The radio advertisement says "successful punters go to someone they can trust and that's Best Bets". It appears that a punter couldn't trust them last week though, as that publication stuffed up the field in Race 1 at Caulfield and the winner Paparazzi Dreamer, shown here as number 6, was actually number 12, which is real handy if you are standing in a queue at a tote window on course, or filling in a ticket at an agency. Does anyone in racing actually know what they are doing? It seems to me that major events that stewards forget to report to punters, or wrong numbers appearing in Form Guides that could potentially cost punters a fortune, or strange penetrometer readings that don't add up - are only ever brought to account here.

Racegoers will be treated to a rare event at Doomben tomorrow - as there will be two champions that can be seen in the flesh at the course.

The first one is Takeover Target, the retired champion sprinter who took all before him during his illustrious career. The Brisbane Racing Club will present Takeover Target to the crowd in honour of “his contribution to the race.” The official Media Release of the event says “Takeover Target was retired last year after he sustained a career ending leg injury when he put his foot in a hole after passing the winning post” in England, but that’s garbage, as you’d have to believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny to believe that. As I’d written here exclusively many times prior to that breakdown, we are blessed he didn’t get taken off a racetrack somewhere around the world – not breathing - and in a horse ambulance.

The other “champion” that will be appearing at the Doomben meeting will lead the field onto the track for the Doomben 10,000. Many may laugh at me and say he’s not a champion, but I can assure you he should have been a “champion racehorse” – his trainer just has to bring out those champion qualities that I know he possesses. In 40-odd years of watching racehorses you see a million scrubbers, many good horses, but only a few champions. Whobegotyou, when on song, has the capacity to make me shake my head in disbelief at the sectional times he can reel off. Not many horses have done that I can assure you. He’s the best horse in the Doomben 10,000 tomorrow by panels of fencing. That doesn’t mean he’ll win the race, because of all the variables of racing, but whatever you back, keep one eye out wide on the track for Whobegotyou. Most of that field don’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as the horse that would have been a “champion”, in my opinion in the Bart Cummings or Denham yard. I’m sure with one of those two training him he’d have won at least one Cox Plate by now, but that’s a matter of opinion.

Even with my non-preferred trainer Mark Kavanagh training him, Whobegotyou has got a pretty good CV, for as at today he’s had 19 starts for seven wins, seven seconds and one third for earnings of 2.2 million dollars. Of his 19 starts, eight have been in Group 1 races and of those eight he has won two – a Caulfield Guineas and an Underwood Stakes, then he’s run second in another two Group 1’s and of course he was fabulously slaughtered by Michael Rodd in the Group 1 Doncaster in 2009 when he should have won easily, but instead he ran third, so really he should have three Group 1 wins to his credit.

Make no mistake, Whobegotyou is the best racehorse that has set foot on a Brisbane racetrack for quite a few years – and he may be the only “champion” that we’ll get to see for a few more years.

So it’s over to trainer Mark Kavanagh now. Whobegotyou needs to perform both tomorrow and in the Stradbroke if there is any such phenomenon in racing as “the Kav factor” as if the horse isn’t at least placed in one Group 1 in Brisbane, you can put a line straight through that phrase that some “experts” in the media have devised - in my humble opinion.

Queensland Racing Chief Handicapper Lester Grimmett has sent through the scaled weights for tomorrow and they are Race 1 = MO + 1 kilo, Race 2 = MO + 2 kgs and Race 3 – 3 kgs.

Brad Tamer from Unitab advises the following five jackpots are happening tomorrow. There is a massive $101,365 Trifecta jackpot on the Albion Park harness racing meeting in Race 1 (BT1). There is also a Quadrella jackpot of $38,457 at the Albion Park meeting. In the Doomben 10,000 (BR7) there is a First 4 jackpot of $61,571. On Doomben Race 8 (BR8) there is an Exacta jackpot of $21,621. The Doomben (BR) Treble has a $20,777 jackpot going onto that.

Sean Bridges from Doomben has sent through the 3pm track report for Doomben and he has advised that the track is currently a “dead 4 with a penetrometer reading of 4.4”. There has been 2mm of rain in the last seven days and no irrigation has been applied to the track in the last seven days. Now I rang Sean Bridges straight away upon the issue of this report, as by my historical Sectional Times data, Doomben cannot possibly have a “4.4” penetrometer reading and be a “dead 4” track. In fact I asked him if he meant 5.4, as Doomben historically should be racing on a “fast” track at 4.4. To back me on this vitally important issue, last Saturday Doomben started with a penetrometer reading of 4.95 and was rated as a “dead 4” track for the first five races, then it was upgraded to a “good 3” after Race 5. The previous Saturday (15/5) it had a penetrometer reading of 5.10 and after Fab Fevola won Race 1 the track was upgraded to a “good 3”, so I don’t know what is going on at Doomben with the penetrometers readings. Sean Bridges reiterated to me that “4.4” was the right reading. The other thing that amazes me, is if the Doomben track was rated by stewards as a “good 3” track after Race 5 last Saturday afternoon and only 2 mm of rain has fallen on the track since last Saturday – and that 2mm fell on Tuesday, how the hell can the track possibly be any worse than a “good 3” today at 3pm? The Doomben dews must be equivalent to dumping “20 points of rain” on the track, like one Ipswich committeeman told me once, but I did laugh at him over that stupid statement, as I grew up on a farm, so I have a fair idea about dews. So read into that Doomben track report what you will. Sorry to confuse readers on the issue, but I don’t take the penetrometers readings, I just keep a record of what is advised by track staff, so abnormalities stick out like the proverbials.

