Speaker 1Join the conversation. Text us on 0499 736 736. Live across Australia. This is Giddy Up with Gareth Hall.
Speaker 2Yes, good morning. This is Giddy Up with Gareth Hall on this Tuesday the 20th of October. It's a big hello to you listening on your local SCN track and RSN 927 dials. Wherever you may be listening on the SCN and RSN apps. Of course, watching us a little later on on the podcast and also watching us, listening to us on the podcast and watching us on Racing.com. It is Cox Plate Week and we've got that Tuesday morning. Now, usually we're at Moonee Valley with Breakfast with the Stars. Obviously, with the Cox Plate being conducted at Flemington this Saturday, they didn't have their Breakfast with the Stars, which is a little unfortunate. They'll have a big breakfast at Flemington next Tuesday ahead of Darwin. But we still had a few of the stars that worked there on the course proper at Flemington this morning, including Sir Dilius and Eliana. So we're going to hear from Chris Waller. He conducted his media conference this morning. We're going to hear from Gabe Waterhouse. We'll hear from Trent Busset, who's got blind rays. And of course, we're going to hear from James McDonald, who rode Eliana in track work this morning. So that is some lineup to kick off preceding. Zach Pert and the Champion Hoop from Hong Kong will join us. Of course, there's been a lot of debate and talk about his ride on Carling Rising. So we'll hear from the man himself around 10.30. Adam Blanco from RacingAndSports.com will join me just after 8.30. So looking forward to that. Terry Henderson has got small fry with OTI Racing engaged in that Geelong Cup for Joseph O'Brien. If he sneaks into the Melbourne Cup, I reckon he would be nearly their best chance. I'm hearing anyway. He's got to win the Geelong Cup first, which isn't an easy assignment. This year, because it's one of the best Geelong Cups we have seen. So I'm looking forward to catching up with Terry. Luke Rayner will join us. We'll have the midweek masterclass team. And then we'll talk some harness racing towards the back end of the show as we relive Victoria Cup night. I'm getting a lot of great feedback with that hat I'm wearing today. I don't know. I like that hat. It was given to me as a gift. This is like my old grandpa's hat. They used to wear that to the races all the time. We had track work earlier this morning. We've got the Cox Plate jacket on. I'm not taking this hat off, Paulie Sebastiani. I don't know why. The feedback's been unbelievable so far. I can't believe it. If you're listening to me on radio, you wouldn't have a clue what I'm talking about at the moment. But I am enjoying the feedback anyway. 049-736-736 to join our conversation on the Garrods Horse and Hound text line for your canine and equine essentials. Now, let's get started. We're stuck into our Tuesday show. We're going to kick off proceedings with Chris Waller, who had a chat to the media at Flemington this morning. And this is what he had to say after a few of his stars worked there on the course proper at Flemington ahead of Cox Plate Day on Saturday.
Speaker 3Chris, we've seen a couple of your Cox Plate charges have a spin around Flemington this morning. Birdman, Aliana, what can you tell us about their respective workout here this morning? Both horses are well. Riders were happy with their work. James McDonnell was aboard Aliana and Ben Mallum aboard Birdman. They ride the horses on Saturday, so it was good to have them aboard. They were very happy with the work. It was good, strong work. And the recovery was good afterwards, so ticked all the boxes in terms of preparing for Saturday's Ladbrokes Cox Plate. Are you happy with the way they're both progressing towards their grand finals, so to speak? Yeah, I am. Both horses are in great form. They're genuine group one horses. Aliana's ready to peak after a good semi-final run last start, and Birdman the same. His fitness gave out with 100 metres to go, so that'll bring him on nicely for the Cox Plate. What were each of the horses asked to do this morning? Aliana worked over 1,000 metres and then breezed up. The strongest part of her work was the last 400. And Birdman's similar. He just did a little bit more, over 1,200 metres, and then same again. Just gradually getting to their top in the straight. We don't like that. We don't like to fully tax them, but at the same time get their lungs working and get their legs pumping. And yeah, really pleased with both horses.
Speaker 4This time last year, just off the road, we were talking about Aliana being a Cox Plate chance for this year. Has that gap, has Birdman, I guess, surprised you and closed that gap a little bit?
Speaker 3Yeah. I think horses, they continue to improve if you look after them, and that's what we've tried to do with Aliana. We saw her find best possible form in the Orchard. We've tried to get her to the top of the race. to the owners but we're all on the same page and we're very keen to bring her down providing she's fit and well so it's great to see her in brilliant form her recovery post race was excellent and yeah she's in career best form so looking forward to bringing her down and i guess that decision will be made a little later in the week and then every day up until departure making sure everything's right to have her down here in the best possible
Speaker 4condition you're worried about your horses chris i'm sure but kieran's going to have a couple little go forward and and keep everyone honest he's shown his hand the last few starts does that concern you at all and are your courses conditioned for that sort of
Speaker 3performance oh i think it's it's what you expect now if there's the modern weight for age racing when i say modern the last few years uh pride of jenny took things to a different level and she's created a huge impression and um and there's been a few horses since so yeah um a real tough uh cox plate would suit eliana uh it might test birdman but both horses have been prepared with that in mind so they'll be a little bit fitter than they've been in their last couple of runs so they're ready to go but um it'll certainly sort them out it'll be a real stamina test
Speaker 5chris will true tone run here on saturday on the way to the derby
Speaker 3true tone most likely run on wednesday at geelong just gives us an extra extra few days he's drawn well on wednesday and it's been a a pretty good race for us in the past as a bit of a guide so you'll see him on wednesday at geelong
Speaker 5and what about lazura in sydney this weekend uh
Speaker 3lazura runs in the invitation uh a new race in sydney which is capturing a good field and a bit of prestige about it each year so she's in great form and runs in the invitation yes solcom needs to run top three uh wherever he heads and at this stage it'll be the geelong cup probably keep valiant king back from the geelong club to run the moody valley cup
Speaker 6so chris on saturday on saturday uh how have you coped that with the trainer in the
Speaker 3stable um everything's gone well since saturday good good support for our staff and um yeah just just one day at a time um so yeah they're they're pretty resilient the people that look after these horses they obviously love them dearly uh just like a cattle dog so um yeah it's always tough when when there's a missing stable but yeah the melbourne racing club have been very good with support i commend them for offering counseling and they were they've been fantastic because um yeah it's good that people really understand how much people love horses and how much goes into a horse um yeah and no risks are ever taken and they're always yeah it's good that people really understand how much people love horses and um how much goes into a horse um yeah and and no risks are ever taken and they're always good that people really understand how much people love horses and how much goes into a horse um yeah and no risks are ever taken and they're always yeah the first choice is bringing them home safe regardless of where they finish but um the staff finish but um the staff finish but um the staff they're coping well was it hard for you being
Speaker 6they're coping well was it hard for you being they're coping well was it hard for you being in sydney
Speaker 3in sydney in sydney oh it's never easy
Speaker 6oh it's never easy oh it's never easy and have you spoken to jai and have you spoken to jai
Speaker 3and have you spoken to jai yeah spoken to jai he's he's improving yeah spoken to jai he's he's improving yeah spoken to jai he's improving with each day and it's great to see him with each day and it's great to see him with each day and it's great to see him out of hospital and um out of hospital and um out of hospital and um yeah he's come out of it pretty well
Speaker 6yeah he's come out of it pretty well yeah he's come out of it pretty well and is it hard then to sort of get up and is it hard then to sort of get up and is it hard then to sort of get up and now go forward like you've got forces and now go forward like you've got forces and now go forward like you've got forces now to concentrate
Speaker 3now to concentrate now to concentrate um it's never easy so you just take one um it's never easy so you just take one um it's never easy so you just take one day at a time and yeah just just deal day at a time and yeah just just deal with it as each day comes chris are you with it as each day comes chris are you with it as each day comes chris are you happy with the way your melbourne cup happy with the way your melbourne cup happy with the way your melbourne cup team's progressing um okay i'd like them team's progressing um okay i'd like them team's progressing um okay i'd like them to be a little bit faster to be a little bit faster to be a little bit faster but um a lot can happen in the next 10 but um a lot can happen in the next 10 but um a lot can happen in the next 10 days so um we've got days so um we've got days so um we've got sort of five and five or six horses sort of five and five or six horses sort of five and five or six horses there in the mix but we don't want to there in the mix but we don't want to there in the mix but we don't want to changes i know there's a lot of water to changes i know there's a lot of water to changes i know there's a lot of water to go under the bridge but go under the bridge but go under the bridge but can you maybe seed them like who would can you maybe seed them like who would can you maybe seed them like who would be your top chance at this stage do you be your top chance at this stage do you be your top chance at this stage do you think oh a bit early to say think oh a bit early to say think oh a bit early to say um yeah um yeah um yeah we don't have a real clear top seed so we don't have a real clear top seed so we don't have a real clear top seed so um maybe soul of spain who ran well in in the Caulfield Cup. He had a mid-race move which probably didn't suit. He ran second in the Sydney Cup. But yeah, he still needs to improve.
Speaker 4Pinhole Gallop here. He's one that could put his hand up on the first Tuesday.
Speaker 3Yeah, Pinhole was nice and strong in his work this morning and he'll go to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Saturday. It's unique being here at Flemington. It gives him his chance to get around Flemington and his win at Caulfield was very good. So he's on an upward spiral. He's by Frankel and a big strong horse. So yeah, there's plenty of hope with him.
Speaker 2So that was Chris Waller talking to the media this morning. Plenty of ground that was covered in that particular interview with the champion trainer. So Aliana is ready to go for this year's Cox Plate. He did mention that with the strong tempo expected in this race with Land Legend and Light Infantryman, the two Gallopers trained by. That should suit Aliana. She'll enjoy a strong 2,000 metre staying test there on Saturday on Cox Plate Day. And they made the decision with Autumn Boy. He'll head to Sydney and go towards a Golden Eagle and take on She's Alibi in that race on Saturday week. So that was interesting. Straight after the Epsom, they wanted to go to the Cox Plate with Autumn Boy and then they watched She's Alibi have that strong 2,000 metre hit out when she was beaten by Land Legend. In the might and power on the opening day of that Caulfield Carnival. So then they've changed their mind. They thought, well, maybe she is gettable, She's Alibi with Autumn Boy. And he hasn't been able to go with her in the past Autumn Boy, but they decided to go the Golden Eagle with Autumn Boy now to take on She's Alibi. Interesting to hear what he had to say about how his staff is coping after the passing there of, I hope he wins after that Caulfield Cup. And obviously it was tough for everybody involved. The Chris Waller stable, especially his team there in Flemington and also in Sydney, who spent a lot of time with that mare. And it was good news to hear that Jai McNeill, he is on the road to recovery and he wants to ride tomorrow afternoon at Geelong. So, and Mark Sarra wants to ride on Saturday as well. Those were the two jockeys that came down in that Caulfield Cup and half yours continues to please Kelvin and Tony McAvoy after that fall as well on Saturday. So some news just coming out of that Chris Waller media conference. It's an interesting Cox Plate field. So Cosmic Crusader has been confirmed. He will be going around. So at the moment, this is the field for this year's Cox Plate. Eliana, Attrition, Blind Rays, Char Wolf, Land Legend, Light Infantryman, Sir Delius, War Woven, Cosmic Crusader. Now the question mark is Middle Earth. They want to go to the Cox Plate with Middle Earth, but will the committee at Moonee Valley allow him to run in a way? He hasn't won a group one. He was placed in the Melbourne Cup. But they're deciding, I think, by midday today when they have to make up their mind, the Moonee Valley committee, usually in previous years, it would be basically right now, nine o'clock or in about 50 minutes time, because they would have the barrier draw after nine o'clock for the Cox Plate at their breakfast with the stars. But because there's no breakfast with the stars, they're going to announce the field just after one o'clock and then the barrier draw will be conducted. Tonight at a function in the city of Melbourne at around seven o'clock. So I think I'm racing.com around one o'clock. That field will be officially announced there for the WS Cox Plate. But at the moment, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, nine definite runners, which includes Cosmic Crusader. And then they're just weighing up with Middle Earth. So I don't know. What do you think? Would you give Middle Earth a start? I don't think that he can win. I think he's going to be hard to beat in a in a in a Melbourne Cup. I reckon he's a big chance in the Melbourne Cup. But I wonder if the Moonee Valley Racing Club and their committee will use their powers to say, I don't know if we think he deserves his place in our great wait for age race. So that will be an interesting narrative as we get as we move on for the rest of the day regarding that Cox Plate. It's 18 minutes past eight. We're going to take a break. On the other side of it, James McDonald isn't far away. We'll also catch up with Gay Waterhouse, who also spoke to the media today after Sir Delius Gallop on the course proper as well. Welcome back to Giddy Up. All thanks to Bett. It's great to have your company on this Tuesday morning. Don't forget, you can send in your messages on the Gareth's Horse and Hound text line 0499 736 736. We are streaming on Facebook as well. You can leave a question in the comment section just below there of the stream playing there on the SEN track Facebook stream. So you can send us a question there. But it's always great to catch up with the champion hoop, James McDonald, who was at Flemington this morning. I think he's home to Sydney to ride at the meeting there in Sydney tomorrow afternoon. Is the champ ready to go? Not quite. We might have to get him on the phone. We tried to get him on vMix. I think he's ready to go. James McDonald, welcome back to Giddy Up. We appreciate your time on this Tuesday morning. G'day, James. No, he can't hear us. Do you know what? We'll get him on the phone. We tried. I knew it wouldn't work. It works everywhere else but us.
Speaker 7J-Mac's got him, eh?
Speaker 2Yeah. He's just like, I got a little bit nervous when he couldn't hear us. Oh, is he unmuted us? Hello, J-Mac. I thought Tags was working this V-Mix there for a sec. I thought, surely he knows how to work this.
Speaker 8Yeah, no. Got it going. I got it going.
Speaker 2How was Flemington this morning? What's happening? Yeah, not much, mate. Not much. It looked like it was a beautiful morning there at headquarters there at Flemington. How did Eliana work?
Speaker 8Yeah, it was a really good morning, actually. She worked nicely, and she was very clean in the wind, good in the limbs. So, no, she's ready to go, and everyone seems happy with her.
Speaker 2People are like, I can't believe there's a few knocking this Cox Plate. I think it's one of the most intriguing. Cox Plate's that we've had for quite some time. Like, you've got Sir Delius and Eliana that lead the market. We've got a Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas three-year-old champ in Warwoven. Blind Rays was great in the Caulfield Guineas. Cosmic Crusader, Char Wolf, who was second to your girl, Autumn Glow, there on Saturday. And then you've got Land Legend and Light Infantryman, who will set the pace and will be a solidly run Cox Plate. I reckon it's got all the ingredients to be a beauty there on Saturday.
Speaker 8And, yeah, for sure, I agree with that. There's a handful of really good chances. And, yeah, so it'll be a good test. Like, Cox Plates are always that way, inclined. And, yeah, may the best ball swim. But, yeah, couldn't be happier with Eliana. She's in good form, and she's run the race of her life. But she's been did so well, and she'll be there when the whoops are cracking, actually.
