SELECTIONS - 26 August 2006

POOMA selections:

Moonee Valley 3-5 Al Garhood
Moonee Valley 5-4 Blue Lago

Non-POOMA selections (and ruffies in red below):

Belmont 8-6
Doomben 2-1
Mildura 6-1, 8-4
Moonee Valley 2-2, 4-9, 5-2, 5-4, 7-15
Morphettville 5-3
Newcastle 8-7
Randwick 4-11, 6-1, 8-8, 9-7

Lay of the Day: I'm going to take on a really short priced favourite today in the form of rejuvenated 8YO, Doomben 2-1 Bikkie Tin Blues, at $1.60 (though he'll probably start shorter). He massacred them last time by a lazy 9L over 1800m but the 2nd horse, Mittani, led them up and wasn't ever going to run a strong race over that distance and the 3rd horse, Adavale Hornet, has been in work since The Dismissal (he's had 52 starts and is on only his 3rd preparation). Cold Start will get a soft lead and he's a tough stayer that will make the favourite carry his weight over the last 600m so I'll take a fair risk and going against him on the basis of value - [LOTD 18 from 21]

Today: I have a pretty good record at Moonee Valley where there have been 77 POOMA selections for 27 wins (35.1% s/r) at 19% profit however today looks mildly dangerous what with many good horses returning from spells, with different form lines and up against some up and comers. I reckon old Dandy Kid will not get a better chance to equal the most number of wins by a horse at MV than he does today in race 4. Moody and Freedman have some sharp looking, lightly raced horses engaged but with the claim Dandy is very close to them in weight. The race doesn't have a whole heap of 1200m/wet tracker horses and he'll be able to position up close to the lead, which will give him his chance to run them down. He always gets sentimental support, especially on the wet tracks, but I'd suggest that $6-$7 is good value. In the Steeple, 3-5 Al Garhood is a good hurdler that steps up to the bigger fences here for the first time. Ran a really good race in a strong field two starts back and has schooled really well. 5-4 Blue Lago is going to be in the firing line all the way and I can see him being in front into the straight, which will make him hard to run down. He's led them up at each of his starts, including the Golden Slipper, and I can't see what else will put a heap of pressure on early. A few others I like around the country are Belmont 1-1 Fighting Fox, which is listed at a remarkable $3.50 this morning. Doomben 1-5 Circus Maximus is very well placed here and the step up in trip will suit. Morphettville 7-9 Marju Snip is a terrific mare that charged through her grades last preparation, which started with a first up Maiden win at Strathalbyn and culminated in the South Australian Oaks. Darren Weir has three runners in at Mildura and they all look like being strong chances. At Randwick 2-4 Private Dan looks suited at a mile and a half and should be each way value.

Yesterday: Well, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price of Crafty King at $3.80, a horse that's won 8 of his last 11 starts and was down in weight on his last start defeat of Sea Zulu. He was never going to lose after positioning up near the lead. Even more amazing to me is the fact he wasn't favourite. Apart from the POOMAs described below it wasn't much of a day for having a go. I was really glad to see the ACT race club name a race in honour of late racecaller, Tony Campbell. He was one of the true gentlemen of the turf and he would have been really touched by the event. I wonder whether he ever knew how much he was really appreciated? He was a very self deprecating sort of guy that never had a bad word for anyone and was always ready to help both with the race club and in many community activities all around Canberra. He was, in fact, the first racecaller to call a horse I owned winning about 10 years ago at the Canberra track. Long may the race named in his honour be run and won by good horses.

POOMAs: 1 from 2 yesterday. Preceptor copped a check after the start and went back to last, quite a long way off the pack. Nash Rawiller made a long run that ended in him finishing 2nd. He couldn't have beaten the winner with a clean getaway but he should have finished much closer. Tamavian was slightly slowly away but punched up inside the field, was right there on the corner and went to the line a comfortable 1.5L winner. She paid $2.20, which I thought was well and truly overs, and gave us a small profit for the day.

LOTD: Hot Pink started a $3 favourite, had an absolutely glorious run, hit the front 200m out at the top of the straight, spat the dummy out and ran an 8 length 2nd to the one we'd highlighted, Camille With Class that paid a nice $4.