They're in my black book.

Com'on idol-mate , fight the eyelids and keep yourself up. you might be in sleepy backwaters but We're sending Keayang Zahara over to live'n you up a bit on Showday. might get the place rock'in a bit  😉😁

I love the confidence. I haven't sorted out all of my picks yet but I plan to come flying out of the gates with a double figure odds winner that I've found in the first comp race.  If I can nab the quinella and somehow fluke the trifecta it could be all over after the first  

havent tried yet ...

What do the green stars mean? Some filled in, others an outline only. 

I think Larry might do it PS . I heard somewhere they were offering $7 I think for the 3 races . I think this year with the cup and the undercard , they will be the strongest fields they have had for many years . I am hoping Ohoka Connor is in the free for all , because would love to see him up against the other top horses to prove how good he is , just hoping he isn't a run short missing those standing start races .  Regardless we are in for some good racing 

Did that work for you Max? Of course if you use VPN to watch channel 9, you then can't access your NZTAB account at the same time so have to bet with your ozzie accounts unless you switch back and forward. Makes little sense to me, but Entain evidently think it increases their business here.

A year ago, a then-record nine runners from Japan participated in the Breeders' Cup. But rather than incremental change, Japanese connections have kicked in the proverbial door this year at Del Mar with 19 contenders making the trip. View the full article

Richard Rigney will be betting an exacta box on the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1): Jonathan's Way and Chancer McPatrick. View the full article

Still One my favourites as well as the first of a few have been lucky enough to of attended, and is just something about International Competition that makes it more exhilirating, a bit like A World Cup in other sports or something.  I think the Interdominion Champion list is chock full of the greatest runners of Aus and NZ competition , and along with the amazing NZ Cup winners list and the Miracle Mile winners list in Aus,  you have ALL the Harness Racing Star horses of All Time , and quite an impressive horseperson list too.    The thing with LEAP TO FAME is he might be the first Horse to WIN All 3 of those Top Tier Races when he steps out Addington soon. A real piece of history in the making. The QLDer Leap To Fame currently being the Interdominion and Miracle Mile title's holder at the moment. can he get the Grand Slam Trifecta? 🏆🏆🏆 go get em' Larry 😁 Gammalite and Young Quinn shown on this thread in video winning Interdom Grand Finals , but both missed in the NZ Cup with 2 attempts each.   The superstar Nz champ Lazarus just missing the Big 3,  with 2 NZ Cups 🏆🏆 and an Interdom win, missed out getting a Miracle Mile with a 3rd and 7th in that Classic race.     

At the moment one I've got a snitcher for is Scary....by a Melb Cup winner (Shocking) from a Reliable Man mare whose bloodline incl the VRC Derby-winning champ Grosvenor. Decent form (Stakes-placed in the Gp 3 Robinson) and likely to handle the 2500m trip better than most. Busuttin-Young combo know how to prepare horses to win Derbies. Drawn 8, s should be able to settle well without being 3 wide the trip. $35 is too good to turn down. What is most scary about Scary is that, when looking at its pedigree, Max spotted the name Vignette ...well, back in the day Max went to the Woodville stables of Syd Brown during the school hols and 'helped out' ...and the first horse he had the privilege of walking and hosing down etc etc was a quiet unraced chestnut filly called Vignette. Scary alright.

Absolutely no doubt Deb is the reason this horse is back somewhere near his best.

Thinking back, not many SH 3yos have run in the Cup ...I remember Gai's Nothin' Leica Dane backed up and ran 2nd after winning the Derby, can't remember the year but prob about 40 yrs ago. Someone on here will know the names of others. 