Speaker 2Yeah, do you think, is it advantage that you've got? Land Legend and Light Infantryman in that race, expected to set a solid pace in this year's Cox Plate for your man?
Speaker 8Yeah, for sure. Obviously, that will obviously help her, I suppose. She's got more on the half forms, so she can absorb pressure.
Speaker 2Do you know what we're going to – hey, J-Mac, do you know what I'm going to do? We'll get you on the phone. I knew we should have – I should have got you on the phone. The internet there at the Melbourne airport, not great. So we'll get J-Mac on the phone so we can – we can understand him. It's just breaking up there a little bit, which isn't great for you listening at home or in the car or wherever you may be listening today. Hey, Macca. Hey, mate. Yeah, that's heaps better. So do you think that the Land Legends and the Light Infantryman will suit your mare, their Eliana, or do you think it will suit a few others like a Sir Delius?
Speaker 8Of course, probably Sir Delius and Eliana fit in similar boats. They can absorb pressure. They've got form over a little bit further than the 10 furlongs. So, no, it definitely won't be detrimental to her in this race. And, yeah, she's obviously – she's got good staying powerness, and she'll be hopefully there when the whips are cracking, you know.
Speaker 2Chris Waller's just a magician getting his horses to peak when it matters most. How much improvement do you think you'll see in Eliana since her last start effort when she was pretty good in her Turnbull Stakes behind Cosmopolitan?
Speaker 8Cosmic Crusader. Yeah, I thought she was outstanding. She was the one that was probably ripping through the line, and she was only third up there. So she obviously had a 1,400-metre run, which she didn't really take part in. And then the mile run, it was a very slowly run, so it was a bit of a dash home. And then third up, that was basically her first real test, and I thought she'd come through with flying colours. No doubt she's going to improve out of that race, and same with all the others. Obviously, Charles and Greg Form, Sir Dilius is ready to peak as well. The three-year-olds have done nothing wrong, so everyone will be peaking on the right day. It's just a matter of who gets the right run and if we get a bit of luck on the day as well.
Speaker 2Did you see Sir Dilius work today? No, I didn't. Oh, did you hear anything on the grapevine?
Speaker 8I heard he was going good, but I'm not sure.
Speaker 2Yeah. I'm not sure. So we'll hear from Gay. We'll hear from Gay Waterhouse in just a moment. Who do you think the horse to beat is? Charles Wolfe, are you surprised that he's rocking up, or do you think that he would always be there after his good effort there in the King Charles behind Autumn Glow?
Speaker 8No, I always thought he'd be there. He's obviously Joe's love for Cox Plate, and obviously idolised it for a long time, so there's no doubt he was going to be in it, but terrific hope. He's just such a good horse, and his form is impeccable, I think. He's been running behind. The likes of Autumn Glow is in very good form, and he's right in the strays up to his ears, but same with all the rest. I think Sir Dilius, you never ride off him. He's just a great 10-cell long horse, and the deeper in the prep he goes, the better he goes, but to be fair, I wouldn't swap Aliana. No. She's got a great will to win. She's peaking up, fourth up. She likes fast ground. She's got a lot going for her.
Speaker 2And then, depending on who you ask, which this is why I love this great game, especially heading towards a Cox Plate, you ask the champion trainer, like Akira Maran, he says that he thinks that the three-year-olds will find it really difficult to win this year's Cox Plate because of the tempo, and some say that they're the horses to beat. What's your opinion on the three-year-olds heading towards the Cox Plate?
Speaker 8No, I think. I think they're two very, very talented colts, and they'll be very hard to beat. I suppose one thing maybe we see the disadvantage is getting away from Moonee Valley. Obviously, I thought that was. Being at Flemington, they're obviously going to have to man up there and take the bull by the horns with the likes of Sir Dilius and Aliana, who are very, very late-for-age performers, and probably lose their advantage by skipping around Moonee Valley and quickening, around a bin. They're probably going to have to do it a little bit tougher, but in saying that, they look extremely talented, and you never write them off. They've got a great record in the race.
Speaker 2Yeah. What about riding a Cox Plate at Flemington? Do you think it would be. Obviously, it would be a little bit different to Moonee Valley, but how do you think it will be different in a way? Because usually we see a few of the jocks take off nice and early, but looking at this year's race, you might not get a chance to have landed, and you might not get a chance to have landed. Yeah, I think they're going to have a little bit more of a chance to get a little bit better than they did in Moonee Valley.
Speaker 8Yeah, no, I have thought about that question, and I thought, yeah, it is going to be completely different because of the circumference of the trail. Obviously, in Flemington, you've got that beautiful run down to the first bend, and then it's a long, sweeping bend into the straight. So I thought sometimes they can sit up a little bit more than what they would in a quagmire at Moonee Valley. Obviously, it's a bit of a rush to the first bend, and then it's downhill from the mile to the thousand. And so the pace is sustained, where I thought they might sit up a little bit, but now looking at the config of the race, obviously, they've got to do it, but it looks to be strong tempo. So I don't think there'll be much difference in terms of that, but I think you're just going to need a very fit, strong horse, and that's what I'm on at the moment. So I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 2And then they tell me you work St. Gothard this morning as well, as you get set to try and win another Coolmore for Coolmore.
Speaker 8Yeah. How did he work? Yeah, he's just a terrific colt. I really, really like him. He's done nothing. He's done nothing wrong to date. He's only had the four starts, so he's still learning about the game, and I'm quietly excited to see him up the Flemington Strait. You know, his brother was sensational up it in Switzerland. He's a dynamic winner of the Coolmore. So I think this horse is every bit as good as Switzerland, but he hasn't put the form on the board just yet, but he's trending the right way, and, yeah, looking forward to seeing him
Speaker 2there. Oh, that is exciting. So he'd be one of your better rides, I would imagine, heading towards this wonderful carnival of ours at Flemington, and we'll kick off on Saturday week. Have you decided on your Melbourne Cup ride yet?
Speaker 8No, I haven't just yet. I'm yet to finalise that, so I've got an order to go to the bridge, but hopefully come Monday I will. Yeah, Autumn Glow was excellent. Yeah, she was sensational. She never puts a foot wrong, and she was pretty self-explanatory there. She's got a lovely rhythm. And put him to the sword early in the straight and sustained a good gallop. She's just a quality horse, and, yeah, just lucky that she's around.
Speaker 2We can't wait to see her in the, hopefully on the final day of that Flemington Carnival on Champions Day. It'd be great to see her do her work at Flemington.
Speaker 8Yeah, 100%. I think she'll love Flemington, too. You know, just getting into that lovely rhythm and stretching up Flemington would be just awesome to see. It'll be a good sight anyway. Yeah. Hopefully she brings her best form, and she goes from there.
Speaker 2I know you've got to catch a flight. One more question. The Everest. What did you make of the Everest there?
Speaker 8Yeah, it was good. It was a great spectacle. Obviously very competitive. Very worthy winner. Obviously intent loser. Yep. He's just so good, you know. He's just got a lethal turn of foot. And carrying lost Noah Myers, who's so gallant in the seat. So, no, it was a fantastic race. And, yeah, just things get bigger and bigger there.
Speaker 2Yeah. And just the last one before we let you go. Do you think it's been a little unfair, a few of the commentary regarding Saks Ride on Carrying Rising?
Speaker 8Yeah, on a personal note, yeah, I do. I think, and that's only my view. I think he had his chance. Obviously, the horse looked like he just lost his way down the dip, or in the dip, out of a hand do, and took a while to get going. But he was so brave. I thought he had his chance to win, and I thought the ride was good.
Speaker 2And Jolly Star will get a crack at Tempted down the straight at Flemington. Can you turn the tables? Is she coming, is she? Well, I don't know if she does come. I haven't heard that.
Speaker 8I hope she does, but, yeah, obviously, it could be confirmed that she does turn up. She loves the straight racing. She's got a good record up the straight, and I think she's in the three best form. Honestly, I haven't felt her in better form throughout her whole career. So, she'll be tough to beat. Obviously, Tempted will be extremely hard to beat, but we'll be there, hopefully, giving her a run for her money anyway.
Speaker 2Well, safe trip home. We'll catch up with you later in the week, but we appreciate your time on this Tuesday morning. Thanks. There's the champion, James McDonald, who's about to catch a flight. On the other side of it, we've got plenty more to come. We'll hear from Gay Waterhouse, Trent Busset, and also Adam Blenko
Speaker 1from RacingAndSports.com. Live across Australia, this is Giddy Up with Gareth Hall. Yeah, welcome back to Giddy Up.
Speaker 2What we know so far heading towards the Cox Plate, and the final of the field will be announced just after 12 o'clock on Racing.com. Or around 1 o'clock anyway, but the Cox Plate acceptance is closed at midday today, and then they'll make a decision on the final field for this year's Cox Plate, and it'll be announced at around 1 o'clock on Racing.com this afternoon. But so far, we've got Eliana, Attrition, Blind Race, Child Wolf, Landledge, and Light Infantryman, Sir Delius, Warwoven, Cosmic Crusader, Birdman, and Middle Earth. I think Middle Earth will probably get his spot in the Cox Plate, I don't know, he's not a Group 1 winner, but I think the committee will have a debate regarding whether he should get a start or not. So, yeah, that will be, we'll just have to wait on what they say about Middle Earth. But they want to go to that race, Middle Earth, and Mark Zara has been booked to ride that galloper, whose main aim this year is the Melbourne Cup, and as Kira Marr has pointed out right throughout this year's spring, that his best chance of the Melbourne Cup is Middle Earth. 8.36, Sir Delius worked nicely at Flemington this morning, and this was his champion trainer, Gay Waterhouse, having a chat to the media after his work there at Flemington.
Speaker 9Well, Gay, terrific to be here at Flemington, Cox Plate Week, Sir Delius, he's been the long-term favourite for this race for some time, he had a spin around here this morning, what did you make of his work? I thought it was good and strong and solid, he's not sort of working quite the same as he did last year. He's a year older. He's a year older, he's more mature, but I thought he handled it very well, and he's very fit, and he's a happy horse going into the race. What do you make of the way he's going this spring, his two runs under the belt, have you been happy with them, with an eye to the Cox Plate? Well, you've got to remember that he's only had two starts, and his second start in the Turnbull, the track was a little bit affected, the speed was on, which could easily be on Saturday, the same sort of speed level, but, you know, he came out of it very well. He was able to. Winner, Queen Elizabeth, dominantly in the autumn off a very similar set-up, can you get a gauge on how he is compared to how he was in the earlier part of the year? I think he's going very well, I'm really happy with him, I really am. What about the race in its. What about the race itself, it's looking like an even edition of the race, the three-year-olds add a bit of X-factor, what do you sort of make of the way the field's coming together overall, Gay? I think it's a very tough field, I think it's a particularly strong, a lot of depth, every single one of the horses in the race deserves to be there. I was only looking through it yesterday and doing the former, you know, winner of Group One, winner of this, winner of that, winner of that, you know, they're all there, all with their own proper credentials. It's a serious, really good Cox Plate. Do you think the three-year-olds will be up to it, to beating the older horses, Gay? Doesn't every time, it's wait for age, tell me the Guineas horses, the Guineas winner that doesn't, you know, they're very hard to beat. What does the rest of the week look like for Sir Delius? Well, he'll probably cruise for the rest of the week. He'll take his trainer, but he'll cruise for the rest of the week. How is it being at Flemington this year for the Cox Plate, Gay, a little bit different? Yes, I think very different, you know, it's a totally different track, you know, Moonee Valley was really like a cycle track, wasn't it, you know, what do you call them? Villadrone. Thank you. You can come any day. So it's like a Villadrone, so, you know, you could, you know, just ping off it, but Flemington's not like that. And Flemington's got a much, much, much longer straight, whereas the others are very short and sharp. It's a different demographic. It's, it'll be really interesting. Does that suit
Speaker 10Sir Delius, do you think?
Speaker 9I think it does. Yes, I do. I think the big track will really suit him. And it's his home track, which is a big plus.
Speaker 1How much of, you know, the Cox Plate, is it a bucket list item for you to win?
Speaker 9Well, it'd be very nice to have it, you know, a little space on the mantelpiece already.
Speaker 11What did your dad tell you about Cox Plates?
Speaker 9He's obviously. Not much, he just kept winning them.
Speaker 12Did he change up any plans with Sir Delius, riding-wise, on Saturday? No, not really.
Speaker 9I always wait till the day of the race, the morning of the race, first see if there are any scratchings. I like to see, I like to have the speed maps there, I like to be able to talk with Adrian and then the jockeys. I always talk before the races, to get it in my mind, and for them to have in their mind what we've got, you know, what we're hoping is going to happen. And, of course, then you take it into chance, don't you, the speed, what happens in the race if it rains. I mean, it's a bit overcast now. You know, you just don't know. Luck plays a big part, being in the right place at the right time, and that's why you hope you have the best jockey. I think we have with Craig Williams. Did you like a little bit of rain ahead of Saturday?
Speaker 12Oh, we had it under Turnbull, didn't we, and it didn't go our way. Maybe not. You gave him a good hit out here today.
Speaker 9Is that part of sort of hardening up a bit for the test on Saturday, given that it will be a hot front race, high pressure? He's hard fit. You know, it wasn't a fitness thing. It was more him being blooded and like that.
Speaker 4He's got a lot of energy. I'm here, I'm there, and there's the winning post. That's what it was for. And third up has been his peak performance in the last couple of campaigns.
Speaker 9It's been clearly targeted to sort of peak on these days on the third up grand final. Yeah, well, hopefully his third up won't. You know, we've got to set a few Hail Marys, I can tell you. Were you disappointed with the last bit of flattening you'll be having? No, I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed.
Speaker 4You were disappointed.
Speaker 9I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed. I was disappointed. But, you know, there were reasons for it. So, you know, you can understand it. It's like dissecting a football match. I mean, you didn't win. Of course you're disappointed. But, you know, I could see reasons why he didn't.
Speaker 4I guess it hasn't dented your confidence then?
Speaker 9Nothing dents my confidence. Does this feel like your best chance at a Cox play?
Speaker 4No. I mean, you've got a great team. It's been elusive. I've had a lot of good chances. Only recently, Alligator Blood.
Speaker 9You know, you go back over 30 years. A lot of good chances. They're hard to win. Does this give you a chance at a bit of a redemption from last spring? Like, it was a disappointing end for Sedalius, wasn't it? So, you know, you missed the Cox play. This is a good chance to kind of make up for that.
Speaker 6It is. It is. But, as I said, I don't think about the past. I think about the present. You know, that's what I'm training the horse now. You know, he's a different horse. He's an older horse. He's, you know, so, you know, he's a different horse. He's an older horse. So, you've got to train what you've got. Dave, you've got Billy here.
Speaker 9Does he keep your nerves in check? He does. He does. He hasn't kept my sleeping habits in check of late. But he's definitely, I wish I had Billy's temperament, because he'd go a long way. He's very laid back. What did Billy think of Sedalius as well, guys? He had a whisper in your ear? I don't know. I don't know. I'm not sure. I don't know.
