Macca

It's not really an organised thing Wadda ... we just text around about a particular race. The input varies. I usually kick things off and then wait for feedback. By the end of it, there's about 4 -8 horses that get mentioned. The first 4 is my target but some just like trifecta's or even just the quinella/exacta. It's way easier online - for instance, I put Tom Melbourne & Perfect Jewel in my multiples because you & D77 liked the horses. I had them in beforehand but the input acted as reinforcement. I don't profess to know a great deal other than often fancying 1 or 2 horses based on form.

That's right, you're out of metro. So the free-to-air channels are different in the country yeah? Redzone is great but there's nothing like watching a big game from go to whoa.

Your thoughts & D77's too (and anyone else for that matter) ... it all helps when trying to put a multiple together. I do it with mates during the Spring & Autumn carnivals (usually via text) A few of us (sometimes 4 or 5 of us) pick out a horse or 2 in one of the feature races and then we can bundle them up individually if we so wish. That way you bet with each other rather than against one another. The field & barriers for the feature races are usually out by Wed or Thurs so you can get an early heads up ... I'll post up a link to the AJ Scahill Stakes midweek if I'm online.

I settled on 3 horses in the field that I thought could win so that ruled out any win & place outlays. It's Somewhat & Great Shot were the other two I liked. You're right though Wadda, same as you were right with your call with regards the Sandown Guineas. A number of the fancied horses looked tired. But I don't give up easy ... I'm already looking ahead to next week at Ascot! The AJ Scahill Stakes is another WFA race over 1400 where a few horses from the Winterbottom Stakes could well be running. Might be another roughies race. The following week there's another WFA race (The CB Cox Stakes - 2100m) finishing up with the Perth Cup (2400m) on New Years day. And then we go to the Gold Coast for the Magic Millions!

Missed the tri & first 4 though - typical! To be fair, I didn't have the 2nd or 3rd in either multiple. Good dividends though. It's last run was the pointer, all the same. More than doubled it's prizemoney in one run. A perfectly timed run from the back ... I felt that it was going to win before the turn. But not to worry, I bet small to win big so I'm going to miss a fair bit along the road to the big payout. Pounamu is a 6 year old so the horse is worth following. It's got a really good finish.

Eagles @ Rams game is on 7mate from 8.30am Monday morning. Vikings @ Carolina is the 5.00am game on 7mate.

It's Somewhat' has won some very big races too ... it could be a blanket-finish D77. My pick (Pounamu) in the Railway Stakes came flashing home to come 5th and if the horse is freshened up, the extra 200 might suit. Very good odds too. I just love these WFA races ... more so 1400 metres and above although I have occasionally done ok with the 1200 metre races. The racing calendar is chock-full of big races but I have been known to follow the big races in Europe! (May through to October) Here's the full list of those European Group Races (for those who might be interested) And once again, here's the full list of all the Australian Group Races

I vary it Wadda ... depending on the depth in the field. A base of 3, 5, 5, & 7 but sometimes I'll go for just the 2 winners to increase the percentage. I'll usually have 3 roughies in the 7 with the other 4 runners being the top fancies. $20 will get you 14% with 3 horses winning or 21% with just the 2 horses winning. I always have a horse at good odds to win ... same for 2nd & 3rd. I've had collects this way but no big collects (yet!) I do like systems but that might have more to do with me trying to find some sort of order in all the chaos! 3, 5 & 5 is my preferred trifecta combo - again with 2 or 3 roughies mixed in. 2, 5 & 5 sometimes. It's not something I'd necessarily recommend, it's just my way of doing it.

Yeah, now that I've seen that fabulous catch by Deoin Jones, I'm not sure that it's all on Brees at all (the loss) You should beat Tampa (although nothing is ever certain) and then it's the Panthers & Saints to finish. If you can get to 10 wins that should be enough ... a win against the Panthers would ensure you'd hold the tie-break against most or all of your wild-card rivals. But if you win out I believe you will win the division.

'Dunkirk' was just superb ... often bleak with many of the characters being shell-shocked, demorilised & traumatised, the movie was as realistic as a film can get. It was like watching a documentary or a docudrama ... character development was kept to a minimum but the film had to be depicted that way. My only criticism was that the movie could have been longer (i.e. 40 - 60 minutes longer than the 1hr 46min) Christopher Nolan has written & directed a great film. 4.5/5 The 'Mad about Movies' crew produced a podcast about the movie which is more than decent - listen here from 16.15 (the podcast is not spoiler-free)

The Kingston Town Classic G1 WFA (1,800m) Ascot Saturday 9th December 7.50pm (AEDT) Prizemoney $1,000,000 A number of the horses that ran in the Railway Stakes are running in this Group 1 classic - including the winner of that event, 'Great Shot' Any number of horses can win it but I'm happy to have a trifecta & first 4 and include a few roughies for some value. Great Shot is excellent value again whilst Black Heart Bart, Tom Melbourne, Perfect Jewel & It's Somewhat could all feature. I'll be giving Pounamu another chance as well (it's also at very good odds) It's a wide-open affair though ... Money Maher & Royal Star both have claims. So it's the exotics for me with fingers crossed for the right combo! Here's the field

