SELECTIONS - 5 April 2008

POOMA selections (Location Race#-TAB# Horse [system/s])

Newcastle 2-1 Valuable Asset [8]
Newcastle 3-8 Zazabeau [17]
Tamworth 7-11 Dawlodge [7]
Toowoomba 1-6 Orpen Angel [8,10]

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

Ascot 1-2, 6-10, 8-9
Canterbury 7-11
Caulfield 2-1, 4-3, 5-9, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7
Cheltenham 4-2
Eagle Farm 5-9, 7-8
Gold Coast 7-5
Newcastle 5-1, 7-1, 8-1, 9-1, 9-7
Toowoomba 3-5

(* Any updates at Ascot later on *)

Comments: Slaughteration yesterday. Hopefully today's lot can do better. Newcastle 2-1 Valuable Asset - one presumes that Dale Spriggs has taught his son how to sit on a horse. If so then the 4kg claim will help a lot. The only danger looks like Tim Martin's first starter. Newcastle 3-8 Zazabeau was a beaten POOMA and favourite last time. Is bred in the purple and his owner, the great Data Tan Chin Nam, would want to see him live up to some of that in this race. Tamworth 7-11 Dawlodge won easily last time at Gunneda in a non-TAB race. Jumps a fair bit in grade and doesn't seem very well placed so I might let him run against me. Toowoomba 1-6 Orpen Angel has led them up at two runs from a spell and finished 2nd. Will be up the front again and should go close though she'll be short.

Black Book: Canterbury 2-4 Hairy is a dual acceptor and has chosen this race. Worked hard to lead last time and only weakened late. This is harder but will be a chance at odds. Caulfield 3-7 Hasta Manana missed a run on Wednesday due to the meeting being cancelled after a couple of races. He was ridden as cold as Lucifer's heart last time and even though he's getting ready for jumps races I wouldn't be surprised to see him go OK at big odds. Caulfield 8-4 Guild didn't managed to lead last time and was a bit disappointing. Looks pretty well placed here. Eagle Farm 2-7 Laletta won easily again last time at Rocky. Her only run in town was an average effort but maybe she'd trained off. This is a tough race but I think she can win at nice odds. Eagle Farm 4-8 Miss Shalaqing made it 3/3 at Gosford last time. She's drawn off the track but has enough speed to lead so should go close.