20/05/13

For those who were pushing out zeds late last night when the two big international races were being run at Kranji in Singapore, the Aussie owned and or trained horses never looked likely to win – but they weren’t disgraced either.

The Jason Warren trained Bel Sprinter settled at the back of the field in his race, the KrisFlyer International Sprint, before being momentarily help up on the home turn. He then had every chance to win and never looked likely to run the classy Casper Fownes Hong Kong trained sprinter Lucky Nine which was ridden by Brett Prebble. I rated him disappointing, particularly in his last 150 metres, but his trainer was excited by the run.

In the other feature race on the program, the Singapore Airlines International Cup saw another Hong Kong trainer galloper star – this time the John Moore trained Military Attack. He was eased down noticeably in the last 50 metres to bolt in by panels of fencing for Hong Kong based Aussie jockey Zac Purton. Dan Excel a stablemate of the winner ran second, with the former Anthony Freedman trained Mawingo clocking in a close third. The latter will do all his future racing from his new Singapore base, under Anthony Freedman’s brother – Michael. Given the ridiculous ease of the win by Military Attack it would be great if Australian officials could entice the horse to Australia for a big Group 1 feature like a Cox Plate, as Mawingo was able to win a Group 1 WFA race in this country, yet Military Attack could have beaten him home by 5 lengths last night had Purton pushed the horse out to the line – and this year’s Cox Plate is looking as thin as an anorexic teenage girl.

I’ll get a chance over the next couple of days to write a story or two on racing from last weekend. They won’t be positive stories, but someone has to write the facts and I guarantee not to hide behind anyone’s skirt on some of the racing stories that must be told publicly.

Today around the websites there’s something to please every palate. On www.brisbaneracing.com.au there’s the story of stallion God’s Own throwing winners just as his relocation happens. On www.sydneyracing.com.au there’s the story of the huge day out at Horsham today and advices as to who is representing what State, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au Matt Nicholls looks at Bel Sprinter’s run in Singapore.

From the Doomben betting ring last Saturday, leading rails bookmaker Lindsay Gallagher reported:

Race 1 – Sir Moments $2.40, El Toranado $21.00 and Chosen Idol $3.30
The opening race at Doomben was won by Sir Moments but there wasn’t any money of note for him so he drifted in the markets.
I did lay the second horse El Toranado well at 20/1 and he ran a good race. 
The third horse Chosen Idol met with good support during betting. 
I also laid a large bet on Architect which ran eighth.
Bookmakers started off the day on a winning note even though the short priced favourite won.

Race 2 – Missy Longstocking $1.65, Hallside Rose $41.00 and Enquare $26.00
On paper this winner Missy Longstocking looked to have a little bit on the opposition and you couldn’t lay any other runner in this race for money except her. She sat wide and still won and the $1.70 we put up was taken.

Race 3 – Funtantes $3.60, Pure Purrfection $4.20 and Liesele $4.00
Funtantes was the best backed horse in this race. She got an easy lead and was too strong at the finish.
The second horse Pure Purrfection eased during betting as did the third horse Liesele.
There was money about for Dream‘N’Ignite during betting, but it finished up a losing race when Funtantes won easily.

Race 4 – Solzhenitsyn $2.40, Transporter $3.70 and Epic $7.00
The only two in the market here, Solzhenitsyn and Transporter finished up running the quinella on the line. There was no big money for either though and Solzhenitsyn got out to $2.40 at the jump.
The best backed runner in the race was clearly Epic and $8 was taken about his chances before he ran third.
It was a race you could have won or lost on.

Race 5 – Dear Demi $4.00, Gondokoro $13.00 and Vaquera $26.00
I thought Dear Demi was probably lucky to hold the race following the protest lodged by the rider of the second horse Gondokoro, as had Dear Demi not been three wide she wouldn’t have caused the interference to the other horse. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see the protest upheld but it wasn’t.
That said, Dear Demi was well backed and both she and Express Power attracted major support during betting. Unfortunately the race had no tail to it at all, so we just laid the two runners and when one of them won, we lost on the race.

Race 6 – Platinum Kingdom $15.00, Boban $10.00 and Academus $3.50
Surprisingly this race finished up being a poor betting race and there was no money about for the winner Platinum Kingdom.
There was some money about for Academus but there was no money around the ring for opening favourite Sizzling.
There was no money about for Al Aneed following his good Gold Coast run at his previous start. 
The rest of the field didn’t have any owners and as I say the hold on the race was poor given there wasn’t a bad crowd in attendance on the day but there just wasn’t any cash money around the ring.

Race 7 – Beaten Up $9.00, Foreteller $4.00 and Secret Admirer $15.00
Beaten Up won the Doomben Cup and I didn’t lay the horse to any degree. Beaten Up’s stablemate Foreteller, which ran second, got out to reasonable odds and was specked late in betting.
I laid a $2,000 bet on Manighar which dashed to the front and looked home before he got run down late.
Lights Of Heaven got out to $4.20/$4.40 late but there was no big money about for her.
Again this race, like the previous race the Fred Best Classic, had a long tail to it according to punters and they just weren’t interested in backing many of the runners.

Race 8 – Belltone $9.00, Mahisara $6.00 and Listen Son $15.00
Belltone got through late and won but there was no money of consequence around the ring for him.
There was plenty of money about though for the second horse Mahisara at $7 and again at $6 but he was three wide the trip with no cover, so he probably should have won.
There was money about for the leader Listen Son.
Sydney visitor See The World was backed around the $6.50 mark.
I did lay Fire Up Fifi but I chased her right through betting and found her hard to lay as she drifted.
The bookmakers won on the last race and it finished up just a winning day.

Lindsay will be fielding at the Sunshine Coast on Wednesday, Ipswich on Friday then he’s back at Doomben next Saturday for Doomben 10,000 day and the Sunshine Coast the following day.

Don’t forget if you would like to visit Lindsay on the web you can do that by going to www.thevipclub.com.au.