Speaker 13I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 9I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I was just wondering. Not so far, but he will.
Speaker 2Billy is Gay's dog that she takes to the races or to track work every morning, and you've got to love Gay. She is our greatest ambassador, and it's hard to believe, with all the success that she's had in this game, that she hasn't won a Cox Plate, and you had to feel for them last year, because the way that Cox Plate was run and the way that Sedalius was going, it would have been mighty hard to beat. He would have gave Via Sistina something to think about. She only beat Buckaroo just that day. You would have thought that if he turned up like he did in the Turnbull last year that he would have gone very, very close, Sedalius, and maybe he's not in the same form this time around, but he has been set for this race. He'll be ready to explode third up, and you just have to go back to that Queen Elizabeth in the autumn. He went straight past Autumn Glow, and it was a truly run Queen Elizabeth on that particular day, and it's going to be the same here on Saturday in the Cox Plate. I think he's the horse that, along with Eliana, both third up, both been set for this race, and are ready to run massive races there in our great race on Saturday. Hey, we're going to take a break. On the other side of it, Adam Belenko will be joining me from RacingAndSports.com.
Speaker 1This is Gidia. with gareth hall
Speaker 2welcome back to giddy apple thanks to bet365 it is 8 46 let's catch up with adam blinko from racing and sports.com adam hello to you gareth how
Speaker 14are you this morning i
Speaker 2am well great time of the year it doesn't get any better really we'll recap what happened on the weekend we'll start off with the everest what was your take out from this year's everest there was plenty to discuss after the race
Speaker 14there was it was um wonderful theater wasn't it seeing the um seeing the champ rip down like that i suppose there was um there's some joy in in that side of things there would have been some joy in seeing him strutty stuff as well but i suppose that just left everyone scrambling for the spreadsheets doesn't it trying to trying to make sense of how did this happen and why did this happen so um i think the best explanation is that on they did run pretty good times it was on the good side of soft i suppose you'd say but it was a um my read of the the ground there is it was a it probably required a throwback to when we used to have the old dead track i think it was very dead yeah um and probably not returning energy to the horses like car ying would get from that surface in chartin where he can sort of trampoline off it a little bit and he was um he very quickly found himself in a tricky spot there i suppose and then took a long long time i think he's a i think he's a little bit potentially a little bit lazy when he's down here he gets on that grass we saw that photo of him last week with that grass hanging out of his gob out there at canada having a really good time fat so on holidays um and i think he might have been a little bit lazy for that first time and i think he's a little bit lazy for that first time quarter mile there and then they didn't put the uh they didn't take the the foot off the pedal through the middle and that's where he really got caught out wasn't it he um i think if you go through his form in in hong kong there's only been one time that i could find in a couple of years where his speed his average speed for the last 400 has been slower than his overall race speed so in hong kong he's got you know he sort of bullies those races he's able to travel up and and through that middle section he's the one throwing punches whereas this time he was against the ropes thrown at him they never let up um brought themselves undone on on speed most of them but tempted was able to keep running through that and it was only very late in the piece that he started so you know his great aerobic capacity sort of kicked in if you like and he's he's launching at her but he's taken too many punches and got himself too far out of position to to make it count but it's very interesting when you see that it's rare that we have a sprint race in australia run almost like an american dirt race where after the first furlong so coming from a standing start there from that point on every single 200 meter increment is going to be a slower than the last one um so it was just a complete you know basically how they run races on dirt there it was a battle of attrition and um yeah that's something different for him on dead ground as i said he didn't get a chance to sort of gather himself and throw his punches he was on the defensive and he's a big bully at home so um yeah he found himself in a different spot where he had to you know as i said defend and respond to the race rather than dictate i think he summed
Speaker 2it up perfectly like there's been a lot of um talk about like he should he have pushed on and how quick they were going in the middle stages and he didn't use that horse to his advantage and then um other form gurus or experts are saying that they were just going too quick for him so depending on what numbers you were getting that was when you were making up your opinion about um what zach should have done or not but i think at the end of the day if you just watch that race the horses that did go out and set that pace apart from tempted who was on speed as well beaten a long way but it was a case where like i think that when the race start i'm going to have a chat to zach at around 10 30 this morning but i didn't think that he expected so many of his rivals to come out swinging like just throwing uppercuts at him and go well he said what's going on here doesn't that doesn't happen really it was sort of like and this is not the case so don't please read into this um but it was sort of like they just said we'll start you're on our home turf here and we're not going to hand you this race even though that i think a few got the tactics wrong they just like stuffed up their own chances by like um spicy martini was the perfect example what were they doing there like it's just yeah yeah it
Speaker 14is no i think the boxing analogy is actually a really good one because as you say he typically dictates the tempo and the pace of the fights and he's the one throwing punches and everyone has to try and respond to him and when he lands them he lands them with ridiculous force and we know that's that yeah um whereas here you're right they came out absolutely throwing haymakers at him um i think any bagging of zach's ride is um i think you can pretty much draw a line between the people bagging zach and not bagging zach and kind of figure out pretty quickly which side you want to be on um zach's done the right thing riding the race with his eyes up basically um yeah that early pace was was hot and he couldn't get there and then he's you know he's slotted in going at a good clip for him as i said this is not common for him in in hong kong um and then probably when he wanted to sort of bring him under and travel the race just kept coming at him as i said they just kept throwing them and yeah you're right a few of them got themselves completely unstuck doing it um but tempted was outstanding and she had to be because eventually as i said kaying rising eventually started to find his feet and started to you know his big aerobic capacity which is we know world class um starts kicking in at the end there and she's done enough to run a big number and beat him so um bunch finish in the end as well which is probably again speaks to the shape of the race and that sort of almost attritional american dirt style they're out on their feet yeah um towards the end there so it's a it's a very different race to what we um we might typically see down here it's it's an atypical race in a lot of ways the everest and yeah the way it was run this
Speaker 2year is yet another yeah it's a it's it's um and i was i was at the home and this was a really good question for one of the punters out there he said gareth um so tempted's beaten kaying rising and you can probably there's a strong debate um to say that kaying rising if he he drew where tempted drew that maybe he he'll win that race but he goes well tempted beat him over 1200 meters in the everest um is she the best horse in the world now is she oh is she the best horse in this country is she better than autumn glow and i said she's done nothing wrong especially since her three-year-old days um and she continues to perform and deliver performances that you do shake your head but um she probably doesn't get the credit that she deserves because she is in the era of an autumn glow or a kaying rising yeah that
Speaker 14could be true i think she's um i think we might have said this going into the everest but she's probably the best sprinter we've had since nature strip and since the nature strip era because it's been a fairly desperate era to be to be perfectly frank yeah um you're right she's got a big scalp here with kaying rising you know sitting up on the mantelpiece that's a that's a lovely little uh little trophy to have up on the wall um is she the best sprinter in the world no he's he's still that um he's got a lot of uh he had a lot of belts um prior to this yeah so you know one one swallow and all that sort of stuff but it's um yeah she's more than a one-trick pony as well isn't she she's won a lot of good races and she's done it in different styles because we've seen her do it quickening up and in more typical style in australia we've seen her reeling off on the way into this everest um big closing sectionals where she's been able to gather and sprint and now we've seen her you know stand up and put her ears back and grit her teeth and win a race the hard way so um there's a lot to like about her as i think she's the best sprinter we've had in in let's call it modern times post nature strip but um i would still say depends what you mean by the word best but i would say autumn glow is the best horse in australia right now and i don't think she's wrestled that from her
Speaker 2just yet no um we're going to take a break we'll continue on our chat with adam blanco from racing and sports.com this is giddy up on this tuesday morning join the conversation
Speaker 1text us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with
Speaker 2gareth hall plenty of text messages coming through on the garrison hound text line 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 we've got about a minute before we have to go to our heart out here on giddy up and then we'll have some clear air um after nine o'clock but i'm tempted to go to the international hong kong meeting that's from plum dog be great to see you take on carrying rising on his home deck but i don't think that will be happening anytime shortly adam no
Speaker 14i don't think they'll um i don't think they're going to go running into the fire no um um i mean it'd be it'd be hugely interesting as i said that that surface it raced incredibly well in terms of times on on saturday but i think it was very um given the amount of rain they had and how close to the meeting they had rain i think it probably did race very dead so it um it probably didn't reward horses quickening it probably was a um yeah as i said a very dead surface whereas you get to hong kong and it's i think it really bounces for them so um yeah he would be and we know he is and i think we can say this you know i know that there'll be some line of thinking that hey we've seen him in australia now twice and he's these are the two figures he's run maybe he's just that good and he's not going to be maybe this hong kong form is a joke um well not a joke but maybe that's just where he's at um no i think i think there is enough evidence to say that he is a better horse than what we've seen in australia and that's in hong kong on his home patch where he is bullying and um he might be able to put tempted up against the ropes and throw a couple of a couple of his early haymakers and stun her a little bit i think i think things might be um might be slightly different slightly harder if he had have come here and run to his 135 six i'll come back with
Speaker 2conversation. I'll just take a quick break.
Speaker 1join the conversation text us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall welcome back to
Speaker 2giddy up gareth hall with you adam blanco is my special guest from racing and sports.com adam we were just having a chat about tempted um oh one listener said that tempted needs to go to hong kong to take on the champ well if there was a race where 20 million dollars they would probably go there i reckon but there's not
Speaker 14there is um there is good money to be won in hong kong so i think you um you could certainly travel for the money if they were if they were chasing the money um but i dare say given who she's owned by if she's to travel i think probably dubai in march might be more likely and that would probably lead her on to the uk and perhaps the um the stud farms of dali in the uk maybe that's the the more likely path for her to travel abroad if she does so um that'd be fun i suppose and it looks like um autumn glows still all guns blazing overseas so we'll have some international representation of uh our very best horses in in the next six to
Speaker 2twelve months have a listen to these people banging zach purton for his ride on kane rising if he gets up in the last stride and the same people bag chad scofield for him hitting the front too early that is a very good point that listener has made um this is mickey gunman was telling us yesterday when he was having a look at his data and this is what i say when when you've got different um form experts analyzing races that they do get different sets of data don't they adam from time to time so mick said kane rising was the slowest horse between the thousand to the six hundred and that's when zach was restraining a little bit so when you break down the numbers like how did you read this race
Speaker 14yeah i so my read of things was that he was well it should be said there's different data but there's probably i mean that that may well be true i suppose it's the data itself the numbers don't lie gareth the people reading it might but the numbers themselves don't
Speaker 2lie yeah but there is like some people my experience adam the numbers don't lie but there's depending on um how they time it like you do get some um some um what do you call it information that comes to you that there might be different organizations to put these numbers together and their numbers are different which is yeah and i have this argument we go to all the time i said like how is this possible like it's a horse like you can't make
Speaker 14up the time yeah yeah no i know what you mean they um if you get them from a gps there is a there's a rounding error on those sort of times so um vince accardi does the sort of the detailed ones off the screen and i suppose i take them largely as gospel um and a lot of others would too um but yeah i suppose there's probably some some error rate i think it would be smaller than gps gps is an incredible piece of science when you think about it but it's um hugely sophisticated and incredible that we get it as close as we do but it does you know when you're firing things off to satellites and back there there will be some sort of um potential for rounding error and with times only very small errors are um can mean can mean quite a bit correct um yeah the the big thing when i when i pulled over this and then as you say it's um it comes down to interpretation but also what your eye is drawn to i suppose and also the models that you the way you model that data and the way you map that data then and that dictates what it is that you see in the the lens that you you look at these things through so for example i tend to look at splits in 400 meter like american style um grew up grew up flicking through andy bayer's books i suppose so i sort of always i look at things in 400 so like you know 22s and things like that whereas a lot of other people might be talking about furlough and specific or in australia we love elastic hundreds um whereas i'm very rarely i couldn't tell you what they ran the last 600 in on saturday there but i know that k rising ran you know 2278 home um so it's sort of the data doesn't lie that i suppose we're all looking at it slightly differently but the one thing that leapt off the page to me with the numbers here was that as i said before after the first 200 so from a standing start while they busted inertia from the um standing start thereafter every furlong was slower than the one before it so it was um yeah as i said they were they were ripping along there and they were And when you get that sort of scenario, as I said before, it kind of reminds me of those American dirt races. And what does happen in those races is that it amplifies the small things that go wrong. And you are better off to sort of stay out of trouble, if you like, because momentum loss becomes exponential then. So if you get checked and these sort of things, it has a huge effect because it's very hard to recover when you're already slowing down. And that's very, it's not typical for what he does in Hong Kong. As I said before, I went through a couple of years there and found one race and he was basically running the same rating that he ran here, which is 10, 12 pounds off his best. So, yeah, it might not be what really suits him and the way he likes to race or just the way that he's comfortable racing. I think a lot of the time as well, it's like any athlete or any human tackling any endeavour, we get better with practice. And if he hasn't had a lot of practice in races where, as I said before, he's responding to the race as opposed to controlling the race and in a bit of a flow state and dominating, then he's not going to be able to do that. So, you know, that's a very different scenario for him and he probably doesn't have a lot of practice. He hasn't had many races where it's sort of like, no, no, no, now we've got to go this fast, mate, and you've got to keep up. He's sort of the one usually saying, all right, I'm going to go when I'm good and ready and when I do, you're all going to have to respond to me. So, yeah, in that sense, it was probably something of a shock to the system. And as I said, it took him a while to maybe react to that pace. But when he did, you could see his athletic ability at the end there when he starts to mow her down anyway. You can see what's hiding in there and what's lurking in there is world-class talent, which we've seen and we see the very best of it in Hong Kong.
Speaker 2I think it was just an element of surprise as well. I don't think anyone had that speed in the early part. We all thought that he would, the others would sort of see him coming and then want to like take a trial on him. But it seemed that everyone wanted to get to that spot outside the leader so they could follow him. But that generated so much pace. And I think we tempted kicking up as well. But when someone from barrier one, that just generated more pace. So, yeah, it was just, it didn't work out for him. And he wobbled around that turn as well around Randwick. He didn't seem to corner as well as he does, say, in Hong Kong.
Speaker 14So, yeah. I dare say that's probably a case of he's tiring more than he ever would when he's cornering in Hong Kong. When he's cornering in Hong Kong, he's in brute mode, whereas here he was sort of gripping on. And so, you know, if you ever run around a corner in full flight, Gareth, or if you run around a corner, when you're half knackered, you'll probably look slightly different.
Speaker 2Yeah. Kying Rising found himself in a proper true race, unlike the same horses at Hong Kong, where he's dictated to the whole race. And that's another good point. That's hard to argue with. I think we forget Kying Rising ran four wide the trip, tempted Hug the Rail and cut the corner. Kying ran a 1,300 metre race and tempted a 1,200 and only fell in.
