SELECTIONS - 17 September 2006

POOMA selections:

Ballarat 4-7 Suspects
Wangaratta 7-3 Special Number
Queanbeyan 1-2 Brisk Crown

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

Devenport 5-1
Dubbo 3-1, 4-1
Sunshine Coast 2-3, 2-7, 2-11
Wangaratta 4-6

Today: Ballarat 4-7 Suspects is pretty well placed in this race. He's had 4 runs for 4 2nds including a narrow loss to Stavka, who looks pretty smart, first up and then a narrow 2nd to Yappa at this course last start. He finished well and the step up to 1400m should suit. The danger looks to be 8-Zuna who ran 3rd in the race won by 1,000,000-1 shot Maximgun. The 2nd horse home in that race, Showify, cantered in yesterday so the form looks strong. The best system I have, which doesn't have many selections but has the record of 20/27 since going live almost exactly a year ago, has two selections today. Wangaratta 7-3 Special Number has the good record of 8/25, is 5/14 at the trip and 1/1 at this track. The danger looks to be 2-Elbrus who goes well fresh and is 3/5 at this track. Queanbeyan 1-2 Brisk Crown is a 3YO that has won his last couple at Narromine and Dubbo. He drops slightly in trip but sits handy, which is an advantage at the track, and should be too good. I like the two non-POOMA selections at Dubbo, as well. It looks like a good day to have a go. Unusual for a Sunday.

Yesterday: The analysis at Moonee Valley was not too bad with 3 winners on top on a tricky day. Here De Angels won at $1.20 but didn't look that impressive. I'd suggest it's time for a spell. Lad Of The Manor improved markedly on his first up run and nabbed Apache Cat on the line. I don't think the form from this race will stand up going forward against the likes of El Segundo, Racing To Win etc though Lad Of The Manor will always be competitive at Moonee Valley and his sectional times were excellent. Miss Andretti settled exactly as described in my analysis (All Bar One had to be ridden hard to lead, which surprised me, and he dropped out quickly - he was later found to have damaged two stifles and, unfortunately, will now be retired according to trainer Gillian Heinrich) and had the race won a long way from home. The last couple of races were lotteries with Astrodame winning her 3rd race from 33 starts. Up in Sydney, Coolroom Candidate won another Group race for my old trainer, Keith Dryden in Canberra. She has the fantastic record of 8 starts at 1200m for 5 wins and 3 placings and can win again in mares' company. Racing To Win was dynamic in winning his 7th race from 11 starts. He's heading to the Cox Plate apparently though I think that race is beyond him distance-wise. I thought our selections at Ararat would go OK but, in fact, they went miserably with only a couple placing.

POOMAs: Well, that was crap. Two picks; Obeys at $1.70 and Here De Angels at $1.20 and only the short priced one got home so we kept the 50% recent strike rate going but at the cost of our POT%. I'll try to do better in future!