The apprentice jockeys weights tomorrow at Doomben should be:

*Ben Vassallo is apprenticed to Tim Martin and has ridden 46 winners in his career to date. He will be able to claim his full 3 kilos on his only mount, Monton, in Race 2.

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au I preview the Doomben 10,000 whilst on www.sydneyracing.com.au I preview the Premiers Cup at Doomben and on www.melbourneracing.com.au Tim Hickman looks at Moonee Valley.

Galilee has filed his report on Adelaide tomorrow and it reads:

Timely ran a shocker last week, loomed and died. I could not see any excuses. At the time of going to press we have a Dead 5 track and there is rain about.

Some good racing tomorrow and I spent some time tossing up which race I felt more comfortable with. There are a few runners I like on Saturday, but I have gone to Race 7 for a bet. A large field, so we will need some luck. Prior to going to Race 7 let me say that you will see Balzoni is in Race 8. I have stated before he has to ‘aim up’ soon, or is he going to be a ‘gunna’. I stayed away from this race because of him, but if you have some spare ammo left coming into this race have a small wager on Bella Leah. [Read Stewards Report last run 8/5 and use Likable Will as a reference point.]

Canterbury Star in Race 7 - is, in my opinion, due for a change of luck. The run on the 25 April was full of merit. The follow up run on 15 May was also a good effort. The pluses are, 1200 metres, the two barrier and Dom Tourneur back on. By saying that, I am not suggesting Amy Hermann did anything wrong on the horse last start, but Tourneur was on top on the 25 April and he has won on the horse. From the 2 barrier he probably still drifts back a little to mid-field, but should stay in touch with them and get a good cover and come into the race at the business end. In this, his third run back after a freshen up, the 1200 should suit this Canny Lad 4YO admirably. Some of the runners that I think will be favoured in this race have drawn out wide and are ones that usually run on the pace. It is fair to assume that some of these will have to go forward early and this will ensure we get some true pace in this race. If the cards fall as I see them, Canterbury Star should be hard to hold out in this. Include Stakhanovite for the quinella.

Selection: 11 – 7.

Good Luck.

Neil Davis from leading New Zealand racing website www.formpro.co.nz has sent this report through on his thoughts on Kiwi horses running at Doomben tomorrow and it reads:

Wealth Princess did it in style last week at nice odds and on decent surfaces is going to be a real force to be reckoned with against her own sex over the next few weeks.

There are plenty of Kiwis fronting up again tomorrow.

Doomben

Race 1 -8- Firebolt. He has been struggling to win a race back home, so I can’t see him in this from the wide draw.

Race 4 -8- Starcheeka. This fine looking Starcraft gelding won very impressively at Hastings at just his second start. From the handy draw tomorrow he should be able to secure a good run behind the pace and is a realistic place chance against these.

Race 5 -2- Sir Time Keeper went too hard last week and will have improved with that run. He looks much better suited here against his own age group. David Walsh has been summoned over and he knows the horse well having won on him in fast time at Awapuni leading all of the way. He should be able to work his way up onto the pace and either lead, or be near it, for most of the way. He’ll be fitter for this and is a good eachway bet.

-3- The Hombre rightly won his race on protest last start. He ran a distant second to Sir Time Keeper two starts back on a Dead track. If the track is Good he can beat Sir Time Keeper home but on dead or worse track he won’t.

-4- Keyora would beat both of them if the rain came down and softened the track up, but on Dead or better will struggle.

Race 6

With nine Kiwi runners in here we stand a good chance of winning by sheer numbers.

The best chance could be -13- Solid Billing. With three runs under his belt now, he is close to peak fitness. Most in here are aiming to peak for the Cup in a couple of weeks and he could just get his own way in front, kick on them on the turn and prove very hard to run down. He handles all types of going and at double figure odds, he’s the one I’ll be on. 

-7- Tinseltown is going to get a nice sit behind him and has to be in trifectas.

-6- Indikator would be very hard to beat if rain sets in. He won strongly last start in a fast run race.

There is also a solid eachway bet at Trentham tomorrow that I recommend.

Race 3 -14- Sita 10.11 a.m.

She has had two runs back now and based on her fighting third here last start, is well placed to win. The track will be heavy and with the weight advantage she will have every chance.