This was a photo I took at 4pm this afternoon from Ipswich looking towards Brisbane, so there are some black clouds about, but hopefully they will miss Doomben. The report from Brisbane Racing Club Assistant Racecourses Manager, Sean Bridges, on the Doomben track, as at 3pm today, is in this article. Doomben was lucky to miss today's rain, as one suburb at the Gold Coast received 64mm of rain in the last 24 hours - and as such topped the State's rainfall tally.

Unfortunately predicted rain arrived in Brisbane today and the Doomben track, for Doomben Cup day, may be rain affected. The degree to which that the rain will affect the track rating will not be known until tomorrow morning when the track is inspected very early by stewards.

The wet weather is due to clear early tomorrow morning, but by then the damage may be done as big fields of 16, 13, 16, 16, 16, 14, 13 and 16 are set to chop the track up from the opening race if a predicted storm for Brisbane happens to hit the track tonight. If that thunderstorm eventuated, a pattern will no doubt emerge during the day, such as leaders being advantaged, or the winners will all come wide in the home straight, or whatever, so it is a suck it and see exercise really at this point.

Brisbane Racing Club Assistant Racecourses Manager Sean Bridges has kindly sent through the report on the Doomben track as at 3pm today and he advises that the track is currently rated as a “dead 4” as the track has only received 4mm in the last 24 hours – and that 4mm represents the total rainfall for the week. Sean advises the current penetrometer reading is 5.0 and from my records, last Saturday morning it was 5.10, with a 25-degree day forecast and it got back upgraded to a “good 3” after one race. Sean advises that the forecast for tomorrow morning is for “fog patches clearing to a fine day” – and he added that the rail tomorrow will be at 2 metres, whereas last Saturday it was in the true position. Therefore, from what Sean is saying in the aforesaid report, if Doomben can just miss further rain tonight, the track will provide a perfect surface for all runners tomorrow – so here’s hoping.

Queensland Racing Chief Handicapper Lester Grimmett has sent the scaled weights through for Doomben tomorrow and there is only one race affected and that is Race 1 which is scaled as a Metropolitan Open + 2 kilos.

Unitab’s Brad Tamer advised that there is a Quadrella jackpot of $111,230 on the Doomben (BR) Quadrella. There is also a $58,386 First 4 jackpot on Doomben (BR) Race 7 – the Doomben Cup. At the Albion Park harness racing meeting tomorrow night there is a $24,106 First 4 jackpot on the first race (BT1), the M2 to M5 Pace.

Apprentices can only claim in one race tomorrow at Doomben - and that is the opening race and those two relevant apprentice’s weights should be:

Today on www.brisbaneracing.com.au I preview the opening race at the meeting, on www.sydneyracing.com.au I preview the Lord Mayor’s Cup, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Tim Hickman who tipped one winner from one tip last Saturday, looks at Pakenham Sunday.

Galilee, who also tipped a winner last week from one tip – so between us all we are hotter that The Chippendales - filed this report on the Adelaide meeting tomorrow, however to be fair, it should be noted that past performance is no guarantee to future performance in anything in life. Galilee’s report reads:

Cornelia Marie won for us last week. The price wasn’t that flash but you’ll never go broke backing winners. I believed that there would be money for Pedantic Miss, but she blew and we shortened on course pretty solidly. It’s hard to work out the markets when you are assessing the situation on Thursday night. At this time we have a Good 3 track and the rail is out 4 metres for the entire circuit.

This week we have to be disciplined and wait until the last race for a punt. I have been waiting for Timely to start again after his run here on the 17 April. He figured in the Stewards Report after that run, due to his bad luck. Timely should have been in the finish in that race – bar the troubles he struck. The jockey was quizzed over his ride and his comments noted by the Stewards. If Timely can run up to that effort I feel that this is a winnable race for him. He will also be some odds in this race. You will note that a few are first up, but some have barrier trialled. Brinkley Belle won a trial and Alpine Storm ran a place in one recently. Perhaps, for the exotics, see if there is any money for either. I feel that the booking for Simon Price on Timely is important, as he has ridden him a few runs back. He has been freshened up for tomorrow and runs well this way. His last campaign saw him win first up and string three victories together, so I am suggesting in this race that we back Timely each way.

Selection: 7ew

Good Luck.

From New Zealand, Neil Davis from his popular website www.formpro.co.nz has furnished the following report on tomorrow’s meetings at Doomben and he fancies one over the sticks in his homeland. Last week Neil advised readers to not let The Grogoch do them out of a trifecta – and the gelding ran third paying $6 for a place. Neil’s report reads:

The Hombre got the win on protest last week to kick off the Kiwi’s raid. I can see at least one more adding to that record on Saturday.

Race 2 Doomben

-9-Wealth Princess is one of the best mares we have sent over to your great country. She has run some dominant last 600 metres off good pace races and can run overall time. Her run at Caloundra was a nice pipe opener for her, as she needed the run badly and the wet track gave her no chance of producing her brilliance. There seems to be plenty of pace in this race tomorrow, which will allow her to settle off the pace and on the likely Good track she is going to be very hard to keep out. At $7.00 with bookies I’d recommend you get your share.

The other Kiwi -10- Pennacchio, put in a top effort to win fresh up at Ellerslie running good time and a dominant last 600m. I had always thought she would be better when the track is wet, but that was a good track at Ellerslie. Include her in trifectas, but a real watch horse for me, as she should get all favours from that handy draw.

Race 4 Doomben

-14- Spera. She ran a strong second when favourite at Ipswich and has early speed to overcome the wide draw. She is as game as they come and with a reasonable run has to be an each way chance.

Race 7 Doomben

-13- Time Keeper is a realistic chance of winning this. He has drawn to get a cosy trip behind the pace. He has been leading and winning in New Zealand, but I feel he is a better horse chasing them down. He needs a reasonable surface though to produce his best. If the rain arrived tonight -11-Ekstreme has to be the best Kiwi chance at good odds. She won here when the rain came on the day. If it doesn’t, watch out for her later on, as if she can strike a wet track one day during the carnival, she is a top bet. -3- Sir Slick ran a fair race last start, but needs all the favours to win and probably won’t get that in this.

There is also a strong win bet in the major jumping race at Waikato New Zealand on Saturday.

Race 7 12.23 pm - New Zealand

-8- Penstar. Last start here he just got too far out of his ground and on the reasonable surface made up plenty of ground by the turn, but couldn’t finish it off, after making up so much ground and he ran third, but this time the track will be slower and there is an extra 900m to run. He’s a safe jumper and has been set for this race. On the minimum he looks very well placed to out-finish these over the last 200m. Currently $4.00 with NZ bookies.