SELECTIONS - 31 May 2008

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

Morphettville 3-2 Exalted Thomas [18]
Toowoomba 6-2 Kneel And Raise [10,13]

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

Belmont 2-3
Kembla 5-3, 7-5
Morphettville 1-4, 5-3
Rosehill 8-4
Toowoomba 7-8

(* Any updates at Belmont later on *)

Comments: It's the last day of the month and we need to find $10 profit to finish in front, which looks a bit tough with the selections we've got. A very wet track for the Queensland Oaks and while Heavenly Glow is the clear top chance I'll be having a little e/w on 16-Hindsight, which is a Maiden, but might run a race on the heavy track at huge odds. In race 2 up there I think that 11-Colonial Lass will run a much improved race. She has a terrific record on very wet ground and her last four runs have been OK given she drew off the track in three of them. In Rosehill race 7 I expect 7-Eight Moons to run a good race. He's by Octagonal and is typical of that breed in not being able to handle wet tracks. Gets a dry track here and I expect him to go well. I also expect 9-Bomber Command to give them a fright in that race, as the drop back in trip will really help. Morphettville 3-2 Exalted Thomas went without winning for at least 13 runs (the form I have) before winning 2 of his last 3. Rises 2kg in weight for winning in this class and over this course last time and there's no reason why he can't win again. Toowoomba 6-2 Kneel And Raise thrashed a Maiden field before running a good 2nd to the flying Burdekin Blues last time. Drops from Class 3 to Class 1 company and should win this.

Black Book: Belmont 7-2 El Presidente is up against Marasco. Will the up and comer be able to knock off the established champ? That's the big question. I'm glad to see that Troy Turner is not riding the horse, as I thought he rode it poorly last time in with the horse's ability overcoming some bad decision making in the run. I expect a big performance. Rosehill 5-5 Holdem was no hope at the 200m mark at Canberra last time when a 10/9 favourite. Put in huge strides, weaving through the traffic to lob in the last hop in a terrific, black book worthy performance. The comment I wrote in my black book at the time was that ordinary horses can't do what he did. It looks a race with a lot of chances and I thought we might get a nice price about this up and comer but he's currently showing even money with IAS fixed odds. Toowoomba 5-1 Mini Maizing steps up to 1009m from 800m, which is probably as far as he wants to go but looks the clear top pick.