SELECTIONS - 8 October 2006

POOMA selections:

Benalla 5-3 Laughing Point

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

Benalla 2-3, 6-4, 7-5, 9-5
Gawler 4-2
Hobart 1-2, 5-1, 8-8

Today: Highlighting the runners with that good SSY form starting with Benalla race 5. 1-Bis Vincere ran a 5.5L 4th behind Stavka last time after being on the pace all the way. 3-Laughing Point led them up at Bendigo in Class 2 company last time finishing 3rd, 2.7L behind Stavka and that's strong enough to be a POOMA selection today in this Class 1 event. 7-1 Test Fire won at Ballarat before missing the jump away and finishing 11th in the strong form race behind Bon Hoffa and Yappa last time. 7-3 Cowdrey was first up when 8th behind Stavka at Bendigo though he would need to improve to win here, I think. 7-6 Bears Command ran 2nd to Stavka two starts back before drawing 11 of 11 and not having a lot of luck when 5th, beaten less than 2L, last time. 7-10 Let's Have Lunch was first up at 1000m when 6th to Stavka before stepping up to 1400m and running out of condition behind Bon Hoffa last time. At Sale, 4-4 New York Express ran 5th of 15, beaten 11L behind Yappa, Suspects and Nylstroem. The latter two have come out and won easily and Yappa has run very strongly in good races. In other races I think that Benalla 3-2 Beat The Traffic will run well. He hasn't had much luck with barrier draws but has finished close enough at his last two starts to be considered a strong chance in this race. He was beaten 4.5L behind Magic Jet two starts back and that galloper was in the market in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stks in Sydney yesterday and then followed up with a 3.6L 5th behind Nylstroem when back in trip slightly last time. Nylstroem has come out and won again, franking the form nicely. The step to 1400m will really suit. I'll be keen to back him e/w at $6+. Sale 3-5 Decerto ran 3rd to Nylstroem at his only start and 4-Finding Neverland ran 4th in that race last time. They look a really good quinella bet and I'll be working multiples around them. I'm not keen on anything else around the country but I'll be backing Gawler 4-2 Universal Man if I can get $2.60+. The other selections at Benalla look like they've got good chances, also, and I'll be working quaddies around them.

Yesterday: I managed a healthy profit yesterday due mainly to the win of Tawqeet in the Metropolitan at handy odds of $18. Analysis at Flemington was a bit out though with the winners paying $3, $12, $8, $16, $26, $20, $4, $5, $11 and $14 they weren't exactly easy to find. I thought that the win of Fast 'N' Famous was pretty good, especially since the horse was up against a field of seasoned sprinters for the first time. The runner up there, Shadoways, was also terrific and there's money to be made following both of those in their next few runs. Sphenophyta took off 700m out when he was really travelling well, got to the front at the top of the straight, which left him a sitting shot, and went strongly to the line to win. He will be tough to beat in the Caulfield Cup if he draws a decent gate. Our Smoking Joe showed he was back to his best in finishing 2nd but it was the run of Zipping that really caught the eye. He ran his last 600m in 32.79 - by far the fastest in the race - and drops a heap in weight for the Caulfield Cup. He's been my long range selection for that race for a couple of months and I see no reason to change my mind now. Talking of fast final sections, Divine Madonna's 32.34 was nearly a second faster than anything in the race and her last 200m of 10.86 was well in advance of the 2nd fastest last 200m of 11.50 from Lyrical Bid. That was a breathtaking finishing burst that was even faster than Shadoways' in the 1200m race. I had my eye in at Randwick, correctly nominating that the 3YO form has looked suss before 100/1 shot, Teranaba, came out and won the Spring Champion Stks. Mearas looked unlucky after copping a prat in the straight but he didn't appear to be going quickly enough to win. Tuesday Joy might have been unlucky not to become the first filly (and Maiden) to win the race for many years, which really highlights how bad the field was. I correctly nominated Bentley Biscuit and he did the right thing by running a race record to beat a strong field in The Shors. He is a really good horse. Tawqeet then won the Metropolitan powerfully and underlined his Melbourne Cup credentials. He was going to win a long way out. Activation got home well in that race and he's always competitive in the big races. Racing To Win and Desert War fought out the Epsom, as expected. The run of Polar Bear into 4th spot was eye catching, as well. I have a view that the Sydney form is below par at present so I don't know whether Racing To Win can match up to El Segundo in the Cox Plate. Cheeky Choice then overcame her wide barrier to really smash them in the Flight Stks - another 3YO Group 1 race that lacked depth and highlighted the problems in NSW racing at present.

POOMAs: Only one from six yesterday but the win of Sphenophyta at $5.60 meant that not too much damage was done. Sunburnt Land came out of his wide gate, pressed forward, wouldn't settle and was a spent force after turning for home. He is obviously talented but probably needs a spell and to learn to settle better. Enemy Of Average got back too far, came to the outside and put in the best sectionals apart from the winner to end up 5th, not beaten too far. If he had Snort's run through the field then he wins the race and he's still worth following. Sentire was very disappointing after having a good run in the race. I don't know what the go was with Miss Finland. She steamed to the front, went about 10L clear and got caught 100m out, fighting on to finish 2nd in a bizarre run. Sphenophyta did the right thing for us and then Accardo ran 4th after appearing to have every chance. Takes the POOMAs to 39/82 since the start of August.