SELECTIONS - 3 November 2006

POOMA selections:

Ararat 4-5 Leurr Charro
Ararat 6-2 Samadji
Moonee Valley 1-8 Lottery King
Moonee Valley 6-2 More Than Regal
Rockhampton 7-1 Craiglea Cowboy

I'll do an update before race 1 at MV in case there are any changes there for tonight's meeting - * UPDATED *

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

Ararat 7-4, 8-3
Mt Gambier 4-1

Today: I didn't expect to see more than one qualifying selection for today when I first looked up the races but they all come from terrific systems and look to have a strong chance. At Ararat, 4-5 Leurr Charro is coming off a short break but he's performed well like that in the past. He'll probably be around $3.40, which is a good price in a small field. Danger there looks to be 2-Mad Dugal. 6-2 Samadji was a beaten POOMA for us last time and you may recall that I was pissed off with the ride by Brad Rawiller. With the claim he gets in nicely in this race and, as long as he settles, will win. However, I won't be taking less than $2 on him. The two non-POOMAs look like good each way chances, as well. At Rockhampton, 7-1 Craiglea Cowboy is pretty well placed in this race at a track at which he's won 2 from 3. He won at Gympie last time in a six horse Class 6 race, which is not normally form you'd want to follow up on but this is not a tough field. At Moonee Valley tonight I reckon we can start with one at pretty good odds in the form of 1-8 Lottery King. He's by sprinting sire, Easy Rocking, but keeps finding the line from back in the field over the mile and a quarter and mile and a half trips. Anything better than $6 will be great odds. 6-2 More Than Regal is particularly well placed and his racing style should really suit MV. It wouldn't surprise me to see Test Fire run well in that race, too.

Yesterday: As predicted, it was 'one of those days' of truly ordinary racing. Hillsong managed to get home at terrific odds of $3 at Ipswich. I had it assessed as an even money chance. The only horse to follow at Seymour was Tom Dabernig's good Maiden winner, Made Your Mark, which stepped up in trip, worked to the front from his gate 15 and had the race in his keeping around the corner in what was a very strong effort.

POOMAs: There were no POOMA selections yesterday.