Saturday sees the stellar Breeders Cup card at Del Mar with a host of championship races on Dirt and Turf. The turf is likely to be Firm with the weather sunny and temperatures around 21c - it doesn't get much better than that. Filly & Mare Sprint - 1400m (DIRT) - Frankie Dettori rides FROST AT DAWN but the filly is 40/1 and has little or no chance having never run on the Dirt. Turf Sprint - 1000m - the draw could have been kinder to BRADSELL who is out in the car park at 12 while BELIEVING is in the one stall but given she often gets behind before running on, that won't help her either. BIG EVS is in stall eleven but he has a lot to find with BRADSELL on Nunthrope form for all he won the Juvenile Turf Sprint at Santa Anita last year from the four berth. COGBURN slammed KHAADEM over 1200m at Keeneland last time and I just wonder if this might be sharp enough for him as well. MOTORIOUS only won a handicap last time but stall two gives him a chance but I prefer the Godolphin runner STAR OF MYSTRY from six who ran well at Keeneland last time and has shown plenty of speed on the fast turf at Meydan. Turf - 2400m - moved up the card from its usual penultimate to facilitate European tv coverage. It's a race the Europeans often win and once again they have a strong hand. REBEL'S ROMACNCE has plenty of air miles and won this in 2022 at Keeneland. He won at Cologne last time but his third in the King George is also very good form. We know the American tracks and firm ground hold no fears. EMILY UPJOHN was three and a half lengths behind REBEL'S ROMANCE in the Sheema Classic in March and has generally had a moderate European campaign but her Vermeille third to BLUESTOCKING and AVENTURE looks much better given the latter two were the first two home in the Arc. Her Yorkshire Oaks third to CONTENT is fair form at this level. I'm keen on Hampton Court winner JAYAREBE whose trainer I remember saying at Ascot the horse loved firm ground. He'll get it here and he's worth a try at 2400m - his second to ECONOMICS at Deauville, in the light of the latter's win in the Irish Champion, looks very good form. LUXEMBOURG has solid form but not so much recently and he's held by REBEL'S ROMANCE on Ascot form and by JAYAREBE on a line through ECONOMICS.  FAR BRIDGE is the best of the locals and his wins in the Sword Dancer and the Joe Hirsch put him right in this - the Americans can beat the Europeans but not often on the grass. WINGSPAN looks the Ballydoyle second string and she'll have to raise her game against the tough colts and geldings. SHAHRYAR has form with REBEL'S ROMANCE and the good Japanese horse DO DEUCE (who won the Tenno Sho last Sunday in Tokyo) and was a close third in this last year and through AUGUSTE RODIN is right in this. JAYAREBE and SHAHRYAR are my two against the field with plenty of respect for FAR BRIDGE in what could be a thriller. Classic - 2000m (DIRT) - the big one, nearly £2.9 million to the winner and the acid test for Derby, Eclipse and Juddmonte winner CITY OF TROY for whom victory would mean immortality and a stallion career starting at the very top. Can he do it? The conundrum is the race and how he will go with the Dirt types. FIERCENESS won the JIm Dandy and the Travers (beating the top mare THORPEDO ANNA who should bolt up in the Distaff) but there's no real stand out among the locals. SIERRA LEONE and FOREVER YOUNG were second and third in the Kentucky Derby - the latter won the Japan Dirt Classic last time and looks the more significant threat. USHBA TESORO was runner up in the both the Saudi Cup and the Dubai World Cup but was only fifth in this last year and it'll probably happen too quick for him and SENOR BUSCADOR.  I'm going for FOREVER YOUNG to win at 5s but CITY OF TROY could easily look very special. Filly & Mare Turf - 2100m having run seventh in the English 1000 Guineas, Charlie Appleby has sent CINDERELLA'S DREAM to win the Belmont Oaks and the Saratoga Oaks and that's solid form. CONTENT won the Yorkshire Oaks and given her last two poor runs at Longchamp and Ascot were on soft ground, you'd have to hope a return to fast ground would be a big help.  WAR LIKE GODDESS is a serious challenger among the locals having run seventh in the Turf last year and a close second to FAR BRIDGE in the Joe Hirsch. Back to her own gender she has big claims. SOPRANO goes 400m further than she ever has here and her runner up at Keeneland to SHE FEELS PRETTY probably wouldn't be good enough. Mile - 1609m - turf a cracking race, my race of the night and a mouthwatering clash between NOTABLE SPEECH and the fillies PORTA FORTUNA and RAMATUELLE. NOTABLE SPEECH won the English 2000 Guineas, was beaten in the St James's Palace but returned with a win in the Sussex. His defeat in the Moulin can probably be put down to soft ground and this looks an ideal test. He's in six and next door in seven is PORTA FORTUNA who, after a fine second in the English 1000 Guineas. has won the Coronation, the Falmouth and the Matron. She's in American ownership and this has been the target. A tight mile round a corner looks ideal and I think she'll beat the Godolphin colt. RAMATUELLE has finished behind PORTA FORTUNA in both the 1000 Guineas and the Coronation but returned with a fine win in the Foret over 1400m on soft ground. I'm far from convinced this much quicker ground will suit. DIEGO VELAZQUEZ looked good in the Solonaway last time but this is another step up in grade against some seriously good milers. JOHANNES looks the best of the locals with four Graded wins this season including the Shoemaker Mile. Selections - Day Two Turf Sprint: STAR OF MYSTERY (each way) Turf: JAYAREBE (win), SHAHRYAR (each way) Classic: FOREVER YOUNG Filly & Mare Turf: WAR LIKE GODDESS MIle: PORTA FORTUNA  

