Posts Tagged ‘Geelong Cup’
Caulfield Cup ‘safeties’ take me on to Geelong and Moonee Valley
October 21st, 2009 by adminI’m heading into the Geelong Cup and the Cox Plate on a bit of a high, a small one, but a morale hump nonetheless.
Although there was no golden egg of a win for Kirklees in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday, my shout Shamoline Warrior easily clinched the Norman Robinson Stakes having been priced at 3.80 favourite with IASbet.
Then the main event got under way. Although a fair bit of cash must’ve gone down the plug when Viewed bombed up the inside, I had the safety net of Roman Emperor, who I’d recommended as a placings shot at around 6.00 with many bookmakers. He ran a great race to finish as runner-up and on the final turn looked well in it and could even have pinched the whole thing were it not for a final kick from Viewed, who was on 13.00-odd with many bookmakers before the race.
As such I feel my backside has emerged from Caulfield Cup day pretty much intact after a bit of a tanning in certain events over the last couple of weeks.
Onwards to Wednesday’s Geelong Cup when stacks of horses need to win to get a decent boost up the order of entry for the Melbourne Cup.
Luca Cumani-trained Basaltico was quickly installed as the favourite for this one and the English galloper has shrunk to 6.50 with IASbet having hovered at 7.00 before the weekend. Also in the running is Godolphin stable horse Crime Scene.
For me at the moment this weekend’s main Moonee Valley event of the Cox Plate has one clear contender – current favourite Whobegotyou. He got me once earlier in the season when I advised against him in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes but paid me back with a victory in the Yalumba Stakes. He is the one to beat on Saturday and is on 2.95 with Centrebet, while Heart Of Dreams, likely to be his main challenger, is around 6.00. ‘Whobe’ hardly shrank after he drew barrier 10 for the race, so could dip further.
My mojo is back and so is my patchy confidence. Turf’s up.
Read more »A lazy Sunday look ahead to Geelong and the Cox Plate
October 19th, 2009 by adminOn Sunday I like to calm down a bit – ease off the gin, put the feet up and browse through the racing news online to get prepared for the week ahead.
Before group 1 fever returns on Saturday we have one major midweek distraction – the group 3 2400m Geelong Cup. Wednesday’s edition is the 122nd instalment of the race and features one or two international interests, notably Basaltico, trained in England by Luca Cumani, and Godolphin stable horse Crime Scene. Also in the mix for this one is Six O’Clock News, to be ridden by Noel Harris, among others.
Then of course we have the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on Saturday where there’s $3 million up for grabs over the 2040m. Whobegotyou has been the early contender in the betting markets for this one and is a favourite of mine, but I’ll have my ear to the ground all week. If developments are half as varied as they were for the Caulfield Cup then I’ll have a lot of work on my hands keeping up with the odds. Must be nice to have someone doing the legwork for you? A bit like a jockey really. Just kidding jockeys.
Joking apart, we have some rugby league to bet on again come Friday when the Four Nations kicks off. Despite the fact there are only four sides involved, this involves one of the wildest outsiders I think I’ve seen, ever.
France, whose appearance expands the event from the tri nations, are on anything from about 151.00 to about 70.00. That must be worth what I call a ‘comedy dollar’. Australia are clear favourites at 1.22 with Centrebet.
After Australia either England or New Zealand are unlikely second-favourites, depending on where you look – Centrebet has them at 7.00 and 6.50 respectively. Even my patriotic streak of Pom isn’t enough to have me gobbling up those odds, thank you very much. My lads kick off against France at Headingley on Friday, while Australia take on New Zealand on Saturday. I can feel another Ashes-themed upset in the air. Feeling lucky?
Read more »- 2023
- 2022
- - June
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2000