Hobart's Hard to BeatI'm in Hobart for the running of the big race at Elwick. Surely one of the world's prettiest sites, with the hills and the Derwent just beyond the back straight, this is a racing man's delight.The track itself is designated a Heavy 8. That's hard to work out, given the marvellous weather that's been beaming down all weekend. Ista Kareem loves the wet. Maybe the paper's wrong? Of course, it did rain overnight a couple of nights ago, but there's still a lot of dryness to the n

Hobart's Hard to Beat

I'm in Hobart for the running of the big race at Elwick. Surely one of the world's prettiest sites, with the hills and the Derwent just beyond the back straight, this is a racing man's delight.

The track itself is designated a Heavy 8. That's hard to work out, given the marvellous weather that's been beaming down all weekend. Ista Kareem loves the wet. Maybe the paper's wrong? Of course, it did rain overnight a couple of nights ago, but there's still a lot of dryness to the north of Hobart (where the track is). We shall see!

The race has some very interesting entries. Remember that Oaks in Brisbane in the slush, when Riva San swept home for PPM readers at about 25/1? Well, she beat Rathsallagh, which also looked the goods.

Neither did another thing all spring.

Rathsallagh came back into training and won two Sandown races in a breeze. Mares events, but easy for her. However, prior to those two wins she had one win from about twenty starts. Now there's a dilemma! She's favourite here, too.

Bangerang Quikpic is every bit as interesting, for different reasons. His trainer Darren Weir is shooting for three successes in four years and Craig Williams is going for the hat trick. The horse looked decidedly unlucky last start and is obviously a very promising sort. If you check the formlines of De Fine Lago, Growl and Playwright you'll see that they can all be compared: a useful punter's tool.

The local hope Assent has drawn way out. That makes it harder still for a horse that doesn't come into the race with the qualifications of the northerners.

So, even if we're not betting, we can always learn by analysing both before and AFTER the race.

Give it a few minutes both sides of its running, if you can.