At least you will wake up a rich man after your punts though 😆

Those poor horses used to get thrashed back then . I think the whip rules are a great thing now . Classic race and what a run by Armalight as well she was a great mare and had no luck in that race 

The Breeders Cup starts tomorrow evening with the juvenile races. I'll look at those with European interest. The turf is reported Firm at Del Mar. Juvenile Turf Sprint - 1000m - the Japanese runner ECORO SIEG has got the eight draw and may just be too sharp for the Europeans. He won over 1200m at Nakayama last time and if he breaks and runs they may not get to him. AESTERIUS and BIG MOJO are 1-1 after two clashes - the former won at Doncaster in the Flying Childers but the latter's win on fast ground in the Molecomb at Goodwood may be of more value and he edges the selection from stall three. I expect MAGNUM FORCE to run well from four and I'd be a fan of Norfolk winner SHAREHOLDER if I could forgive his poor Morny run but the nine stall isn't ideal. WHISTLEJACKET is drawn seven but the balance of his form suggests this will be too sharp on quick turf. Juvenile Fillies' Turf - 1609m - LAKE VICTORIA has got the inside berth and could be a Ballydoyle banker at 4/5. She won the Cheveley Park and the Moyglare and looked perfectly happy on fast ground in the Sweet Solera at Newmarket. She looks better than her stable companion HEAVENS GATE while local THOUGHT PROCESS looks the likely one for the forecast. Breeders Cup Juvenile - 1659m (DIRT) - HILL ROAD runs for AMO Racing but he's the rank outsider and it's hard to see him being competitive on his first run on the Dirt. EAST AVENUE, representing Godolphin, was an easy winner of the Claiborne Futurity at Keeneland last time and looks an above-average sort. Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf - 1609m - another strong race for the Europeans who dominate. NEW CENTURY beat AL QUDRA in the Summer Stakes at Woodbine in mid September and they could well fight out the finish to this. AL QUDRA is in four and NEW CENTURY in eleven so I'm tempted to offer the thought the places might be reversed. The Godolphin number one on jockey bookings, however, is AOMORI CITY who was a ready winner of the Vintage at Goodwood but disappointed in the National at The Curragh. HENRI MATISSE beat last Saturday's Futurity winner HOTAZHELL over 1400m in August and finished in front of AOMORI CITY in the National but was disappointing in the Lagardere last time. SATONO CARNIVAL runs from stall one and could easily jump and run while ZULU KINGDOM started his career in the French provinces before coming to New York and winning two for Chad Brown. He's the best of a modest local challenge. Selections: Juvenile Turf Sprint: BIG MOJO Juvenile Fillies' Turf: LAKE VICTORIA Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf: AL QUDRA Preview of the big Saturday races to follow.

