THAT CUP - SOME THOUGHTSWell, it's here again. And the tipsters are all over us. Frankly it doesn't matter what the trainer thinks now, or what a jockey thinks. All the planning and preparation has been done. And much of the serious betting too.Some of the "experts" I've seen listed for their tips in the past three days would make a less experienced player gasp. Not this old head, though. We all have an opinion, and it's the one day (and, mind you, the ONE race) on which everyone's an

THAT CUP - SOME THOUGHTS

Well, it's here again. And the tipsters are all over us. Frankly it doesn't matter what the trainer thinks now, or what a jockey thinks. All the planning and preparation has been done. And much of the serious betting too.

Some of the "experts" I've seen listed for their tips in the past three days would make a less experienced player gasp. Not this old head, though. We all have an opinion, and it's the one day (and, mind you, the ONE race) on which everyone's an expert. Even those "experts" such as the bloke who cuts your hair and the lady who sells you the fish and chips on Friday night.

It's amazing what they know.

People who wouldn't know an entire from an alpaca can tell you how many wins X has had on the track, how many horses have won from barrier seven, and so on. I don't know about you, but I just use the formguides for that stuff. But the local TABs are abuzz with the "knowledgeable ones" telling anyone who will listen why their horse is a certainty.

For all that, isn't it just the greatest day? So, for what it's worth, here are a few snippets I've learnt:

1. The Bart horses are being oversupported. Of course they can win. But there are probably easier ways of making a buck, in other races, and at better odds.

2. One I settled on for my "happy band of readers", Daffodil, is a consistent six points better with the corporates and TAB online than she is with the TABs. That's a big difference.

3. Forget the Big Six unless you dream of winning Lotto. If you want to try for a big collect, go for the Quaddie or the Treble instead. Fewer races, lower cost, more chance, and still the promise of a very nice return.

4. However if you disagree with me on that one, don't buy into the Quaddie until you see if you have your Big 6 still running after legs 1 and 2. The Treble is different, as it is more like a "saver", along with the Daily Double. But if you're alive in the Big 6 come Melbourne Cup time, and you have the same horses running, let the Big 6 ride.

5. Have some sort of exotic bet. I know, some people swear by win only, but these pools will be gigantic and if you are the lucky one, especially if you back two or three horses to win, well, this is the day to have a lash.

And...

Good luck! We all need a bit of that.

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