All punters, hardened or casual, will by now have an opinion about the WS Cox Plate. Doomsayers will scream about the $1.50 and their arguments are strengthened by the article written by Paul Richards in "The Winning Post". According to his study there have been 19 odds on favourites in the race since it's inception in 1922 and a sobering 7 have lost however on the brighter side seven of the last eight odds on favourites have won, with Lonhro failing in 2003. Has Lonhro (the last odds

All punters, hardened or casual, will by now have an opinion about the WS Cox Plate. Doomsayers will scream about the $1.50 and their arguments are strengthened by the article written by Paul Richards in "The Winning Post". According to his study there have been 19 odds on favourites in the race since it's inception in 1922 and a sobering 7 have lost however on the brighter side seven of the last eight odds on favourites have won, with Lonhro failing in 2003. Has Lonhro (the last odds on favourite) started a downslide?

Optimists are declaring So You Think home and hosed to all and sundry but there is always that lurking fear that this time around the wonder horse will receive a hell of a lot more attention than last year when, according to my interpretation, far too many jockeys were having a nap at the 800m when they should have been switched on to what was happening in the lead.

I won't be backing him but I will take one exacta and for second I will take the obvious selection, Zipping. His last two runs at 2000m have yielded extraordinarily gutsy wins in the Turnbull Stakes and Australian Cup and if the wins had been by Whobegotyou he would be 4/1 instead of double figures. For third I will slot in Shoot Out thus I will be taking on Whobegotyou (I just have a nagging doubt about a strongly run 2000m) and More Joyous (plus 400m and definite class rise) but don't throw eggs my way if they run second and third between them. We all know they are classy enough to rise to the occasion but I have to draw the line somewhere and that is that.

A friend and I watched Showoff's run last start several time and his prepost price of $9 is clearly overs taking a line through the Norman Robinson Stakes winner Retrieve. His breeding has stayer all over it (sire 2nd to Benecio in VRC Derby, mother was 2000m winner and by Zabeel) and I shall be backing him the VRC Derby before this race as well.

The Waterford Crystal Stakes is a doozy and I am gambling by even betting in the race but at 12/1 and 25/1 respectively for Gold Salute and La Rocket I am prepared to drag the moths aside and reach into my wallet, albeit dragging out a smaller denomination note or two. Luck will play an enormous role in the race and all I will be doing is hoping.

The other mouth watering race is the Schweppes Stakes where Black Caviar finally meets better class runners than Wanted and Here De Angels with the inclusion of the amazing Hot Danish and top class Melito. For value I am going to take both Hot Danish and Melito to finish ahead of Black Caviar in some exactas and first fours but like in the Cox Plate my outlay will be quite minimal.

It is going to be a crackerjack days racing but punting wise be really careful. I know I am going to tread ever so carefully.