SELECTIONS - 3 September 2006

POOMA selections:

Cranbourne 6-1 Cheree's General
Mortlake 9-1 Sunrise Song

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

Cranbourne 1-7, 7-7
Launceston 3-6
Mortlake 1-6
Sunshine Coast 3-7

Today: Not much really takes my fancy today outside of the Victorian meetings. In race 1 at Cranbourne there are a couple of runners that come out of strong city races that look like they'll run the quinella. 7-Bernini's Gem has run 2 placings from 3 starts in town behind La Vie Amour and Flame Of Sydney, and comes out of a Listed race behind Permaiscuous on a slow track last time. She has the speed to lead and is probably around a $2.50 chance. 2-Evacuate also has some pace and has run 1 placing from 3 city runs behind Solar Mighty, Blue Lago and Dewabbit. The first starters would have to be pretty good to be competitive with that form. 6-1 Cheree's General drops in grade from her recent city runs where she's typically been up on the pace and finished close up. Her record of one win from 13 starts is more a testament to trainer Heath Conners' poor placement of her than her actual ability. In this field she'll be fair odds at around $4. 7-7 Laogan is by my favourite sire, Pientre Celebre, and mucked up at the start before her last start, was examined by the vet, passed fit to run, sat 4th into the straight and then did what nearly all of the Pientre Celebre breed do on a heavy track and failed to run on. With Byway in this race Laogan will start pretty good each way odds and will run a much improved race today. Mortlake 9-1 Sunrise Song hasn't won for a little while but is really very well placed here. His record of 3 from 21 is less than auspicious but he's not in a field of stars today.

Yesterday: A pretty good tipping performance at Caulfield where I tipped all 8 winners with my 3 selections per race with straight out tips Al Anood $6.90, Megadeal $3.00 and Chiak $6.20, which also means the $1,360 quaddie was picked up for $81 if you took the selections. Haradsun really should have won but for not getting a clear run. Purde was pretty good coming from well back to round them up in race 2 and she's capable of winning in better company. Growl continued to improve and came with a powerful run to down Maybe Better. El Segundo was very good and has obviously come back in terrific fettle. Shadoways was fantastic in the last race. He really is a very good horse and would be an ideal type for a Victoria Handicap over 1400m at Caulfield. The Hayes/Williams combination didn't give anyone else a look in by winning the first five races on the card, which I can't remember any trainer doing in my lifetime of punting. Up at Rosehill Court Command really did the job well in the Golden Rose. He has been a bit under rated up to now but he might actually be a bit of a star. How much fun would you be having if you owned Newton's Rings? He won his 15th race from just 36 starts and 6th from his last 7 runs when he carted 59kg to an easy victory.

POOMAs: Ambitious General was heavily supported and won comfortably paying a short $1.50. At both his wins he's really powered away late and I'm sure that he can step up again.