Speaker 14Yeah. Yeah. I don't know that it was, I mean, there were other horses on the day. The last winner there was a, you know, every man and his dog was on the last one there across Tasman, but even Chains of Love in a race that was, okay, much slower because of the standard of course, but actually the race shape wasn't entirely different in the Kosciuszko. It was a high pressure race for horses at that level. Chains of Love was able to sit off the track and win that one. So I don't know if it was any huge disadvantage to be out there. And as I said before, I think we sort of default to Zach here, don't we, and say, look, he understands Kying Rising better than anyone else. And he would have understand and felt through Kying Rising the way that Kying was responding to the race around him as well. So it's, look, we all love to bag jockeys and, you know, don't worry. I throw the remote around and let them have it a little bit on a Saturday afternoon as well. But usually I'm wrong and sometimes I'm not, but usually I'm wrong. And I think in this case, you sort of go, gee, I find it very hard to be bagging Zach for this. It feels a little bit like, I don't know if you remember way back in the day when Mike Smith got beaten in the Breeders' Cup Classic on Zenyatta in her final race. Yeah. And the, you know, everyone was bagging him for making his run too late, but he'd done this all the time. This was her and he knew her better than the man on the couch knew her and he knew what he was doing. And she just got beaten by one on the day. And you just sort of feel like, wow, you're, you've probably done the right thing riding the race the way you did and riding the horse that you know better than us the way that you did. But it's in the end, I suppose you live and die by your results because that's what punters do. So the response is understandable, I suppose. But at the same time, I think it's misplaced.
Speaker 2I didn't get a chance to ask Jay Mack, but I talked to him on Saturday night. He said it's the worst feeling ever, really, what Zach was feeling there on Saturday, because he felt the same, I think, when Romantic Warrior got beat in the Saudi Cup when he thought he was home and he looked home and he got beat by Forever Young. And yeah, you go down by the narrowest of margins, but you know, that was the time really. And when you're on such a big stage and you just miss out, I would imagine that would be difficult to take. But I'm looking forward to catching up with Zach. Autumn Globe was good and Charwolf finished second. Can Charwolf win a Cox play on the quick backup? He can. Yeah.
Speaker 14He can, yeah. And the backup gives him something. It gives him a potency, if you like. And I like him back out to 2,000 because he still remains largely unknown and untapped at 2,000 metres, I think, Charwolf. So we don't know. His form at 2,000 is actually a little bit patchy, but he has run second in a derby and everything, not everything, but a lot of what he's done at a mile has said, I'll be a better 2,000 metre hooker. So I think when you look at his 2,000 metre record, you sort of have to put it into the context of the time. So he won a Neville Selwood and then ran in a Queen Elizabeth behind Bia Fistina and wasn't at his best. But I think he just wasn't at his best, that preparation in general. So I think focusing on that is wrong because he's at the moment going really, really well, which he wasn't at the time. And then as a young horse, he was beaten by Elias in really fast time, but he was flying at the finish there. So, yeah, I think he'll be an interesting one to pick apart with his 2,000 metre record. I'll see him going to 2,000 as a bit of a positive. On the quick backup from Sydney a week after and he's had a busy campaign and he hasn't won in 2026, so there are knocks. But the backup can be good, bad, I don't know, indifferent. Yeah, it gives him an angle and it gives the race another angle as well.
Speaker 2Yeah, it's a different backup compared to other horses backing up because he does have to get on the float and go 10, 12 hours in a truck to get here. But as Chad Schofield pointed out, he's going to appreciate a strong run race. He hasn't really got into one of them this time around and will get his chance at Flemington, which he's been able to perform well in the past. He's only had the one go at Flemington where he won that day on a wet track. So I think he adds a lot to the Cox Plate. I like this year's Cox Plate, Adam. I think it's got it all, really. You've got Pace with Land Legend and Light Hivetry Man. You've got these three rods. How lucky are we to have the Golden Rose and the Caulfield Guineas Champ rock up here to Flemington. Blind Rays was very good in second behind Warwoven. You've got the Autumn Globe Form Lines with Char Wolf. You've got the Queen Elizabeth Champ and Sir Delius. Aliana, who could be the best weight for age horse in this country in the next 12 months. It's got it all, really. Birdman and then Cosmic Crusader, the WA star, backing up. He came up after destroying his rivals in a Turnbull Stakes and then he was okay in a Caulfield Cup. It's got it all, I reckon, in this year's Cox Plate.
Speaker 14Yeah, it's a great pub Cox Plate because you rattle off a few names there. They're coming from different set-ups and different scenarios. As you say, you've got Cosmic Crusader backing up off a Caulfield Cup, which is always great. You've got the best two three-year-olds off the Guineas, which was fast. So there'll be people that sit both sides of that fence, which is fantastic. There'll be people that'll be more than happy, and they won't be stupid people, but they'll be more than happy to tell you that Warwoven is the one here. There'll be others that say, well, history actually says maybe it's Blind Race who's the one, not Warwoven. There'll be people that love Cosmic Crusader backing up, having maybe a mile and a half with a little bridge too far for him, but it's perfect for coming back here. People love horses off the Caulfield Cup into a Cox Plate. As you said, you've got that Sydney angle. So I think when you get these big grand final races, sure, sometimes we like to clap around Winx and what have you and have that 130 star, which we don't have here. But every now and then, it's nice to have a race where you have competition, and there's just competition everywhere you look here. So yeah, this is a great betting Cox Plate and a great opinion Cox Plate. So if I was hosting a Monday to Friday radio show with lots of hours to fill with people with opinions, I reckon I'd be really happy about this Cox Plate.
Speaker 2And so who are you tipping in the Cox Plate?
Speaker 14Well, that's the thing. I probably need to mull this over for longer, but my first vibe, I'm going to pick, and the one that I sort of feel like I'm going to gravitate to first would be Aliana, I think. Yeah, she has that sort of, I'm building to a peak. And so does Serdelius, to be fair. This is the target race for her. It's the target race for Serdelius. And I'm not sacking them off. I'm not sacking Serdelius off the Turnbull run. I'm certainly not sacking Aliana off the Turnbull run. And my mind does quickly wander to Romantic Warrior peaking off being beaten in a Turnbull or Via Sistina running third in a Turnbull 12 months ago, running out of time. Running 119 and running third in a Turnbull for Chris Waller and then peaking in a Cox Plate. That has a bit of a, that has a bit of a ring to it. And here she is again in Aliana.
Speaker 2McDonald forgot to fall off, however, on Tuesday's track work with Aliana. Did he hold on? Yeah, he held on. I can't, I should have asked him that as well. I thought, what are you, like, you've had that formula, James.
Speaker 14And he calls himself the ultimate professional. He wouldn't even throw himself on the ground for it.
Speaker 2It's disgraceful, I said. Like, why does Via Sistina get better, treated better than poor old Aliana? Like, take one. Take one for the team. Maybe because it's not at the,
Speaker 14that valley surface is very forgiving. If you're going to fall off one, you do it there. Maybe not at Flemington.
Speaker 2Yeah, 100%, yeah. Maybe he's got a good ride in the Melbourne Cup and he just doesn't want to risk injury.
Speaker 14Well, he should have a good ride in the Melbourne Cup and her name should be Aliana. But sadly, it looks like we're not going to get that.
Speaker 2No. I reckon he's been on the phone to Joseph. Like, he won't give away too much. But if Aliana does go to the Melbourne Cup, like, there's, there's still a chance that she might, but it's, it's unlikely. It's very unlikely. But, like, if she wins the Cox Plate by four lengths, oh, it's going to be like, it's going to be hard for them to knock back that opportunity in a Melbourne Cup.
Speaker 14Insane if they did, yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, but she'll win the champion stakes if she wins the Cox Plate by three or four lengths. Kira Ma, he just dismissed the three-year-olds. I said, can they win? He goes, no. And I'm easy. I'm like, when, I listen to someone like Kira Ma and he says that without hesitation. Like, I put a line through them myself, really. Like, he's going to, because it's going to be a Cox Plate where they go flat out basically nearly all the way. Yeah. And there, his horse is setting the pace. Yeah. So, they have to be extremely good. Like, a sort of state going a track record time or, like, running sectionals there to try and absorb all of that, even though with weight, no weight on his back. The grand final. Like, he would have to be a champion to do that, I reckon.
Speaker 14Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. As I said before, I think there will be smart people that sit on strongly on both sides of the fence with not just the three-year-olds, with several horses in this race, but with the three-year-olds in particular. I think you'll have people who aren't stupid and are worth listening to that will tell you that they are something to be with and you'll have the opposite, like Kira, in saying no.
Speaker 2Right. What about Caulfield Cup? What did you make of that? Is there. Oh, Enver Jha, I thought Ray Dawson gave him a beautiful ride. As. Who was on the show yesterday? Gator was disappointed. He was disappointed in Roger Farron. He goes, how could you have this horse unfit for a Caulfield Cup? Because Ray said he needed the run. Like, I thought he was brave. Cosmic Crusader had his chance. The winner was just far too good. Like, what horses do you want to be taking out of that Caulfield Cup for a Melbourne Cup?
Speaker 14Yeah, so the. You're right, Ray Dawson gave. Enver Jha every chance and he ran just shy of his absolute best form but not far from it and I think you tip the hat to Rockin' Ray and say he did everything that he could do in that race. It was a good. I think it was a good Caulfield Cup. I mean, obviously, the incident sort of marted a little bit but in terms of form, I think it was a good Caulfield Cup without thinking that there's much to latch onto for elsewhere. I think if it has any bearing on the Melbourne Cup this year, it's probably the Kieran Ma to St George and really well and even Zara, Zara ran. So St George ran sort of obviously well, if you like. Zara's effort was probably not far from as good and maybe a little bit more hidden. So I don't know about Zara at two miles but I don't know that he won't get it as much as I don't know that he will. So I'm going to toss the coin on that one. But I really like the way he ran into the pace of that race and then just peaked on it a little bit there but entitled to. I really like the way the race set up was no good for him, I don't think. It didn't give him a chance to. to win the race but he did everything he could. So Zara is probably the one run that I pulled through that that I thought, well, you're the hidden run, if you like, tucked away in here that I could chase into something else at this level. So maybe a Melbourne Cup, which I assume is where he's headed. Yes. Yeah, he would be the one. But you're right, I think it was a perfectly decent Corfield Cup. Kingswood, a Kunji champion, lands that illustrious double. Famous victory. Famous victory. He's made for the Corfield Carnival and he's made for the majors. And he put up a. This will surprise you, an even better number than he put up winning the Kunji. Yeah. He actually ran to exactly the same number as half he was last year. So I suppose they'd take some confidence out of that. Are they. No, they go to the padding. He's in the padding. Yeah, okay. Yeah, that makes some sense to me. He's sort of done his job. I wouldn't think he's. he's about to go spiralling on with that right now.
Speaker 2It was a proud day for New Zealand as well. Group one winner.
Speaker 14Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. That form does get a little bit. I was wondering, I don't think he is. I don't think he's coming over here, but Whitehack's been terrific over there lately beating Tuxedo. Tuxedo might be a chance to roll across the Tasman and measure up to something.
Speaker 2I think they are coming there for Tuxedo. I forgot what race it was, but he's coming over, I'm pretty sure.
Speaker 14Don't tell me he's coming over for the illustrious Time Honoured Five Diamonds.
Speaker 2Yes, I think he might be. I'll have to double check, but I remember talking to someone about that and that's, yeah, one of them is coming over anyway. Hey, we are running out of time because so much fun talking to you, Adam. Hey, what about. This Geelong Cup. Wow-wee. Yeah, cracker. Bring it on. Who are you tipping?
Speaker 14Well, I would be tipping the Freydies because I would have given him a really lively chance in a Caulfield Cup, but you're right, it's come up a really good Geelong Cup at a glance there, so Point of Law will be the big unknown. Is he going to run there from the wide draw? Do you know?
Speaker 250-50, I think he's going to weigh it all up and obviously they'll nominate him, I reckon, for Moonee Valley. I don't know if they would want to start him from Gate 18 in a. in a Geelong Cup.
Speaker 14Yeah, he could just flop into the running line there. Beautiful, big, spacious track. He would be a huge unknown in there But potentially talented above that station Small Fry, people would tell you Small Fry is something to be with And he did run I think Small Fry is slow But I thought Defiantly was slow Until the Kerbalay And Small Fry I would have had pegged as slow But he did run into Hopewell Rock At Goodwood in a fast Yeah, that was actually a fast race Over a mile and three quarters So I'd be wary of being too dismissive of him And then we've got Lipsteel here as well But I'll I think the Euphrates is probably the one But that is a very strong Omni-Man? No, Omni-Man's not one for me I think Omni-Man's got Omni-Man will run fourth in next year's Manion Cup For Chris Waller
Speaker 2Yes Now tell me this before we let you go Who's your top seed for the Melbourne Cup?
Speaker 14So Aliana is not going No, she's not going Then we have work to do Maybe Hopewell Rock He'll be interesting I'm going to have a really good look In the next, let's say, 24 hours It's time that I Got serious and had a really good look At Stinger Glass
Speaker 2Okay, yes, yes Can I book you in next On Monday, two weeks Or just under two weeks For a Melbourne Cup preview show?