That's a vital win by the Falcons ... Saints walked away with a number of injury concerns as well. I listened to the 2nd half and it was no surprise to see the outcome of the match decided by an interception. The Atlanta win makes it doubly hard for Dallas, Detroit & Green Bay now (in terms of wild-card spots) The Falcons have beaten all 3 teams so hold the head-to-head advantage. There's still a bit to play out though ... we might see a few teams end up on 10 wins in the NFC. Playoff Standings

Saints Patriots Vikings

1 Point only on offer this week but it's a vital point for the top 3 in the tipping comp ... the rest of us are playing for pride and a possible podium finish. Leaderboard in the comp 12 - Clintosaurus 9 - Go the Biff 8 - Dappa Dan 5 - Macca 4 - JV7, Gorgoroth 6 big game match-ups this week ... with a lot riding on a number of other games as well. Dallas, Detroit & Green Bay can all re-enter the playoff picture if all 3 win and a few other potential wild-card teams all lose. Those 3 teams (Carolina, Atlanta & Seattle) all face tough opposition. It's probably the week of the season so far with so much at stake. Avatar's are on the line in the biggie ... Rams vs Eagles, Goff vs Wentz, Gorgo vs Dappa. Cowboys logo vs Sherman or Fisher's noggin. Philadelphia have been installed as 2.5 point favourites but I reckon it's a 'pick-em' game. Friday's game (Saints & Falcons) could be a barnburner. Atlanta are going to have to be at their free scoring best to match New Orleans. Meanwhile, Rodgers is getting ready for week 15. Surely the Packers couldn't possibly lose to Cleveland. Surely not. Lose to a team that is tanking? Anyway, all will be revealed by late Monday arvo (oz time) Guess the Lines Week 14 With Bill Simmons & Cousin Sal (podcast)

It's gotta annoy and hurt a bit Dappa ... no soft landings on 'land Here's a couple of likely candidates ...

1 wicket changes everything DJ ... especially in these 4th innings run chases. Smith drops one! That's a rare occurrence. Lyon just keeps getting better & better every time I see him bowl.

At this time of the season the evening games can be bumped to accommodate better match-ups. But I think it might be too late to reschedule the Eagles @ Rams game to SNF or MNF. The game might be on 7mate though ... they haven't listed the match-ups yet. Check tomorrow. Redzone is great but sometimes you want to watch a whole game when it's of this magnitude. Even in standard definition. You and Gorgo should have a sportsman's bet on the game. I had one a ways back and had to have Trump's head as my avatar for a month. It was torture And you're right, I've been spoilt as a Packers fan. What I'd like is to have another hall-of-famer to follow Rodgers. Is that being a tad greedy?

It's being reported that Shazier is able to feel all his extremities ... might be a career-threatening injury to his back though. The sport can be absolutely frightening at times. The NFL really needs to clamp down on players leading with a lowered helmet to an unsuspecting players. Hefty suspensions would help. Shazier contributed to his own injury but a re-education process needs to be enacted. As previously stated, the sport is brutal enough as it is.

That's what I like to see - true colours! There is nothing quite like the rivalries within the divisions in the NFL ... your Eagles need every win they can get in order to attain the 1 or 2 seed and you play both the Giants & Dallas in the run in. That's on top of a visit to the Rams next Sunday. No match is easy when bragging rights are at stake.

Couple of very nasty helmet-to-helmet hits in today's game ... the sport is brutal enough without the need for these types of illegal hits to unsuspecting players. Brutality of Steelers-Bengals shouldn't be dismissed as 'AFC North football'

My beef was always about disrespecting a player who brought about the ultimate success ... Eli was that person but it's not like I'm enamoured with the bloke (even though it might look that way) I would argue just as fiercely for any number of people caught up in identical situations Anyway Dappa ... the Giants have one hell of a mess to clean up.

McAdoo & Reese both sacked - effective immediately

Yeah the race is on for the 1 & 2 seed in the NFC ... 2 teams have almost certainly won their divisions in the NFC (Eagles & Vikings) and then it's down to the Rams & Seahawks for the West whilst 3 teams can still win the South. The good news for the neutrals is that a lot of the top teams are playing each other in the run in to the playoffs ... and it starts on Friday (Saints @ Atlanta) Your game vs the Eagles next week should be a cracker - and there's a lot on the line too. The AFC is less interesting but teams in that conference can also get hot at the right time ... so the Chargers & Ravens could get on a run. I was most impressed with Seattle, New Orleans, Minnesota, the Rams, Jacksonville (with Bortles), New England & the Ravens today. The Eagles did it tough but that game in Seattle will help them in the long run. The jury is out on Carolina & Atlanta.

Just got through all of redzone - a few observations (haven't watched SNF) ... Vikings are a very good team & Detroit are just about finished. Saints superb, Panthers largely outplayed & Atlanta couldn't score. The Raiders are not very good and the Chargers were also unimpressive - KC are really struggling on defence. The AFC West could end up in anyone's hands. Pats roll on and who is going to stop them? Baltimore are the dark horse and could get hot at the right time again The Rams are an excellent team - I'd be surprised if they don't win the NFC West. The Jags beat a poor Colts team but credit must go to Bortles - he played a very good game. The trouble for Jacksonville is that Tennessee won't go away.

If you've seen the hit comedy 'The Big Sick' here's an excellent podcast which includes interviews with a number of the stars of the movie (Holly Hunter, Kumail Nanjiani, Ray Romano & Emily V Gordon) The Big Sick (podcast)