Macca

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?

Here's a replay of Saturday's Golden Slipper & The George Ryder Stakes ...

Here's a couple of podcasts about the ball tampering furore ... BBC - 'Shocked and Stunned' ... Australia Wakes up to Ball Tampering Nightmare Cricket Unfiltered (Oz) - Ball Tampering Crisis Special

An unprecedented move ... mid test and all. World reacts to Steve Smith’s decision to step down as captain in Cape Town

Correct So why the difference in reaction? The answer to that question is extremely complex. I suppose the quick answer is that we can often act in a hypocritical manner. But there's also the love of a sport (or the opposite), the non-admission of guilt vs the admission of guilt (although the cricketers had very little choice), the protection of a sport vs a sport where the participants are often viewed as being extremely arrogant. I don't believe that the cricket test team is all that well-liked either - with the exception of a few thousand, the team doesn't really have a 'fandom' element. With footy, it's often the opposite. It's a very complex comparison.

Warner is a great example Bonkers - he should have been pulled into line a long time ago but instead of that, he's often allowed to run amuck. There's a separation/disconnect between those who oversee the sport and the participants - proof of that was the long, drawn-out pay dispute that went on forever. The team has underperformed for over a decade now - we're no longer a great team. Yet the team often acts and behaves as if it is a great one.

Not asking him to 'Shoot from the hip' ... he's just a beige CEO who never seems to say or do anything of any real substance. A fence sitter. Smith has admitted guilt - the 'investigation' only really needs to find out who exactly was involved in the fiasco. Sutherland spoke as if he was completely in the dark and he isn't. He would have spoken to Smith but told us he hasn't spoken to him. I don't believe him. The team has been a law unto itself under Sutherland's watch.

Can't wait for the Test to restart again tonight ... a sell-out crowd will be baying for blood. Could be a hostile crowd and there will be nowhere to hide. Sutherland's press conference was beige ... but I've never liked him as a CEO anyway. CA could do better. Hard to see Smith surviving this ... as a captain at least. Others could lose their spots or standing as well.

Hard to believe that 5 senior players believing that (a) the concept of ball tampering was a good idea and (b) that they'd even get away with it. Cricket fans will want blood and mass sackings ... but I've always believed that ball tampering goes on as a matter of course. And there's been a number of incidents over the years that reinforces that view. However, the incident just looks so brazen & blatant. And idiotic. This team is not well-liked to begin with so the repercussions could be enormous. But there's no excuse looked at in isolation and the person most responsible for this fiasco is the captain Steven Smith (unless Darren Lehmann knew about the plan as well) ... there's a press conference on at midday with James Sutherland - that will be more than interesting.

Santos will win it's fair share of races D77 ... that was a hot field.

'Kings Will Dream' does it easy - Dominant! One to watch. Into the Caulfield Cup now (automatic) Darren Weir again - he's done well again today. Winners everywhere.

'Sunlight' & 'Written By' were game in defeat - it was a really good race. Estijaab had to do it from the outside barrier - a great win and a great ride by Avdulla. And once again the exotics pay really well - Oohood was the difference but it always gets into the finish - it nearly won! Santos just couldn't finish off. There's a big future for a number of the runners.

And I'm doing well at Morphettville & now Mornington. 3 wins and 3 trifectas in a row from JJ's tips. The man is unstoppable - Safari JJ!

Ace High had every chance but D'argento too good. Started favourite and rightly so in the end. Ace High just hasn't had that zip about him in this campaign ... battled on well but we were looking for some brilliance.

And now for the Winx show ... I'm intrigued to see how close Kementari can get. Happy Clapper is in great form as well.