday ... The Vinery Stud Stakes over 2000m & The H E Tancred Stakes over 2400m. Here's a replay of both of last year's events ... 2017 Vinery Stud Stakes 2000m (3yo F) G1

There are a lot of ex-players chiming in and none of them were angels ... I still believe the botched attempt to change the nature of the cricket ball was way more stupid than sinister but it's not getting viewed that way. And there's no love lost between Sutherland and the board and the players - but that's often been the case. The decision to sanction the players should only be done if they are completely satisfied that all the facts have been presented. In the meantime, standing down Smith, Warner & Bancroft for the time being is the sensible thing to do ... Lehmann may want out anyway. Who knows? Sure, we could set an example with regards to ball tampering but are any of the other countries going to follow suit? And isn't that the ICC's job anyway?

The more I look at this the more I reckon that the outrage is completely over the top ... the angry mob are baying for blood but are those angry people consistent with their views with regards to other forms of cheating? I don't think so. As always, context needs to be applied but the outraged often prefer to look at these matters in isolation. PED use in all sports is a far greater issue but no one wants to ralk about it (including in the AFL where the drug testing standards are negligible) . . and then there is the widespread tanking (cheating) that went on for years & years. And CA will never find out even 20% of the truth so we'll never know the truth either. My gut feeling tells me that they all knew but is the crime that bad anyway? Most people would know that all the teams have cheated in the area of ball tampering so why should we cop the full brunt alone?