Speaker 14Do you know It'll depend on the time Because the punters preamble Is taking a busload of ramblers Out to the Yarra Valley Oh, there you go Maybe It might actually be worth Patching me in Yeah, 100% Yeah, you could get some good radio Out of that
Speaker 2We'll lock you in anyway We'll work around you
Speaker 14Speak to my people, Gary
Speaker 2Yeah, he's $26 Hopewell Rock For the Melbourne Cup Trust your instinct $10 The horse that you think Will be competitive in a Jericho Defiantly is the favourite At $9 James J. Braddock He was placed in an English Derby He's $13 Chocolates, $13 St. George, $13 Sakuma, $13 Amphitour, $15 Saran, $17 You'll have a good stinger glass No, where is stinger? Oh, he's $15 What did you make of Wine Dark Sea Before he let you go? Laney said he didn't get around Caulfield
Speaker 14Yeah, I mean I'd take that on board I thought he was He probably needed it To be more of a More of an attritional Pace battle He probably needed He probably needed Jamie Spencer to keep running And not slam the brakes on there I don't think that did him Probably any favours Getting A, getting around Caulfield Or B, when they quicken like that I don't think he's got those gears I think he needed it to be a An all-out test At a mile and a half I would have thought Wine Dark Sea
Speaker 2Alright then We appreciate your time It's always a pleasure Catching up with you So Waikato is going To the five diamonds James from Sydney has just Texted through saying Definitely that is the case I appreciate that James There you go I was right Breaking all the news We are Yes Hey, I'm going to go Have a wonderful time Enjoy the Cox Plate You're tipping Aliana So we've got that on record And you don't know You're tipping just yet In the Melbourne Cup But we have Like I know you're keen On Trust Your Instinct At a price We'll have something on Hopewell Rocket $26 as well
Speaker 14Do that That feels like a better bet now Than Trust Your Instinct at $10
Speaker 2Yeah You should always Trust Your Instinct however Indeed Yes Thank you for your time As always Adam See you next time
Speaker 14Speak to you next week
Speaker 2Adam Blingo from RacingandSports.com 23 minutes past 9 Trent Mason How did you join us Join us next With the latest racing news Join the conversation
Speaker 1Text us on 0449 736 736 Live across Australia This is Giddy Up With Gareth Hall
Speaker 2Welcome back to Giddy Up Trent Mason How does being a very busy man At Flemington this morning Catching up with All the latest racing news Hello to you Trent Morning G The Cox Plate field Will be announced At 12 o'clock Or just after 12 o'clock The acceptance is closed At 12 o'clock I should say So at 1 o'clock On Racing.com How many do you think Will make the final field For this year's Cox Plate
Speaker 5I think they'll have A field of 10 While I'm pretty certain We'll have at least 10 Possibly Depending on whether They allow Middle Earth To run So this is going to be The interesting conversation That I imagine is taking place At the Moonee Valley committee As we speak G Because Middle Earth Is not a Group 1 winner In fact he's not even A Group 2 winner He has one group win Next to his name In Brisbane earlier this year At Group 3 So in years gone by They haven't allowed To my knowledge anyway Correct me if I'm wrong Non-three year olds That haven't won a Group 1 Run in the Cox Plate Given the prestige of the race So it's going to be interesting To see whether they allow That horse to run So if he gets in They'll be I reckon If he doesn't We'll have 10
Speaker 2My understanding is That they can't think That they've got to start In this year's Cox Plate So that is interesting You're hearing this From Flemington Have you talked to any Of the board members Trent Or do you think That this is just Maybe the rumour mills Just started there On the morning there Of the field being announced And let's be honest It just adds a bit of theatre To the Cox Plate If we've got a bit of discussion And some controversy Regarding whether a horse Should be in it or not
Speaker 5Yeah we usually Would be at Moonee Valley On the morning of At Breakfast with the Stars Gee wouldn't we And they'd be up In the committee room And there'd be plenty of rumours Flying around the track Is this horse going to get a run Oh is this horse good enough Are they going to let The three year olds in All that sort of stuff We don't have that this year With the different set up With the race being at Flemington But there's certainly I know there's Conversations being had Whether or not They come to light And they make the decision For Middle Earth That remains to be seen Your mail's obviously good So yeah I wouldn't be surprised If he does run But as I said I don't know what you think Gee what your memory's like In terms of historically Whether some winners Get a start in the race If they're not three year olds I can't seem to recall Many if any
Speaker 2And he's on there On the way to the Melbourne Cup And Kieran Marr has been On the record saying That the Melbourne Cup Is his number one aim So they've decided That he needs another run Before the Melbourne Cup In a Cox Plate So whether he'll go around In a Moonee Valley Cup If he doesn't get a start In the Cox Plate To me I don't know I can understand If they leave him out I can totally understand that And I can understand If they leave him in the field Because he was placed In the Melbourne Cup last year Yeah He can't win it He's the horse Yeah he's got a Yeah but he can't win it I don't think It'll be a surprise If he doesn't win it He does Yeah
Speaker 5Who knows Yeah as a This is not my opinion I think he's a good horse I thought he ran Well enough in the Caulfield Cup He as you said Group one place getter In the Melbourne Cup So whilst he hasn't won In group one He's placed third In you know Our biggest and best race The Melbourne Cup Or potentially not our best Depending on whether You think the Cox Plate Is better But It's An unprecedented And it's going to be Interesting to see Whether they hold the line Or whether they You know Allow him to run So I'd certainly be In favour of I know that Historically It has probably been A precedent set But yeah I think When you've got a field of ten I don't think it hurts To have Middle Earth in there And whilst I don't think He would really Be able to win the race I think he could run well Based on what we've seen So far this spring
Speaker 2Yeah So in the cup I reckon we've got Eliana Attrition Blind Race Char Wolf Land Legend Light Oh this is a Cox Plate Sorry Eliana Attrition Blind Race Char Wolf Land Legend Light Inventory Man Sir Delius Woolworth Woven Cosmic Crusade Birdman And then Middle Earth Is a question mark Whether they give him A start or not So it's a terrific Cox Plate We talked about it All morning The barrage Will be conducted Tonight And the final field Will be announced On Racing.com At one o'clock Is that right?
Speaker 5Yeah that's Correct G The Field will be Released On Racing.com I think Michael Brown Will be Released On Racing.com Studio To reveal The final field Um So we had I put out That field of Nine yesterday And then I said There was Question marks Regarding Sir Sorry Sir Delius Cosmic Crusade And Autumn Boy We found out This morning That Bob Peters Has paid up For Cosmic Crusade Which is great Willie Pike Will ride again And Autumn Boy They're going to Stay in Sydney With that horse Who will take on She's an alibi For round five In the Golden Eagle Which will be Another As well
Speaker 2Um Who was the best Worker at Flemington Today I must admit
Speaker 5I was very impressed With Blind Race He worked alongside The stable mate Joe Lee Who will be seen On Saturday as well In the Cook Silks Um Yeah I thought It was really impressive Blind Race I'm starting to warm to him I'm actually leaning Towards him Over Warwoven Um Which probably sounds A bit strange Given that Warwoven Has got the score On the board And his last two wins Have been brilliant But I just think It's going to be A really tough race There's going to be A lot of speed There's some really Tough, hard and Wait for age horses In this race And I just think Blind Race Three year old Gilding We saw how tough He was at Corfey A two back When he got And then came again So perhaps Warwoven For me I'm prepared to risk I think he might just be A little bit brilliant I know his pedigree On the dam side Says he'll get 2,000 But I just reckon He might be a bit brilliant For 2,000 And I prefer to be With Blind Race In terms of the three year olds But I'm with Aliana In terms of I've been with her For some time And I think with that pace on And it's good to hear The thoughts of James McDonald This morning with UG I think she's going to get A lovely run If she draws a gate Maybe a little bit of Sting out of the ground If that rain arrives on so I think she's going to be mighty hard to beat.
Speaker 2Yeah, it's going to be fun watching this. Cox Plate, a lot of Vitraman and Land Legend going at it. Interesting Land Legend. We all think there's going to be a heap of pace on in this race because of those two horses. But as Kiramar pointed out, that mountain power was the perfect setup for him. Small field. No one really wanted to take up the front and he was able just to do what he wanted to do in front. If he draws gate number one again in this race, it'll be interesting to see if he can muster enough speed to hold the front. I think the best draw for him might be out wide where he can just take his time and then whip around and I reckon he'll take up the front. And a lot of Vitraman will be dangerous. Last time he followed a horse that set a sizzling pace in a 2,000 metre group one race at Flemington was in the Australian Cup. He followed Pride of Jenny and he nailed her right on the wire. And that was one of the best 2,000 metre races you'll ever see. So if we can get a race like that, bring on this year's WS Cox Plate. Champions Day is building. This could be, we always talk about this. And last year was, I remember, I reckon Lee Jordan was a little bit nervous to see how it would actually work out with the nominations and horses that would be heading to Champions Day. This year, I reckon, however, it's going to be, and it was a great day on Champions Day last year, but this year might be even better. Autumn glow, hopefully tempted rocks up, jolly star, and then a host of these Cox Plate horses back up for the Champions. Yeah, look, I'd be very
Speaker 5surprised if we don't have two of the best horses in the country on Champions Day. Chris Waller, speaking this morning at Flemington, said they are very keen to get Autumn glow for the Champions mile. Not locked in at this time. She's been towards that particular race. She's having a break at the farm post. Her king, Charles, he hasn't spoken to the owners as yet. He'll do that in the next couple of days. I'll make a decision later this week. But I know John Massara, the Arrowfield Supreme, he's been saying that this year. So she comes through in good order. I'd be surprised if she's not there. And similar with what I spoke to Jason Walsh from Godolphin on the weekend, as I said with you earlier in the week, G, and I initially thought, oh, maybe they go for the bonus in the Russell Balding, but she's already won an instance, so that is out of play. That's a Group 2 race. It's worth the same money as the Champions sprint. So both $3 million races. One's a Group 2. One's a Group 1. So you go for the Group 1, plus it's up the straight, and they're keen to send her for a look up the straight ahead of the autumn, and then with a few potentially running overseas next year. So I think it's coming together nicely that we'll have both Tempted and Autumn on November 7 at Flemington, which will be great.
Speaker 2100%. She'll be here for sure, Tempted, if she's all right. They'll go to the Group 1 down the straight. She needs to practice for that because they want to travel her overseas, whether that be to Dubai or to Ascot. So she'll be there. It's not like Sheikh Mohammed needs to chase an extra million. He had the biggest day nearly ever there on Saturday, winning the Everest at 6 a.m. in the morning UK time, and then having that big double at Royal Ascot on Champions Day. So yeah, I reckon he'll be, or she'll be in Melbourne for that Group 1 Champions sprint. I reckon Jolly Star will be there as well. I don't know what Jimmy's going to do. I reckon Jimmy Star, they wanted to see him down the straight as well. So it could be one hell of a race, the Champions sprint. Bring it on. Hey, Trent, you've been brilliant, mate. Looking forward to it. This weekend, Cosmic Crusade is confirmed. So you broke that this morning. So you've been all over it as always. And we'll catch up with you later on in the week. Did I miss anything?
Speaker 5Good on you, G, just before I get. Yes. Oh, just quickly, speaking of Flemington straight races, don't be surprised if we see Autumn Glow head up the straight in the autumn, potentially in a light lightning. So she'd probably get too much weight in a new market, but that would mean she'd have to be very sharp to run over a caviar light lightning. John was saying. Very keen for her to have a look at the straight because when they go to Royal Ascot as their plan, they're going to run her in the sprint, not the other race. So they want to give her a look at the straight before she goes to the UK. So, geez, wouldn't that be an incredible line by her there?
Speaker 2Yeah, that would be something else. We apologise for that, Lon. There's a few text messages coming through. I don't know what's going on with the system these days. It's McDonald and Mason held. It might be our end, but we could hear most of the words you were saying anyway, Trent. And the big positive news we got from that McDonald interview as well is that St. Gothard with the blinkers on worked nicely today as well. So that Coolmore is going to be some race on Saturday week. You've got more media commitments than anyone. I think you're going on to Waitley on 11.16. So we better let you go, Trent. Yeah, about to have a chat to my good mate, Adam White. So always a pleasure to chat to you, G. Thanks for that, brother. There we go. Trent Mason, how to thanks to racing.com. It's 9.36. It's going to be a great meeting tomorrow afternoon at Geelong. Luke Rayner, the CEO of Geelong Racing Club, will join me next year on Giddy Up. Welcome back to Giddy Up, Gareth Hall with you. Headwall heading to the champion sprint as well. I have to get that confirmed. He would have qualified to win that bonus in Sydney. But whether Matty Smith will step him out to 1,300 metres, probably unlikely he would get that trip. So he probably does come to Melbourne for the champion sprint. IG, that phone line is terrible. I understand that. We'll get that fixed. I think he got the gist of what he was saying. But yeah, sometimes the internet in this city can be hit and miss, which is frustrating. Morning, Gareth. Kiramar wants to run Middle Earth in a Cox Plate to get some more miles in his legs for the Cup. Remember, Bart Cummings with you at 100%. How does Blind Rays get a start as it hasn't won a Cup? It hasn't won a great one either. That's from JP. Well, he's a three-year-old JP. So he's got that X Factor about him. So you'd think, finished fifth in a Caulfield Guineas. And Bart said to his team, we've got to get this horse into the Cox Plate. So Reg Fleming was his assistant trainer at the time. And he said, Reggie, you ring up your media mates. And I think he got on the phone of the great Adrian Dunn from the Herald. He said, Reggie, you ring up your media mates. He said, get them to say that this horse should be in. Bart reckons he can win the Cox Plate. I think the next day it was on the front page or the back page. And they put the pressure on the Moonee Valley committee. And then they said, all right, then Bart reckons he can win. We'll book Glenn Boss and we'll put him in the Cox Plate. And he leads them a merry dance. So three-year-olds, it doesn't matter if they want to race or not. If they've got that X Factor and they believe that they can be competitive like Blind Rays, there'll be some that will be tipping him on Saturday. Then, of course, he gets a start. But if you've had a few opportunities like Middle Earth, then the committee will go, well, is he good enough for our Great Wait for AIDS race? Is he there just to have a lead-up run to the Melbourne Cup? Is he making up the numbers? Now, Kira Marr will state his case to say that he can win. So, yeah, it'll be interesting to see what happens. Morning, Gareth. Any news on who gets the ride on Centeno Glow? Did Jamie lose her appeal? I think that's happening. I haven't heard anything about that appeal and I'm hearing that they're going to have the inquiry into that fall at Caulfield. I think it's going to be happening today, my mail is. I'm just waiting confirmation on that, but I think they're going to have the hearing today regarding the fall in the Caulfield Cup. With Wellwritten coming out of the Golden Eagle that was announced after the show yesterday by Mickey Guerin from the New Zealand Herald, I reckon Zach Lloyd, like he was committed to Wellwritten. I wonder if he can jump off now and ride Centeno Glow. I think that's the way that they might to see if he can get out of a few rides there on Golden Eagle Day, if Jamie doesn't win her suspension. But I think Zach Lloyd was their first choice, but he was already booked to Wellwritten. So that could be the case there, how that all plays out. It's 9.40, still going to take a break. Luke Rayne will be joining us next.
Speaker 1Text us on 0400. Call 9 736 736.
Speaker 2It's 9.44. Tommy Charlton's just confirmed that Ben Mellon will ride Centeno Glow in this year's Cornwall if Jamie doesn't get off her suspension. So there you go. That'll be interesting. So Ben will be hoping that Jamie, I don't know if she, I don't know, I don't know how we'd be thinking. I don't know, babe. I hope you don't get that. I hope you don't get off your appeal because I'll be riding. But not share the same bank account, I would imagine. So your money's my money. I don't know. How Benny is feeling. But Ben Mellon will ride Centeno Glow if Jamie doesn't get off the appeal. She was suspended there on Saturday. If Jamie does win her appeal, then she'll ride Centeno Glow. I think Zach Lloyd, he would love to ride this filly, but he already had a full book of rides for Golden Eagle Day. So. Um, well-written has been taken out of the Golden Eagle. And that's, that's why he was staying there for the Golden Eagle. But, um, yeah, he can't get out of those commitments there on Golden Eagle Day. So Benny Mellon looks like he might be getting the ride. Can't wait for tomorrow. One of my favorite days, um, Geelong Cup Day. And our SEN Trackside team will be there on the day in the Oz Equipment Rentals Marquee. So we'll have David Taggart and Cam Luke. I'm going to head to Geelong in the afternoon. So I can't wait for it. And would you believe the weather is pretty good? And Luke Rayner, he does a wonderful job. He's one of the very best in the game. He's the CEO of the Geelong Racing Club, and he joins us now. G'day, Luke. G'day, Gareth.
Speaker 15How are you, mate?
Speaker 2They're looking after us, aren't they, the weather gods? I don't like to talk about the weather until, like, at least 24 hours out because I'm sick of us just getting it all wrong, really. Not us, but the experts out there. So what are you expecting tomorrow?