All eyes on Southern California so a quick center through the British action this weekend. Wetherby stages two Grade 2 races on ground described as Good, Good to Soft in places as the autumn dry spell continues. The West Yorkshire Hurdle over 4850m is the first big staying hurdle of the season. This looks a weak division and a weak renewal. DASHEL DRASHER was third off 159 last year and now runs off 153 after failing to be competitive in the big staying hurdle championship races at Cheltenham and Aintree. The fact he's still favourite for the race shows how poor this division is currently. KATEIRA is four years his junior and gets 9 lbs - her bare form isn't good enough but her win in a Grade 3 handicap at Aintree on National day, aided by the strong form of the Skelton yard, makes her the clear alternative and if she is going to be any kind of player in this division, she has to win a race like this. Seven go in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase over 4800m. BRAVEMANSGAME is a past winner though was second in this on much softer turf last year. His King George second to HEWICK reads well and suggests this decent ground will be ideal but he was no match for the Irish in either the Gold Cup at Cheltenham or the Bowl at Aintree. This isn't a championship race, however, and that gives him a strong chance. He's not top rated though - that honour goes to CONFLATED who comes here instead of going to Down Royal (of which more anon). He was second to JONBON in the Melling (4000m) but well held at Punchestown and he's inclined to make a right horlicks of the odd fence which won't help. I much prefer GREY DAWNING who won the Turners at Cheltenham and was a decent third in the Manifesto at Aintree but always looked a stayer and especially so at Warwick in the Hampton last January. He's a confident selection to establish his Gold Cup credentials at the expense of BRAVEMANSGAME. Down Royal stages the first Grade 1 of the Irish season - the Champion Chase over 4800m. GERRI COLOMBE was twenty three and a half lengths behind GALOPIN DES CHAMPS at Leopardstown at Christmas but cut that to just three and a half at Cheltenham in the Gold Cup and then beat AHOY SENOR in the Bowl at Aintree. You could argue AHOY SENOR's run in the Old Roan puts a dent in that form but I'm less convinced. On his second in the Gold Cup, GERRI COLOMBE is well ahead on the ratings. HEWICK was a fortunate winner of the King George when SHISHKIN stumbled after the second last and didn't really follow up - his third to FASTORSLOW at Punchestown was okay at best and I can't see him beating GERRI COLOMBE for speed. ENVOI ALLEN was only a neck behind GERRI COLOMBE in this last year but while GERRI COLOMBE improved through last winter and spring, ENVOI ALLEN did not and I struggle to see why he should be any more than a marginal threat to GERRI COLOMBE.

Time for the long overdue rev iew of last weekend's racing in Britain. Starting on Saturday at Doncaster with the final Group 1 of the domestic season - William Hill Futurity - ovder the straight 1600m. The ground was Soft but quite tacky and holding and pretty hard work for the horses. WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE had won the Royal Lodge at Newmarket but now faced DELACROIX from the Aidan O'Brien astable while John & Thady Gosden had DETAIN, impressive winner of two races on the synthetic surfaces but unproven on soft turf. That was nice. I'd recommended an each way play on HOTAZHELL and if you followed me in at 12s I hope you enjoyed the steak dinner as much as Mrs Stodge and I. Shane Foley had to use every ounce of strength to repel Ryan Moore on DELACROIX and the two Irish raiders put the locals to the sword. It was a terrific battle in the final 300m with HOTAZHELL prevailing by a nose but both colts emerge from this with plenty of credit for next season. WIMBLEDON HAWKEYE was keen enough early and just didn't get competitive though battled for third. I'm sure a winter and some decent ground will see him to much better effect next season and I could certainly see him in the Derby line up next June. ANNO DOMINI, DETAIN and ROYAL PLAYRIGHT all looked at sea on the bad ground and while it was disappointing to see them run so poorly we can forgive them and see how they winter with a view to their 3-y-o campaign next year. The jumpers had their first big weekend of the season with meetings at Cheltenham and Aintree featuring Grade 2 races. At Cheltenham on Friday where the ground was just on the soft side of good, VALGRAND cemented the strong start to the season made by the Skeltons with a 17-length romp in the 3250m Sky Bet Novices Hurdle. He was far too good for prolific summer winner GALE MAHLER while the Nicholls runner BRAVE KNIGHT faded tamely from the second last. VALGRAND has been introduced at 33s for the Supreme next March but there's a lot of water to pass under a lot of bridges before then. Nonetheless, we know the horse jumps well, acts on the course and will enjoy decent ground. Sunday saw the opening Aintree meeting of the new season and the feature Old Roan over 4000m on the Mildmay track saw Brian Hughes with a perfect frontrunning ride on MINELLA DRAMA making almost every yard to beat HITMAN who again ran well in this race. AHOY SENOR ran a curious race in third - in past seasons, his opening run has been well below par but on a track where he has shown plenty of form albeit over 4800m, he ran well coming home strongly off what some considered quite a tender ride by Derek Fox. One or media people got a bit agitated and you could argue Fox perhaps misjudged the race - no question, AHOY SENOR still retains plenty of talent. Favourite STAGE STAR was expected to be in the shake up but he disappointed. The horse was very good early last season but ran poorly on Heavy ground at Cheltenham at new Year and was only average in the Ryanair. One or two of Nicholls's horses have needed a run but this was a notch below what I expected and I'd be hoping for better in a race like the Peterborough next time.  

The same was said about Courier Bay - I sent $440 dollars (from an all up bet) with are a relative to put it on with the bookies when he had his first start in Oz - only to have rain on the day 🙄 It was the equivalent of about 3 weeks of my apprentice wages back then 😪