|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Aussie
Rules
|
Spring Comes Early
SPRING COMES EARLY AT ESKANDER RACING Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival may be the best part of six months away, but persistent enquiries from clients of the Michael Eskander office have prompted the early release of our Caulfield Cup, W.S Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup markets. Four-year-olds have a great record in the major cups and Gai Waterhouse has Platinum Scissors, Shower Of Roses and Sunday Joy to lead her charge. Our Caulfield Cup (18/10/03) market is headed by a brace of up and coming 4 year olds; AJC Derby winner Clangalang, the controversial stayer Platinum Scissors, along with blue-blooded fillies Shower Of Roses and Sunday Joy all share top billing as $15 ‘equal favourites.’ Last year’s winner Northerly ($26) will face a monumental task at the weights, but is bound to have his admirers, whilst comeback mare Magical Miss is quoted at $17. Despite their apparent preference for the Melbourne Cup, the ‘International’ stables are expected to target this year’s Caulfield Cup as well. Local racing club officials are reportedly overseas at the moment promoting the individual races. We have a particularly healthy respect for the Godolphin stable, and as such Beekeeper ($17), Sulamani ($17) and Moon Ballad ($26) are all kept safe in the Caulfield Cup. The Dermot Weld trained Refuse To Bend, a Sadler’s Wells half-brother to Media Puzzle ($17), is rated a $21 chance. It is irrelevant who the Horse of the Year is, Lonhro or Northerly? That is judged on past glories. We want to know if one of them can win the 2003 Cox Plate! You tell us. Northerly, like Sunline two years ago, seeks to emulate Kingston Town as a three-time winner of the weight-for-age championship. Is he as good as ever or is time catching up to the fighting tiger from the west? Run at Moonee Valley on October 25th, the Cox Plate has a definite sense of déjà vu about it. Local heavyweights Northerly ($7FAV), Defier ($8) and Lonhro ($8) assume their rightful places at the top of the market. Dubai World Cup winner Moon Ballad shares the second line of betting. His stablemate, and last year’s 3rd placegetter Grandera is $11. Japan’s Eishin Preston is rated a $13 chance on the strength of his wonderful form on Strathayr surfaces. Of the other local hopes, Doncaster Handicap winner Grand Armee ($15) is widely expected to graduate to W.F.A standard. On to the first Tuesday in November, and can Godolphin finally win the Melbourne Cup? Will northern hemisphere horses dominate in all three features? Have Gai Waterhouse, Bart Cummings and Lee Freedman got the firepower to repel the overseas assault? Bart is looking for his 12th Cup. Is Magical Miss, just back in work, the forgotten horse? She was the favourite last year until she suffered a leg injury coming out of the Turnbull Stakes. Adelaide has thrown up a number of spring players over the years and perhaps Lee Freedman-trained Mummify, winner of the SA Derby at the weekend, can emulate the likes of Subzero, Just A Dash and Gatum Gatum to have won that race and later the Melbourne Cup. Looking at the Melbourne Cup market, last year’s hero Media Puzzle ($15) shares the top line with four others, including the Waterhouse stablemates Shower Of Roses and Platinum Scissors. Kiwi mares Bramble Rose ($17) and Honor Babe ($17) should have no trouble handling a Flemington “two mile” and are sure to have their share of admirers. Find attached the odds for the horses listed by staff as potential Cups and Cox Plate runners. If the horse you like isn't listed, call the office and get a quote.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