Speaker 15Fingers crossed. It looks pretty good. It's certainly been nice and warmer in the lead-up. We're sort of 28, 29 degrees and cloudy down here today. So the weather's been kind to us to be able to sort of organise the event and the site with everything that goes on logistically. Tomorrow looks pretty good, 24, 25 degrees, and potential of, like, a shower maybe in the Arvo about 2 o'clock. But, yeah, no more than one mil, and I think it's 25% of this stage. So fingers crossed they've got it right. Winds are only around. That's sort of 10 kilometres an hour. So we're not going to have a repeat of where we were this time 12 months ago.
Speaker 2All right, then. Let's hope, yeah, the wind was just like. It was so unlucky there last year, really.
Speaker 15Can't wait to run another one, so I don't ever have to talk about the last one.
Speaker 2What about this year's cup field, mate? It's probably nearly the best long cup field that I've seen.
Speaker 15Yeah, certainly from my memory and talking to a lot of club people that have been involved here for a long time, I think it's the strongest set of noms. that we've received and obviously acceptors. So obviously there's a little bit of a rider at this stage in regards to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup this coming Saturday as well. So I'm sure we'll see a few dual acceptors across both cups and then, yeah, which way the trainers and owners choose to head where they think it's their best chance to, I guess, one, win some good prize money, but two, secure that golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup, which all of these. all of these horses are looking to do in one way or another, either through us or Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Saturday. So really, you know, really excited by the quality of horses that have accepted for our race at this point in time. And we certainly are really hopeful that the majority of those stay the path and race here tomorrow on what will be, you know, a great day, but the track will be in absolutely pristine condition. And I don't think there's many better than Jimmy Dalton in terms of getting every blade, every blade of grass as healthy as you possibly can across the 28 metre width of our track and the full circumference. So really excited. Bring it on.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think it's a proud day for Victorian racing when you can have the VRC combined with your race club to have a golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup. I think that's terrific for the state and even with Moonee Valley, but it just adds so much to your race there tomorrow.
Speaker 15No, it does. And this is the second year. It's the second year that we've done it. And we've sort of had the full year where obviously trainers become aware of the path and the opportunity that exists through us. So, you know, to Kylie Rogers and Lee Jordan for their ongoing support, you know, not to take a punt, but to back in a, you know, a big regional club with a proud history and a proud form line into the Melbourne Cup and back our race in to sort of suggest that, you know, we're a good lead in time. We attract the best horses and the best jobs and the best jockeys. The track usually, you know, nine times out of 10 will race extremely fairly and every horse will get their chance with that sort of 300 plus metre straight. So, yeah, excited to be a part of it. You know, we'll have the Melbourne Cup down here as well on the day, which will support our Geelong Cup in the mounting yard and the golden tickets and the golden rugs and everything else will follow the winner once they salute at, you know, probably roughly 4.12pm tomorrow.
Speaker 2And there's so much up for grabs. Horses like Small Fry and there's a few others that need to win to get into the Melbourne Cup. So there is plenty on the line for these international horses that travel a long way.
Speaker 15Yeah, I think there's, yeah, out of the acceptors, I think there's 10 horses at the moment that are sort of sitting in that 31st to 56th order of entry for the Melbourne Cup. So certainly not guaranteed to start any one of those. So, you know, it should be a highly competitive race and, you know, hopefully the winner's a very, very worthy winner and goes on to, you know, we say represent the Geelong Cup extremely well once again in the Melbourne Cup. So it's exciting times and we hosted Terry Henderson from OTI at our Cup launch a couple of Fridays ago and he was certainly really, really keen to bring Small Fry to Geelong. They've got a great history OTI with the Geelong Cup, having produced, I think, four, four, four Cup winners over the last sort of 20 odd years OTI. So they're really excited to bring Small Fry down. Yeah, Michael Hand for the Travelling Foreman for Joseph O'Brien reports that the horse is in really good condition and Terry's really bullish. He's, I think he's a terrific judge and his thought was that if he could win the Geelong Cup and get in, that he felt like he could be in the sort of top four or five in the market for the Melbourne Cup. So anyway, he's one of many stories and whoever salutes, I'm sure there'll be a great story that, we can latch on to and follow through to the Melbourne Cup in early November.
Speaker 2Is there tickets still available tomorrow?
Speaker 15Listen, in terms of at the moment, we are offline in regards to package sales. So you can ring by inquiry and we can sort that out in terms of the sporting globe lawn, but we are jam-packed in terms of that capacity with the marquees that have been presented for us this year. So just over 5,000 corporate sales as we speak. So that's a great start. We think the weather's obviously going to be terrific. So expecting a lot of walk up on the day and general admission on the day. Punters can still get five for 10 as we, 10 for five, sorry, as we speak. So yeah, we just, there's something out here for everyone. Tomorrow, if you're in general admission, there's going to be plenty there for you to do and plenty on offer in regards to all day entertainment. And our marquees are going to be basically absolutely chock-a-block from the north to the south.
Speaker 2Yeah. So bring that out to the boys if you're in the marquee area, because Tags will be in full voice along with Cam Luke. We always have so much fun in the Aus Equipment Rentals Marquee. So bring it on. It is a great day, Luke. I've been going to the Geelong Cup for years now and such an exciting day. One of the biggest days in the Country Racing Victoria calendar. You've got so much to play out and there's so much on the line in this year's Geelong Cup. The Geelong Classic's always a beauty for the three-year-olds as well. So bring it on, mate. I'm really looking forward to it. And we're going to catch up with you tomorrow. I think the phone started to ring right now, trying to get tickets to the Geelong Cup. I think he's just left us, Luke. Yeah, well, beautiful. So good on to Luke Rayner there. He does a really good job as the CEO of the Geelong Racing Club. On the other side of it, Terry Henderson will be joining us, of course, the OTI Racing Director, and they have Small Fry going around in the Geelong Cup. We'll be right back. There's plenty of text messages coming through. Hi, Gareth. When you asked the Geelong CEO, can you ask him whether there'll be bookmakers on course tomorrow? I'm pretty sure there's bookmakers. There's always bookmakers at the Geelong Cup. Yeah. There'll be a few bookmakers there. A few more text messages coming through. Do you think running 106.11, the race before the $20 million race, was a good idea? Do you think it may have flattened carrying a little bit? That's from Percy the punter. Well, we might have sacked that. I don't think so. I think that they think that he might have been, they needed to get a bit more fitness into him before the Everest this time around. His point of law going to the Geelong and Moonee Valley Cup. I haven't got that confirmed just yet. I think they're still weighing all that up, but the Barry isn't kind to him in the Geelong Cup. I think when I've had a chat to a few of the connections there, Kiramar hasn't made up his mind just yet, but I reckon the Barry draw might make him seriously think whether he goes to the Geelong Cup and they might just save him for that Moonee Valley Cup at Flemington. Hi, I thought Cosmic Crusader was a great run in the Caulfield Cup under the circumstances. I'm not being critical of the ride, but I still believe he's out of his comfort zone early and would love to see him in a more relaxed run. He was exposed down the straight, but still came back at the finish, stepping up to 2,400 metres. I'd love to see him in a Melbourne Cup. That's from Linda. Well, he won't be going in a Melbourne Cup, Linda, but he's definitely going to be going around in the Cox Plate. I wouldn't ride him. I know there's a few that have put a line through him in a Cox Plate, but I reckon he's a chance, especially if he can draw low and he doesn't have to do anything out. He can just get out of the gates and he can just be left alone, like he did, say, in that Turnbull Stakes when he drew low. William Pike had to do what he did there on Saturday and he gave him a beautiful ride, but as Pikey pointed out, he could have rode him too good in a way. He just might be a horse that just doesn't like to be used up at the start. It's 9.58. Terry Henderson, he could be winning another Geelong Cup. He's got Small Fry for OTI Racing and he'll be my special guest next. I'll see you next time. It's going to be some Geelong Cup meeting tomorrow, as we pointed out, and we just had a chat to the CEO, Luke Ray, and he says in his time this is clearly the best Geelong Cup field that has assembled there for a long time anyway. You've got so many different storylines. Paul Bairn, he was nearly favourite for a Melbourne Cup, and he's been a good horse for Australian bloodstock since he's been in the care of Gabe Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. You're afraid he's many. We're giving this horse a big chance at a Caulfield Cup. If he was able to get into the field, he was the first emergency. Wooden Verney's there. Barclay Squares won a Ballarat Cup, one smooth operator. He won a Moonee Valley Cup last year. Solcombe has been a great horse. He's on the comeback trail, and he's ready to peak, I reckon, fourth. Up, you've got Point of Law, who was formerly owned by the King, and now with Kieran Maher. He's got some X Factor about him. Small Fry, Omni Man, both those horses trained by Joseph O'Brien. Lit Steel's been knocking on the door. She gets her chance to get into the Melbourne Cup field, and then you've got a horse like from a different form line and a different storyline, as for Glenn Stevenson representing Tassie. So it's got it all, really, in this year's Geelong Cup, and Terry Henderson. He's always hard to beat at this time of the year, and he joins us now. Of course, the boss of OTI Racing. He's had so much success over his time with OTI, and he could be winning a Geelong Cup with Small Fry tomorrow. Hello to you, Terry. Thanks for your time, as always, mate.
Speaker 16Pleasure, mate. Pleasure, Gareth.
Speaker 2Tell us about Small Fry.
Speaker 16Well, funny enough, as we were talking, Kevin Blake's trying to ring me on the line. Tell him to settle down, Kev. He's a horse after the bean. He's a bean. He's a bean. He's a bean. We just heard your interview, and all of a sudden, our confidence has been dinted with the quality of this field. But, now, Kevin referred the horse to us after the bean passed in at one of those golf sales just before Royal. And we'd previously had horse success with a horse like Tall Ship buying it off Ryan Moore's dad, and, you know, that had some appeal, and we liked the horse, and he was going to be a, you know, a two-year pro. You know, we've got this son. So, you know, it was a, Kevin's got a great eye for horses, and we were delighted to be able to buy him back then.
Speaker 2Yeah. I've talked to a few people about him, and they think he's a great chance. Why do you think he'll be quick enough to win our big races?
Speaker 16Numbers say he'll be quick enough. Yeah. You know, if you look at the stats, sectionals in Europe on tracks that we can judge by, which, basically, York's a good track to judge. The flatter the track, the better we can judge. But, you know, he can turn up a good sectional. He's probably more a two-miler than a mile-and-a-half horse because he can stay. I think he's one of those horses that likes his racing room. So, he'll get that, we would think, from barrier 13. So, you know, we'd like to think that if he can be midfield or just a touch further forward than midfield with cover, he's got enough speed to, you know, think. And as we know, they usually go early in the job. And on Cup, they start to move at, you know, the 600 to 700-metre mark. Well, if they're able to pale something into the race from there, you're very good.
Speaker 2And he's got that form line with Hopewell Rock, who's a great chance, I reckon, in the Melbourne Cup. That was at Goodwood. And then, were they just too tough for him at Ascot? Kislyar and Defiantly, both those horses, ironically, Kislyar hasn't qualified for the Melbourne Cup, and he beat Defiantly on that occasion, who's the favourite for the Melbourne Cup. But Defiantly's been a different horse since that. So, that run there at Royal Ascot this year.
Speaker 16I think Defiantly's a legitimate Gold Cup horse next year.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 16He is quite an incredible horse. He's got a super staying capacity. And, you know, he can, as he did in the Kurgalay and also at Ascot, he could run them off their feet. But ironically, Small Thrive made good ground on him at Ascot. We were back, I think, second or third last on the turn, and we were able to make ground picks there. And. And, you know, that gave us some encouragement that, you know, go on to Goodwood. And we were probably a little bit unlucky there. Ozan just thought that he'd just wait until I went past the 400 there and the bird had flown and we were blocked for a run and followed down Hopewell Rack home. So, you know, they're all good horses. And on their day, any one of them is so hard to beat.
Speaker 2I think at the end of the day, like, you've got all these. Obviously, you think he's got the ability to be competitive in our business. But they've got to come here and travel, Terry. They've got to settle in. And some horses go one way and some horses go the other way. Which way do you think your horse will go? Can you get any guide in the early part of their time at Werribee?
Speaker 16Very happy. Yeah. We can't put it any more than that. He travelled well. He lost a little bit of weight, as they do on the trip over. He settled down really well. I watched him work last week with Mick Calford. Mick's delighted with all his horses. They've all travelled well. And so would they want to for the cost that it takes to get them over here. I might add, Gavin. How much does it cost, if you
Speaker 2don't mind me asking, Terry?
Speaker 16On the way to come out from Ireland, you don't get any change for the airfare and quarantine out of $120,000.
Speaker 2Yeah. So even if you finish last in a Melbourne Cup, you're still losing?
Speaker 16Yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 16There you go. That's another story for another day. Whether they should be paying down to the numbers that they do in the Melbourne Cup, because it can attract mediocrity on the day that way.
Speaker 2Yeah. You're not a fan of that, obviously?
Speaker 16No. No. I agree with you. I think the Melbourne Cup to be a quality race. I'm not, no.
Speaker 2Yeah. I think the Melbourne Cup. I can understand where they're coming from. And there's some horses that will qualify for the Melbourne Cup and they're winners anyway, because they're in that great race. It's everyone's dream to be in the Melbourne Cup, but it's the Melbourne Cup. So it shouldn't be, you shouldn't be getting a prize for running last at the end of the day.
Speaker 16Exactly. Yeah. Exactly. It seems to be the way of the world in other areas, as well as we know when it comes to competition. And I can understand, you know, that they have to try and incentivize these internationals to come across. But, you know, it's not just those that are impacted. I think there are some good horses that deserve to be in the Melbourne Cup this year because they're in form, but they're main enough up the scale to qualify. Well, to get into the field and there'll be some more great horses in it because it's basically a no-loss situation if you're a local horse.
Speaker 2And to be honest here, when you have a look at the horses coming out from overseas and the owners that are in these horses, that $100,000 for finishing last isn't going to do anything to them, basically. No, it does help. It does help a little bit, but you know what I mean. They'd prefer to have more cream on the top, Terry.
Speaker 16Yeah, exactly. Yeah. And I think the Melbourne Cup deserves to have more cream on the top in the same way as the Caulfield Cup went this year.
Speaker 2Yeah, and as Wayne Hawks pointed out, like, if you went on the turnover, the Melbourne Cup, what it brings into the racing industry, it should be worth 10 times as much as it is. Like, that's never going to happen, but it is the race. It's the race that brings people into the game. It's the race that people, it's the biggest race in this country, clearly, not just by a small margin, but the length of the Flemington Strait.
Speaker 16Absolutely. Well, we may have seen a little bit of a dip, you know, around COVID and when we had a few horses win that perhaps weren't as popular with our local fans as they might have been, but certainly the last couple of years I've noticed a big resurgence in the interests of the normal punter and the smaller buyer in having a Melbourne Cup horse.
Speaker 2Yeah. Hey, I agree with you there. Now, Kieran McEvoy's been booked, so you need to win, don't you, to get into the Melbourne Cup?
