Early post

EARLYPOST

STEWARDS

Doomben Saturday race 9 no. 3

Have to be forgiving of her last start on the Gold Coast. She raced wide without cover throughout before weakeneing in the straight. A post-race vet check revealed she had the thumps.

SECTIONAL STARS

THE NEPHEW

The Valley Saturday race 5 no. 10

Ran on strongly for second at Sandown last start with the fastest last 600m (34.61), 400m (23.48) and 200m (12.11) of the race. He is ready to win.

BILL THE BOXER

The Valley Saturday race 7 no. 2

Was beaten fi rst up at Terang under 62kg, but kept fi nding the line well for third. His last 600m of 33.94 was the fastest of the day and he can improve fi tness wise.

CARDONE

Randwick Saturday race 5 no. 7

Had impressed in his trials before being strong to the line and winning on debut at Canterbury. His last 600m of 34.31 was the sixth fastest for the night.

BULLFINCH

Randwick Saturday race 9 no. 1

Is getting closer to a win with every run this time in and gets another good opportunity this week. He closed off well behind Jojo Was A Man last start with splits of 11.40 and 12.23.

PO KARE KARE

Randwick Saturday race 10 no. 11

Promising mare that resumed in fi ne style with a win here at the end of last month. She reeled off the meeting’s fastest last 600m (32.98) and 200m (11.09) and looks in for a good campaign.

FROM THE TRIALS

MUISCA

Flemington Friday race 1 no. 12

Was the medium of good support on debut after some good trials, but she struck a heavy track and didn’t fi re at Moe in August. She resumes again on the back of some neat jumpout work and can improve sharply on drier ground.

Bill The Boxer

FLY ON BYE

Flemington Friday race 6 no. 15

A horse that is very good on his day, but we don’t always see it from him. He looked good winning a recent Flemington jumpout, sitting handy before forging well over the latter stages under his own steam.

PERI PERI RICH

Flemington Friday race 2 no. 9

Lightly raced mare who has shown good ability in the limited starts she’s had. Given a slight urge along by her rider halfway down the straight in a Pakenham jumpout and closed strongly to the line behind an all-the-way leader.

VIDEO STARS

SOPHIA’S MAGIC

Canterbury Friday race 5 no. 11

Former Kiwi that showed more at her second run for Chris Waller when fi nishing off well in restricted room at this track last start. She drops in weight and appears to be looking for the longer distance (1900m).

GLITTER STRIP

Doomben Saturday race 5 no. 15

Missed the start three lengths on resumption and that proved costly. She ended up settling last before picking up good late ground in the straight to only fi nish a shade over three lengths from the winner.

SHUFFLE DANCER

The Valley Saturday race 4 no. 6

A promising three-year-old fi lly from the Peter Moody yard who was slow into stride second up and ended up in an awkward spot, buried on the fence. She was only able to get fully clear with 300m to go and by that stage the winner, the smart Wrote To Arataki, had the race shot to pieces. Recorded the second-quickest last 400m of the program when running on into a clear second.

SYSTEM OF THE WEEK

RIGHT PLACE FOR A JOCKEY

We have had a bit of luck backing horses for a place in the past three weeks. We are going to do the same again, but use a diff erent method to get there.

Step 1: Look at the Premierships page (92) and check the list of top jockeys. Step 2: Look at the place column and note the three hoops who have the most placings. Step 3: Then check their mounts focussing on races where every horse has had at least fi ve starts. Step 4: Eliminate any who have a place strike rate (P%) of less than 50%. Step 5: Eliminate any who have raced this time in and fi nished more than three lengths from the winner last start, unless they started at less than $10. If they are fi rst up, eliminate if they haven’t won fresh. Step 6: If you have more than one qualifi er, take the one with the highest Whiteway (WW) rating. If they’re equal, take the one in the best barrier.

LAST WEEK

Percentage place play (again) found a profi t for the third week in a row. It was a system based around backing horses for the place with seven of the 11 selections doing just that. It also found three winners. It is a keeper . Check winningpost.com. au for this week’s system picks.

EYE CATCHERS

RAN LAST WEEKEND

COSMIC MINERVA (Sydney) Closed well when rising in class. Keep following. SPACEWALK (Sydney) Resumed with an unlucky and costly third. Can win soon. MAJOR ARTIE (Sydney) On-pacer who was caught late second up. Ready to win. TOURISTIC (Sydney) Import who fi nished off nicely. Looks ready for a 2400m. RIOYUKI (Melbourne) Held up before charging late to just miss. Follow. DAWN PASSAGE (Melbourne) Stuck on well for third at his fi rst run as a gelding. BRITISH COLUMBIA (Melbourne) Two good runs this time in. Stick with him. JUNGLE JIM (Melbourne) Fought on well for second. Racing well this time in.

RUNNING THIS WEEKEND

ALMANIA (Randwick race 4 no. 5) Very

good at fi rst run for two years. Fitter.

SHUFFLE DANCER (The Valley race 4

no. 6) Not much luck last time. Looks well placed to go one better.

ICE PICK NICK (The Valley race 6 no. 2)

Good here second up. Strong claims in this even aff air.

BOLD MAC (Randwick race 9 no. 5)

Solid fresh second and has claims again.

STAR SPARKS (Randwick race 9 no. 7)

Should push forward and take catching.

UPDATE WITH YOUR BLESSING (Second $1.80)

May have gone close with a clearer path. SWORDS DRAWN (Second $2.40) Stuck on okay. May be looking for 2400m. ARRAN BAY (Second $2.30) Battled on fairly without threatening. WINIFER (Unplaced) Loomed up but faded late over 3000m. VONGOLE (Unplaced) Caught three wide last start and faded over the closing stages.

Crystal ball time

JOEL MARSHALL

With little in the way of stakes racing this weekend (Group 2s in two states ramp things up again next week), we thought it was time for the team to look ahead. We’ve asked the experts at Best Bets and Winning Post to give readers a blackbooker to follow in 2023, with a couple of caveats. The horse must have had fi ve runs or less, won no more than one race, and be a Group 1 winner by the end of the year (okay, so I couldn’t get the team to guarantee that last one, but they’ve tried their hardest). BRENDAN TUPPER: Osipenko (Chris Waller). Beaten only by his wide barrier when a huge third in the Caulfi eld Guineas at start four. He’s a Group 1 winner in waiting. KEVIN CASEY: Zou Tiger (John O’Shea). He led and hung in there until the fi nal 100m in the Group 1 Golden Rose when last seen. Has trialled okay recently and will add many more wins to his CV. JOEL MARSHALL: Gringotts (Ciaron Maher & David Eustace). NZ trial winner who went close to winning on debut at Sandown last week, running terrifi c late splits. Could be an Australian Guineas horse. CHRIS NELSON: Bezique (Tony Gollan). Beautifully-bred fi lly out of a Magic Millions winner. Went from maiden win on debut to a listed second at her second start. Stable has a big opinion of her. JULIE ROWLAND: Kusu (Richard & Chantelle Jolly). Was very impressive winning in Saturday grade last August. Not in best the going at Flemington at next outing. Likely to have taken benefi t from a break. PAUL RICHARDS: Noble Magnate (Richard & Chantelle Jolly). Dominant winner at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup day on his debut. He fi nished a close second at his next start and looks destined for better races.

SUMMER RACING FROM THE VALLEY

PLUS ACTION FROM CAMPERDOWN AND GAWLER. AND DON’T MISS RAPID RACING AT FLEMINGTON ON FRIDAY.

Live coverage on Friday January 20th and Saturday January 21st.

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