SELECTIONS - 5 August 2006

Caulfield 3-1 Rustia
Wodonga 3-2 Kenny's Law
Wodonga 7-5 Lasting Request

Non-POOMA selections:

Caulfield 2-1, 4-1, 8-6, 8-10, 8-11
Cheltenham 3-4
Gold Coast 6-1
Rosehill 1-1, 5-6
Wodonga 5-1

Yesterday was a good day with 2 of our 3 selections saluting at Swan Hill and the non-POOMA getting home easily, as well.

Exciting news for the day is that I'm introducing a Lay Of The Day. I'll pick one horse with a prepost price of less than $3 and pot it. Today's LOTD is one of my favourite mares, Belmont 5-4 Belle Bizarre listed overnight at $2.50 favourite. She has been financially fantastic to me but I think she's up against it here. She hasn't run a place first up from 2 goes (though that was before she really hit her straps) and has won just once at Belmont (her last appearance here) from 7 runs. From gate 9 she'll need to work a bit early to get into her customary forward position and, with 56kg, I think there are too many factors against her. I'd pot Minson, as well, but he doesn't qualify at the price.

Starting with the Wodonga POOMAs, I think that we've got a fair shot at getting one of these home. 3-2 Kenny's Law won his Maiden here two starts back before having 25 days off and dropping back in trip last time. On a quick back up here and over his winning course should give him a good chance in what is not a strong Class 1. 7-5 Lasting Request has been an in and out type but she is perfectly placed in this race. She ran 2nd from a wide gate last time and ran OK in a strong Class 3 behind Apollo Thirteen, who goes well, before that. From her good gate I expect her to either lead or be very close, which is an advantage given Wodonga only has a 230m straight.

I had a real crack at a former Tasmanian filly, Sunny Skies, who has moved to the Moody stable, when she won at Sandown on Sunday. The reason? She had strong form around Tasmania's best 2YO, Rustia. Now it's that filly's turn to try her luck on the mainland and I think she'll go very close. Her overnight price is an amazing $8.50. She's won over $200K, which is more than twice as much as all of her competitors put together. On that basis you'd suggest she's probably in a tad light, even with 58kg. Her trainer, Charlie Goggin, hasn't trained a winner in Victoria since September last year but he's had some good Taswegians to race in Victoria including Palace Alice, Bulbasaur, Maggie Bee etc.

The rest of the races at Caulfield look very even including The Bletchingly (what an amazing sire he was) that sees that return of Minson. He has improved, according to trainer Michael Hibbs, but so have the others that he raced against, and beat narrowly, last preparation when he had a fitness edge on them. Robbie Laing reckons that Danerich is going to lead. Mick Hibbs reckons that Minson will lead. If that's how it turns out then they're both finished before they start. The old marvel, Super Elegant, will simply stalk them to the corner and drive over the top of them. Red Dazzler and Thin And Crispy will be charging late and it wouldn't at all surprise me to see Minson miss a place.