14/09/15

The two Group 1 races that were run along the eastern seaboard last Saturday afternoon were run in vastly different ways. The Golden Rose in Sydney was certainly a race that was small numerically, but it will probably be proven with the passage of time to have been big on class – and in any event – the race was at least run in fast overall time. By contrast at Flemington, the Makybe Diva Stakes wasn’t a “race” – it was an absolute disg“race” – and was run so slowly that none of the horses that raced in it have even had a decent conditioning run for their future assignments, so that aspect alone will come back to haunt most of the runners at some point later in their current campaign.

 

To show what a stupid race the Maykbe Diva was, Craig Williams, the experienced jockey of the horse that finished fourteenth – Volkstok‘n’barrell – told stewards he was “not disappointed with the horse’s overall performance as he did not have a lot of racing room inside the final 150 metres and was then held up and in his view his mount still had something to give”. So there you go – in this caper it is apparently possible to finish absolute last of 14 and have an excuse.

 

So from Craig Williams’ statement re the Volk‘stok’nbarrell run, it’s no wonder punters are confused. And to that end, I will exclusively relieve some of their confusion here tomorrow when I write a story about that last race at Doomben from last Saturday, which may in fact rip the fork out of the nightie of anyone who wears a nightie.

 

Today around the various websites there is a read for everyone. On www.brisbaneracing.com.au there’s Denis Smith’s comments on Racing Queensland, plus he advises the agenda for the big BOTRA meeting at Albion Park tonight and he also outlines the details on the Marburg meeting next Saturday. On www.sydneyracing.com.au you can read the What’s In A Name segment from last Saturday’s eastern seaboard racing, which targets horses that live up to their name, whilst on www.melbourneracing.com.au there’s a breeding story.

 

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

 

Race 1 – Twisted Mountain $19.00, Wuzetian $26.00 and Alpen Rose $7.00

The first race at Doomben was won by Twisted Mountain and there was some specking around the Doomben ring for him.

The third horse Alpen Rose was $8 into $7 at one stage late in betting.

The favourite Voltaire Lumiere was backed early but then that money dried up late. He played up behind the barrier and had he jumped he would have won, so the gelding probably beat himself.

So we started off the day on a winning note.

 

Race 2 – Lock’s Legend $2.25, Hora Sexta $12.00 and Keep Cool $9.00

The favourite Lock’s Legend won this race and I laid a good bet on him at $2.25.

There was some money about for Hora Sexta at long odds and he only went down by a half neck and had he won that would have been better for bookmakers than Lock’s Legend.

So we could only lay the two horses in the race and they ran the quinella.

Via Lock’s Legend,  the first of the favourites starting arriving at Doomben.

 

Race 3 – Punta Norte $2.50, Quick Snitzel $10.00 and Harada Bay $4.60

The third race was won by Punta Norte which got an easy lead again. I laid a string of bets on the horse, the biggest being one of $5,000.

There was no money about for Harada Bay, but a big plunge came for Honey Toast late in betting and he was $4 into $3.20 and even that $3.20 was hard to get at the finish.

So they backed two in the race – but one of them won.

 

Race 4 – Didntcostalot $2.50, Best of the Rest $7.50 and Saluter $13.00

Tegan Harrison rated this leader Didncostalot beautifully in front and that’s the way to ride Doomben. The horse was always in control of the race and whilst he officially eased in betting he was quite layable on the drift.

The winner’s stablemate, Best Of The Rest, was backed from 10s into 8s.

There was no real money for anything else in the race, so it was another losing result for bookies when another favourite won.

 

Race 5 – Beckham $4.20, Le Val $4.20 and Notonyourlife $2.50

This winner Beckham got out to $4.40 and $4.60 before being well backed and coming into $4 late.

There was no money of note about for the second horse Le Val which eased late after playing up in the enclosure.

The third horse Notonyourlife was the first horse backed in the race and punters quickly took the $3.20 that was initially offered. I laid a string of bets against the mare, the biggest being one of $3,000 but he shortened right up and would have been no good.

So the three horses that were in the market ran one, two, three.

 

Race 6 – Sarisasa $2.60, Total Authority $7.50 and Tales of Fashion $8.00

This winner Sarisara got out to $2.60 but there was money about the Doomben ring for her and I did lay a good bet on her.

Pandora Charm had some specking.

My Little Flicka got carved up by Speedy Sam, so that meant the two leaders technically put it on for the two that were sitting behind them.

So when Sarisara got home by a nose it was another bad result, whereas bookies would have got the lot had the other horse, Total Authority, got the photo.

 

Race 7 – Primal Flight $3.80, Gid Up Strop $5.00 and Loceano $26.00

Another leader, Primal Flight, found his true form and got home well. $4.60 and even $4.80 was bet about his chances in the Doomben ring and there was plenty of money about for him, which saw him firm up to $3.80 at the jump.

I laid a $2,000 bet, amongst others, on the runner-up Gid Up Strop at $5.50.

There was some specking early for the opening favourite Sony Legend but he then got out late in betting and you couldn’t lay him after the big money came for the winner.

It was a bad result when the best backed runner got home, but the second horse would have been no good anyway.

 

Race 8 – Blue Desert Moon $4.80, Secret Saga $3.20 and Wicked Intent $2.60

Blue Desert Moon was the first horse backed and as soon as betting started on the race punters moved on the filly and took the $4.20 that was offered and she was backed into $4 early before easing out late.

There was some money about for Wicked Intent when he eased out late, but he seemed to have every chance and just knocked up resuming since 13 June.

Secret Saga was off the map. $4 was bet in places in the Doomben ring and an avalanche of money arrived and everyone wanted to be on her at the finish of betting. Personally I think that the horse should have won and I think that the change of jockey didn’t work because she’s a filly that’s hard to ride as it was obvious by the exhibition, so I think bookies were lucky to get her beaten.

So we finished up winning on the last race but had a bad day at the office overall.

 

Lindsay will be fielding at Ipswich on Wednesday, Doomben next Saturday and then to the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.