By all weather reports this Saturday's VRC Derby day will be uncharacteristically wet as this meeting is usually soaked in sunshine and not rain. Nevertheless, what a crackerjack meeting and I must report feeling quite excited at the days challenge. Rest assured it will be a challenge on a wet track as most of the runners in races this time of the year are more adept to dry tracks. Just the same those punters prepared to really have a good look will unearth some runners who do not mind a bit of
By all weather reports this Saturday's VRC Derby day will be uncharacteristically wet as this meeting is usually soaked in sunshine and not rain. Nevertheless, what a crackerjack meeting and I must report feeling quite excited at the days challenge. Rest assured it will be a challenge on a wet track as most of the runners in races this time of the year are more adept to dry tracks. Just the same those punters prepared to really have a good look will unearth some runners who do not mind a bit of dampness.
The beauty of this meeting is the spread of race classes and distances. The meeting starts with the 1600m 3yo Set Weights & Penalties Carbine Club Stakes where Skilled and Mr Chard dominate the betting. Race 2 is the all important 2500m Open age Lexus Stakes where several runners MUST win to gain entry into the Melbourne Cup. There will be tension galore amongst the connections of those runners before and during the race. Race 3 is the 1200m Coolmore Stakes for 3yo's at Set Weights (tough race), followed by the traditional lead up to the VRC Oaks on Thursday with the running of the Wakeful Stakes. Can the new girl on the block Dizlago take the next step? I think she can but the official handicappers ratings give her no chance at the weights.
Race 5 sees So You Think back up and again it will be a brave man who is prepared to bet against the champ. Will he go to the Melbourne Cup? Who knows? In the meantime the connections for runners in Race 6, the VRC Derby, will be on the balls of their feet praying their faith in buying a staying type will payoff. Haven't we had one hell of a meeting already? Yes, we have but there is more.
Race 7 sees the mouth watering clash between Hot Danish, Typhoon Tracy and the 3yo filly, Yosei, who carries 8kg less than the two champion mares. Wouldn't we like to see the three meet at the 200m mark! Race 8 brings us the open class sprinters of the day with the 1200m Salinger Stakes and this IS the toughest race on the program. It won't be for me if Shellscrape wins but I have the field priced at around 6/1 7/1 and my confidence level is not strong. Finally, the lucky last and the A selection is obvious if we are going purely on form. It has to be We're Gonna Rock: he was a certainty beaten last run at Group 1 level and here he is on the limit. Alas, if racing was only that easy for a get back type racing on a track that may be chopped up.
I am just going to sit back in front of the TVN guys and absorb the atmosphere, the magic moments and hopefully add some folding material to the wallet. I hope you can enjoy the day, too.