Speaker 16Yeah, we're not even qualified at the moment, so a place will get us up the qualification ranks, but we'd still be eight kilos underway for age, and that'd be a struggle. You know, you'd need a fair number of horses to pull out for us to get in. So the way we're looking at it is that, you know, we really do need to win to get in, and probably the same applies on Saturday to King Pedro.
Speaker 2Yeah. It's small fry. If Kieran McEvoy gets in, he won't be $34. He'd probably nearly be single figures or close to favourite. Because when you talk to Kevin Blake, he reckons that he's nearly the best chance for Joseph. Is that what you're hearing as well?
Speaker 16Well, you know, not officially because I'm sure owners, trainers don't like to say this is better than this one. But that often, especially with the Melbourne Cup in mind, but he's certainly one of the, you know, the top three, I would think. I think, you know, and I've a lot of time for a couple of the others, not only of Joseph's, but of the horses in the race generally.
Speaker 2I don't know if Kieran McEvoy's got a ride for the Melbourne Cup. Do you know, like, or is there a situation where you'll, yeah, you'll, like, if he wins on, if he wins tomorrow afternoon, would Kieran get his weight? I don't know.
Speaker 16Yes, he would.
Speaker 2Yeah. So he will stick with him?
Speaker 16It depends, because King Pedro, who Kieran has been riding and obviously riding extremely well, you know, Kieran really loves that horse as well. So it depends what he does on the weekend. So jockey-wise, if we were to win tomorrow, I don't think we'd be making any decisions on jockeys until after the weekend, waiting on what King Pedro did.
Speaker 2Yeah, and you know these internationals. You travel around the world. ITI have had success right around the globe when it comes to your horses, and you know the European market back the front. Who do you think the horse is to beat in this year's Melbourne Cup from an international perspective?
Speaker 16If defiantly had I had 54 kilos, I would have been very much in his camp as well. I watched the race at Ascot with Jamie Lovett from Australian Bloodstock, and it was a super run. And if the tempo of the race, was such, he could run them off their feet the way he can run. But I think 58 kilos in a race that he's got to give away a lot of weight is going to be a challenge. I think Roger's a horse that ran so well in the Caulfield Cup the other day. In the chair? Yeah. Yeah. You know, he's got to be respected. Roger, I class as one of the best trainers in Newmarket, and the record says that. So, you know, he does know how to get these horses ready for these big races. So, and, you know, Joseph's got a couple of others there that are very competitive, and, of course, the way, you know, Kieran's could go around with three legs and still win.
Speaker 2Yes. You know, it's very, very hard, Gareth, you know. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 16Hopewell Rock? I like the horse. Yeah. But I would like to, I'm certainly not scared of racing him again with small fry. Okay. And we have a weight advantage going into the Melbourne Cup on what we had at Goodwood.
Speaker 2What about James J. Ruddick? And trust your instincts. They're at the top of the market there for Joseph.
Speaker 16I believe he was a naughty boy this morning at Werribee. Which one? But others can tell you more about that. But, yeah, look, we've seen these horses come out of the classic races before in Europe and not do so well. Yeah. You know, Kieran's horse within the law might be, you know, one that sort of can get under your guard a little bit being that he's only a three-year-old still. We've seen it happen before with these Europeans. So, yeah, it's easy to get confused with this race, Gareth.
Speaker 2It is a little bit because there's so many different form lines, as you pointed out, and you'd think the English Derby form line would be good for a race like this. But as you pointed out, it hasn't in previous years. Defiantly, we talked to Adam Blinko, and he said, well, at the start of the season, this horse, I probably wouldn't even back him into Jericho. But now he's jumped out of the ground, really. And a few of Joseph's horses have been able to do that this time around. As soon as they put the blinkers on defiantly, he's looked like might and power.
Speaker 16Absolutely. Yes. And mind you, he's trained by a pretty good trainer, too. Yeah. So that helps. And, you know, Joseph is a remarkable horseman with a fantastic team behind him. And, you know, he's just had a year out of the box. So, look, it's not going to be surprising if he features. I just worry about his weight. That'll be his big concern because I think he's been weighted to the hilt given that he basically has been winning handicaps up to the Kugelay.
Speaker 2And you've got Goody Two Shoes, who was a big, big price last year. But J.P. McManus and the McManus family, they arrived here to back her. And probably if the rain didn't come, she probably nearly wins, I reckon.
Speaker 16Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So. And her run, I think I saw her run at Goodwood. Yeah. It was very good. I think she won there. It was a tough win.
Speaker 2Well, we've had something on small fry. We're going to cross our fingers and toes he wins tomorrow. Let's hope he doesn't have any bad luck.
Speaker 16I hope it doesn't add a knack to him.
Speaker 2Yeah, sorry. I apologise for that. I'm a bigger jinx than your great mate, Eddie Stewart. So we'll see how we go, Terry. We'll see how we go. But I reckon he's a great chance. Kevin Blake gave us so much confidence. I wonder why Kevin gave us so much confidence, because he was the one that picked it out for you. So obviously he wants this horse to do well. And yeah, it's the internationals. They had a lot of intrigue. And it'll be interesting to see what happens with Point of Law. I always thought to myself with Point of Law, Terry, and this is, and I could be thinking a little bit differently, but I always thought to myself, why would the King want to sell a Melbourne Cup horse? But Eileen Ma did sit next to the King the other day during Rule Ask It Week. So he might've just done her a favour. I don't know.
Speaker 16But time will tell. Even with the King, what do they say? He's got the gold rules. And I think in this case, it might've been a case of come up with a new one. Come up with the money and the horses for sale.
Speaker 2Hey, well, Terry, we wish you the best of luck. We'll see you tomorrow at Geelong. Yeah, small fries, $34. If you think he's going to win the Geelong Cup, you'd back him for the Melbourne Cup, but he still probably needs a little bit of luck in a really good field. And if he does win that Geelong Cup, you know that he deserves his place in our great race, the Lexus Melbourne Cup there, Terry.
Speaker 16No, I think you're right. Thanks very much.
Speaker 2Thanks, Terry. Terry Henderson, the Managing Director of OTI Racing. 16 minutes past 10, we're going to take a break. On the other side of it, there's plenty more that we can look forward to, including the midweek masterclass. We've got Warwick Farm, Eagle Farm. Mitchie Lewis will preview Geelong Cup Day and Lincoln Moore will have a look at Strathal.
Speaker 1On Giddy Up, it's now time for the midweek masterclass.
Speaker 2It's the midweek masterclass. Time thinks the robot building supplies, helping you get the right products for the job at a better price. We're racing at Warwick Farm tomorrow afternoon. Mark Roden joins us. G'day, Mark. G'day, Gareth.
Speaker 17How are you?
Speaker 2Good, thank you, mate. Warwick Farm tomorrow, seven races, soft five rail at three metres. How do we back a winner?
Speaker 17Yeah, it's a good little card. I've sort of struggled to get too far away from the mark. And there were a few things I did like which got knocked off pretty early as well. But good meeting. Take it away with your place. All right, we'll start in race five. As the market suggests, there's two main chances here. Seven Amarikia and nine Probability Series. They've both been market shorteners since betting opened. Just going with seven Amarikia, just because it's ended up the better price now, you can get mid $3, whereas Probability Series is under about $2.40 everywhere now.
Speaker 2All right, then.
Speaker 17Yeah. Very good first up record, Amarik. Amarikia, a couple of good trials. Look, I'm very frightened of number nine, but I just think with a slight value edge, number seven, Amarikia.
Speaker 2Amarikia there for Peter Snowden, the man of the moment at the moment in Sydney, Chad Schofield. And then what else do you like?
Speaker 17I'll go to the last. Look, there's a lot of emergencies here and there will be scratchings. But again, the markets identified the two main ones. That's six, You're Not the King, and eight, Beneath the Rock. They're both genuine improvers coming from the provincials and the early money has been for the two of them. Again, not much between them, but I'll lean to number eight, Beneath the Rock. He put them away in the last 200 at Newcastle first up and almost switched off a bit late. I think there's plenty more to come from this horse. He's drawn wide, but with McDonald's on, I'm sure he'll go forward. Obviously, number six, the danger, but I do think they might have a bit of an edge on the rest. And at around $4, it's not a bad price, the eight, Beneath the Rock.
Speaker 2So race five, number seven, race seven, number eight, your plays there at Warwick Farm tomorrow. That's it. Good on you, mate. Thanks for that. There's Mark Rodent, check out racingqueensland.com.au for where Queensland is racing today. Tomorrow, they're at Eagle Farm. Chris Nelson joins us. G'day, Chris. Good morning, Gareth. How are you going? Good. Thank you, mate. How do we back a few winners there at Eagle Farm?
Speaker 12Well, I don't know what to tell you at the moment because the track is a heavy nine after 60-something mils of rain yesterday. Today looks okay at the moment, but it is supposed to come back tomorrow afternoon and then the rest of the week. So I'm not sure what sort of deck we'll be playing or what's going to be wet to some degree. And how many of these will be scratched? So we'll go with a couple at this stage anyway. Race four, number two, rewrites, resumes from a break. Now, I like what this one did last start. That was at the Gold Coast back in May. Sat wide all the way and stuck on really well. Previous form last, the same prep was very good. Second at Ipswich, second at Doobin and a first up winner here at Eagle Farm on a soft five has trailed well. Jet Newman will ride. She's riding really well. So at the moment, we'll go with it. Race four, number two. Now, there's a couple in race number two. Number five, I'm keen on. I don't know if they'll both run, but I want to have something on both. And they are number three, number five, sorry, ready for the trip, who ran an enormous second at Eagle Farm behind Japanese last time out. Was three wide, no cover the entire 1,820 metre trip and was beaten, what, 0.7 of a length on the line. That was an enormous run. Has one on soft and placed four times on soft. One go on the heavy, yet to register a placing. The other one, number 14, Sever from the Chris Waller. Stable, a mayor who's just running really good races. She's hit the line strongly her last couple, Doomba and Eagle Farm. She's a twice place getter on soft. Hasn't seen anything worse. But I like the fact she finally draws a reasonable gate, so she'll be able to settle nice and close, but she's been too far back lately. At the moment, we'll focus on those three runners, but I will update you tomorrow
Speaker 2morning. So race four, number two, then we'll have a couple of plays in race five ready for the trip. Number five and number 14. Good on you, Chris O. Thanks, Gareth. You have a good day. Same to you. There's Chris Nelson. Thanks to Racing Queensland. Mitch Lewis. Thanks to Betsy.com.au. You will join me next.
Speaker 1This is the midweek
Speaker 2masterclass. Thanks to Robot Building Supplies helping you get the right products for the job at a better price. Mitch Lewis joins us Geelong Cup Day. I reckon one Geelong Cup, he tipped us the winner at 40 to 1. I reckon Philip Stokes trained that horse. What was the horse's name, Mitchie Lewis?
Speaker 18Morning G. That was a maid. Correct. In the OTI colours. Correct. Yes. You'd be hoping by the sounds of this morning, you'd be hoping that they salute again.
Speaker 2Yeah, with small fry. I think it's a bit stronger, this Geelong Cup, compared to a maid's Geelong Cup. So what do you like? What do you like in the big one there tomorrow, mate?
Speaker 18Yeah, there's a few different sort of options that I had looking at it. Like, I'm not a dead set, full on, just fall into the ratings type of guy, but what small fry did in his last run was very good. If he can produce something like that, he should prove pretty hard to beat. So he's a big watch for me. Joseph O'Brien, you know, would have brought him over with a plan. So I think he'd be ready to go. So I thought he was a very good chance. I did like Point of Law. The barrier worries me, and the two, the Euferates, probably gets run in the race. So he'd be the main danger. But I'm with you on small fry, I think.
Speaker 2Alright then, small fry on the Geelong Cup. What else do you like on this car, mate? Where do we start with your plays?
Speaker 18Earlier in the program, we'll kick off. Race 3, horse number 7, Aurora Bell. Now, just since I went over him this morning, attachments come out. So we've lost a little bit of value. So we hope that leaks out a little bit. But I really liked that win at Ballarat, first up in the country. It was a pretty handy race. I think it was, off the top of my head, a golden nugget day. So it was a handy enough race. Land's in a good position. There'll be plenty of speed. And sort of those horses, like Lario, they had a big weight. So it might give us the opportunity to settle in a nice position and run over the top of them late. So Aurora Bell for me. Yep, so it's at 2.30. What else do you like? In race 4, I really like Lindsay's horse, Mr Natural, the 14. He was really impressive from an awkward position last start here at Geelong. He probably gets in another awkward position from Barrier 11. But I'm thinking he can progress through his grade. So having a bit each way on him. So that's race 4, number 14.
Speaker 2Yes. About $7 there with bet 365. Anything else?
Speaker 18Then we'll go to the last, G. Hopefully cut the day off. So that's race 9. I'm going to be with. Sorry, I might have the wrong race here, G. I'm working a little bit on the fly. It is race 8, number 8, Ever Rain for the Freedmen. First up, got a good record first up. Solid enough trial at Caulfield recently. I think Barrier 3, if the track's playing sort of nice and firm, he lands in a nice position, there'll be some decent speed with Celsius Star in the race, you would have thought. So I think he gets a nice run. He fires fresh.
Speaker 2Love it. So we're getting for that Gallop Ever Rain around 4.60 there with bet 365. And I think it's Strathalban, thanks
Speaker 18to Betsy.com.au. No markets just yet, so we'll wait on those. But my best one probably comes up in race 6, horse number 8, a fair view. She won a couple in a row recently, went to a stronger race at Morfordville. She was alright there, ran midfield but there was only two lengths off of them. I think she gets an opportunity to settle in a pretty good position here with Todd Panel on. So she drops back down in grade. She's won at Strath before. I think she's set up to get back to the winning ways.
Speaker 2Beautiful. So that's a fair view. You're on top selection there in race number 6 for Johnny McMillan. We can get all of your tips and expert analysis there
Speaker 18at Betsy.com.au. Yep, that whole Strath program is up there now, G. So if you go and check that out and camp out waiting for those markets, hopefully we get some good prices.
Speaker 2Great stuff. Thanks for that, Mitch. Thanks, mate. See you later. There's Mitch Lewis there. Lincoln Moore at Strathalban, thanks to RacingSA. He likes race 1, number 4, Empire Ruler. Race 4, number 1, Big Mav. And you're at Kobe, race 6, number 7. So race 1, number 4, race 4, number 1, race 6, number 7. Matt French at Belmont likes race 4, number 7, Lady Talk. And Super Sentai, race 6, number 2. So 4, 7, 6, 2. And that is the Midweek Masterclass, all thanks to Robot Building Supplies. Robots got it and deliver. RobotBuildingSupplies.com.au. We're going to take a break and Paul Scully will be our special guest from the Bendigo Jockey Club next. Can't wait for the Bendigo Cup. So that's on Wednesday week. It's been a great race for the Melbourne Cup. It's a quick turnaround of course to the Melbourne Cup, but there's been some horses that have run big races after competing in the Bendigo Cup. And the face of that particular promotion has been Knight's Choice, who was midfield in a Bendigo Cup and then he came out to win the great race in the same year. And I can't wait to see how it all unfolds. It's going to be a great Bendigo Cup field as well. Paul Scully from the Bendigo Jockey Club is their CEO, joins us now. G'day Paul, how's things?
