Wednesday 8th November 2023
Melbourne Cup Day delight!!
And what a day we had on my birthday!!
We’d been spruiking Without A Fight for the Melbourne Cup since June, (throw in the Caulfield Cup for good measure) and boy did he deliver! Key moment was Mark Zahra jumping off last year’s winner Gold Trip to take the ride, and he produced a master-class to cruise up for the win at $9/$3.30 ($15 if you jumped on antepost like we did!)
To add to that, our other pick in the race Soulcombe, overcame his usual gates problems to flash home for second and a memorable quinella for PG’s Tips, paying $3.40 the place. We suggested 5 units ew for both…
We also suggested including them both in the exotics, and were rewarded with the quinella at around $45, and if you were savvy enough to box these two up in the tri and first four, then there was a $12K or $330K pick-up for you!
And it didn’t finish there, with superb wins from much-improved Lochnaberry (4 units ew $9.30/$3.60) and a driving effort from Habana extended his excellent record at Puke (5 units ew, $5.90/$2.20).
A raft of seconds and thirds at good odds, including Amberecho ($2.20), Aromatic ($1.50), Barber ($1.20), Bermadez (what a run, $4.00), Chorlton Lane ($1.90), Jet Jitsu ($1.50), Seriyu ($2.10)Recommendation ($2.10), Mombasa ($2.00) and Mingora ($1.50).
All in all, 33 tips, 14 of them returning a dividend, that’s a 42% strike rate, plus of course the exotics. Not a bad day on the punt!!
Just the five from the book today, with another big day looming tomorrow at Flem in Oaks Day.
Five for midweek…
EXTREME FLIGHT, HELLO BROADCAST
Kyneton, 9
EF finally found some early career form last time out, getting up under Kah at $11, beating today’s race fav, who’s 2 kgs better off for half a length. Ms Kah sticks, looks like a race in two, $3.10 on offer for our lad…
Hello Broadcast resumes from a 3 month break, has won first up and this is his fav distance. Has raced well in higher grades than this, though last few not quite up to that standard. Could drop in late, $31 shot.
BET: EF 8 unit win, 10 unit quinella with TT. HB 3 units ew, exotics…
KIBOSH
Grafton, 3
The formline doesn’t look great, but this is the easiest race she’s lined up in for some time. Wetter the better, EW shot at $11.
BET: 4 units ew
KALAHARI HEART
Grafton, 7
Resuming from a 5 month spell, has won first up and has won at this distance, though as a backmarker would probably prefer a bit longer. EW shot at $12…
BET: 4 units ew
SIR SIMON
Launceston, 7
On-pacer, always thereabouts, great stats all round, Pires up top should see him home in this as $2.90 fav.
BET: 10 unit win