Speaker 13Gareth, great to be on. Yes, all going well, mate. Looking forward to it and preparations are in full swing now. Yes. It should be great.
Speaker 2And you've got Campbell, Brown and Sammy Hyland joining. They'll be trackside for SEN and for that OB. They are two wild individuals so they always have a lot of fun. And I know that they can't wait to get to the Bendigo Cup. So we're looking forward to that, mate. And then the Bendigo Cup field, I reckon it's going to be a beauty this year.
Speaker 13Yeah, look, it is. Gareth obviously had a great chat with Luke earlier and, you know, the Geelong Cup, you know, their field's incredible for tomorrow. And I think it's exciting for us as well to obviously not only, you know, to have that opportunity leading into Melbourne Cup, but to have a Group 3 race, you know, in a regional Victoria and it really brings a lot of life to, you know, the regional communities out here that can come and experience what is a quality race. And as you stated from the start, had some really good success the last few years. Obviously the name Kira Ma tends to pop up three out of the four last winners. But I think if anything, you know, we've seen high emotion in 22, which won, he finished third in the Melbourne Cup. Interpretation went on at six, you know, with Seaking winning there a couple of years ago as well. And, you know, obviously probably didn't have a great Cup, but certainly winning there with a bit of hype. So look, it's in the last few years has really created some interest and we're a big believer that strategically placed on the calendar gives us a great opportunity, you know, for those distance runners to sort of back up into the Cup. So, yeah.
Speaker 2Is it still the biggest social day on the calendar in Bendigo?
Speaker 13Yeah, look, it really is. We're lucky enough and we've just gone through a public consultation process, actually, regarding the public holiday up here. But, you know, thanks to the City of Greater Bendigo and support of the community, you know, that's been, you know, another five years of the Bendigo Cup being a public holiday here in Bendigo. So, you know, like Luke and like other so many regional communities, you know, it is a really key social calendar day for a lot of our country clubs. And for us, that's no exception. You know, we're expecting sort of six and a half to seven thousand here on the day, which would be just incredible. And, yeah, really a lot of big corporate, you know, side of things that really support it. And a lot of our local businesses get behind it. And it's just a great social day out for them to treat clients and their staff and everyone else to have a bloody great day out. So it's what we love.
Speaker 2Well, that's a big win, Paul. I think that growing up in a regional sense, and I've been to a few Bendigo Cups. Mum and Dad used to live in Bendigo for years. It's such an important day. And I'm glad that the council were able to, and obviously it was the consultation process, but they made the right decision. And they would have only made that decision with the support of the local community that continue to push for the public holiday for the Bendigo
Speaker 13Cup. Yeah, I think you're spot on, mate. And I think if anything as well, it's really the economic contribution that the day does make. We know just on the day alone across Bendigo is up to $3.2 million spent across the community here on the day. And that's a lot of people just, even if they haven't come to our Cup, they're going to the pubs or they're going out for lunch or they're catching up with family and friends and enjoying day out at some of a lot of the hospitality venues. And we've had a lot of strategic analysis done. And economically it just does make sense. It's a huge driver for visitation, but also really a big driver for the economic contribution to our community. So the data backs it up. And I think, you know, credit to our councillors who certainly took that into consideration when making the decision. And you know, we're here to now to make it even bigger and better as we move forward.
Speaker 2We heard from Luke and it's difficult to get a ticket, especially a hospitality ticket. there for Geelong Cup Day. What are your sales looking like?
Speaker 13We're the same. Gareth, I must admit, a lot of our major packages, we've got our Ladbrokes Village is still available. It's a great, you know, opportunity trackside right next to the mounting yard, which is going to be a cracking spot, which there are limited tickets available in that as well. And look, obviously, a few little umbrella packages out sort of in our Palms area, which is sort of just out the back a little bit, a really great little area. But a lot of our marquees are, you know, sold out, which is so good. I think if anything, the community's really got behind it this year. And once that decision was made about the public holiday, even though it didn't impact this year's, it's really generated some interest, which has been great. And we've really seen some great sales come through.
Speaker 2How do you go about getting those tickets that are available? Just go to your website?
Speaker 13Yeah, that's it. Yeah, jump online. Please, we've got a great team here, mate, that we're more than happy to take a phone call as well. So, yeah, but can't wait, mate. It's going to be a great day out.
Speaker 2Bring it on, mate. It'll come around pretty quickly. It is a great time of the year. You've just got to keep your head down and just keep on trucking, really, because there's no breather, really.
Speaker 13No, no, we had a beach party here, race day on Saturday. And it was a success, wasn't it? They tell me. Yeah, we had over 2,500 here on Saturday, just gone. And it's an incredibly relaxed race day here, but it's growing in stature. It's really well supported. So we have close to 10,000 people, you know, within sort of 10 days at our club here for two race meets. It's a big, big time of year for us, but we're all up for it and we love it.
Speaker 2Good on you, mate. Well, we wish you the best of luck, Paul. Great to have you on Giddy Up and bring on Wednesday week and looking forward to seeing Brownie and Sam Highland there as well. We appreciate your time.
Speaker 13Good on you, Gareth. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 2There's Paul Scully, the CEO of the Bendigo Jockey Club. Zach Pert and the champion hoop from Hong Kong will join us next here on Giddy Up to tell us all about what happened there with K-Rising on Saturday in the Everest.
Speaker 1Text us on 0-4-double-9-7-3-6-7-3-6 live across Australia.
Speaker 2Always great to catch up with Zach Pertin and the champion hoop live from Hong Kong joins us. G'day, Zach. How's things, mate?
Speaker 19Yeah, good. Thanks, Gareth.
Speaker 2How was it there on Saturday? Can you just run us through your emotions after that winning post there in the Everest?
Speaker 19Heartbreaking, really, to be honest, to start with. You know, the shock of having not won the race, it was a bit hard to swallow, but, you know, I don't want to take anything away from Tempted in full credit to her. She was exceptional on the day. She had the right run, drew the right gate, got a good break on us, and she showed a versatility as well, you know, to be ridden up there. On the speed, at the rate that they were going, and then to give that kick and still be strong and hang on, you know, full credit to her. Unfortunately for us, we just drew the wrong gate. Ended up getting a pretty good run in the race under the circumstances, the way things panned out. He just got a little bit lost around the corner. And for whatever reason, he just wasn't picking up in the early part of the straight until Headwall come next to him. And I was really happy with the heart, the grit, and the courage that he showed to really attack the line the way he did. I didn't think he had that in him, and, you know, I don't think he lost any admirers. It's just a shame that he didn't win. If he had got up on the line, you know, the story's a lot different. And if he had drawn a different gate, it's a lot different. But, you know, unfortunately, that's racing. We've got to accept that. It's going to hurt for a while, but. We go on.
Speaker 2Was it one of the toughest days you've had on a racetrack because of the expectation with him and because he is k'ing rising and you go down like you did?
Speaker 19Yeah, I think that's a fair call. You know, it's obviously, like I said, it's hurting, and it's going to hurt for a while. We love him so much, and I'm very proud with the way he run. You know, it was a great performance. You know, I don't think anyone would have predicted that those horses were going to go out as fast as they did. You know, Tempted held a spot. Ninja was kicking up. Spicy Martini was getting ridden along. I didn't think Savvy Halley would go that fast, and Blue Door obviously we expected to be up there. But to have all those horses pressing the speed the way that they did and, you know, the three leaders have tailed out to finish the last three placings, so it didn't help their cause and certainly made it hard for us. It was interesting.
Speaker 2It was interesting because we just had Adam Blinko from RacingAndSports.com, and we were dissecting the Everest, and there's been a lot of people that have run the numbers and they've had their opinion on all of it. But the best way that we described it was that, and I don't know if you expected it, but it's usually Kaling Rising throwing the first couple of punches when it comes to these battles. But he was copping punches left, right, and center from competitors that you didn't think had that, that in them in the early part. They just came out wanting to throw uppercuts at Parole Kaling Rising. Did that surprise you?
Speaker 19Yeah, it did. I didn't expect all those horses to push up in the manner that they did, and it obviously completely changed the complexion of the race. And, you know, everyone's been able to look and analyze the data now, and the fact that Kaling Rising went out in his first 400 metres faster there in the Everest than what he has been going in Hong Kong, and, you know, they were showing more speed than him. It just illustrates how fast they were going, and that was on a slow track as well. Yeah. It's not as if it was on a dry track. So, you know, what were they, like seven lengths or something inside standard? It was a ridiculous pace. But anyway, that's, you know, it's, we can't change it now. It is what it is, unfortunately.
Speaker 2There has been debate with your right. What would you give it out of 10? Because I reckon you would be probably your hardest taskmaster. So what would you give it out of 10? What would you give it out of 10 there, Zach?
Speaker 19Well, I think under the circumstances, and, you know, obviously I've only got a split second to make that decision, not like everyone else who's had a number of days now to analyze all the data and pull it all apart. And I think under the circumstances, I made the right call, you know, and I had to make that on the spot. Yeah. I gave the horse his chance to still be able to run a race, whereas if I had have. panicked and drove him and rode the ears off him to be up there, you know, he would have fallen in a hole and probably finished as, you know, 7th, 8th, 9th himself. So I think I made the right decision. I gave him his chance to still be competitive in the race. And he was, you know, because of that, he's still run a great race.
Speaker 2And how did he handle it? Because he's a horse that he just dominates races. Like he'll win that race from, say, the 1,000 to the 400 when he breaks their hearts. But also. All of a sudden, he was getting dictated to in a way. Like mentally, how did you think he handled the occasion when he had to change his mindset in a way as well?
Speaker 19Yeah, I think he handled it well. And I've said on a number of occasions that, you know, that's the greatest asset with him is his versatility. He doesn't have to lead or sit outside the leader. He can take a sit. And he has come from that far back in races before. So it wasn't completely foreign to him. And he still had plenty of room. You know, three-wide cover at 1,200. Randwick's usually a great spot to be. Peeling, you know, to the outside. The inside runners generally get held up and don't get through. But because of the track and the way it was on the day, obviously they split and gave that saloon passage through to Tempted. But I think he handled it well. For whatever reason, he just seems to get a little bit lost there at Randwick when he straightens up. He's done it in both his trials now. Even last year, he did a similar thing. And then he's done it again this year. But, you know, I think he ran as well as he could. You know, David did a great job preparing him the way he did. He looked great on the day. The team all played their part. The horse was in great form. He ran accordingly. And had he drawn a good gait, he probably wins the race. And, you know, we're talking about him in a different manner. I don't think he's lost any admirers. As I said, I think in some respects he's probably gained some. And now we've got 12 months to look forward to the rematch. We've won all with Tempted. And we'll take it to the 10th round and see how we go next year.
Speaker 2Is it fair to say that he's not the same horse there at Randwick for some reason where he just doesn't like that last bend? Or can you put – can you work out why he doesn't love Randwick as much as he loves Chartier?
Speaker 19Well, Chartier. He knows, like, the back of his hand. He races here regularly. He's very comfortable. I think the surface at Randwick has got something to do with it. And the track team down there did a great job to prepare the track the way that they did and for it to dry as well as it did. It was in as good an order as they could get it. But I just think the ground there is a little bit softer. He really likes the hard, fast deck here in Hong Kong. He knows his way around Jatin so well. He just, seems to get that little bit lost there at Randwick for some reason. And it's just those little things. And at the level that he's racing at, sometimes those little adjustments can have an effect on the performance. But, you know, I'm not making any excuses. He had a good enough run. He had his chance. He dried his guts out. Tempted was just better than us on the day.
Speaker 2Like, how do you get over it? And, like, as you said, it was one of the toughest days you've had at the races. And I mentioned this before, talking to James McDonald on that Saturday night. He goes, the toughest moment that he had in his career was when Romantic Warrior got beaten at Saudi Cup. And it was difficult to get over it. But you were able to bounce back pretty quickly there. You had a good day at Chartain. Is it easy for you to put that behind you and look forward now? Zach, how do you, from a professional athlete perspective, how do you go about mentally getting over it?
Speaker 19Yeah, listen, there's no doubt that I'm disappointed. I'm hurting. You know, as you mentioned, it probably hurts more than anything else I've had. But I can't change it. It is what it is. It's been done. I've just got to put it behind me, move forward, focus on the next meeting, as I did yesterday. I had a couple of winners there at Chartain and not a bad day overall. You know, life goes on. And I look forward to Kay Ying Rising's already back in Hong Kong. I look forward to riding him again in November in his lead-up run to December and then trying to win the international sprint on him again in December. So, you know, as hard as it is and, you know, that sport, you know, it's not always going to go your way. Sometimes you've just got to accept the result. And move on.
Speaker 2I bet you, I like that 12 months can't come around quick enough, I guess. Obviously, he's got a lot still to do in Hong Kong as well. But you would imagine he would just continue to dominate there at Chartain. But I guess that everyone's looking forward to seeing him come back to Australia.
Speaker 19Yeah, of course we are. And I think some people now are going to be saying, well, he's just a Hong Kong horse, blah, blah, blah. But, you know, he won in Everest last year. He just got beat in an Everest this year and probably would have won it with a gate, you know, it would be fair to say. And the other horses that he's raced against here in Hong Kong, you know, they sent the best sprinter from Japan over. He gave him a hiding. They sent the horse from the UK down here. He gave it a hiding. He has been racing against the best sprinters around the world. He has been beating them. I think it's a little bit unfair that people would label that sort of criticism on him because of. I mean, he's a horse that's been racing for a long time. He's been racing for a long time.
Speaker 1live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall welcome back to giddy
Speaker 2up busy final hour coming your way um and we welcome our friends listening to us on sen turf right through our wa joining our audience on racing.com sen track and rsn 927 the big news from a western australia perspective um this morning was that bob peters has made the decision that cosmic crusader will be going around in the cox plate on saturday what a horse he is um you gotta love bob um he breeds race horses to do just that race so caulfield carp into the cox plate um and i reckon he'll he'll be really competitive in a cox plate and you've got probably 10 or 11 horses they'll have to make their decision on middle earth whether the the committee thinks that he's ready to go around in a in a cox plate um he finished third in the melbourne cup but he's best wins a group three race i think so the committee will make their decision whether he deserves his place in the wait for age championship of australasian racing but at the moment we've got eliana attrition blind race char wolf land legend light infantryman sir delius war woven cosmic crusader bird man and i reckon they'll go with middle earth that's just my opinion uh but he's 50 50 so it's a pretty good cox plate um this year and can't wait for it on saturday you can tune into racing wa tv on seven plus and racing.com it's your ultimate destination for everything racing in the west and wa has a new star and this is what king of light did in the feature group three eurythmic stakes are at ascot on saturday inside
Speaker 7at the moment watch me rock weights sweats on a run an actual fact zip away called upon bonjoy getting through and king of light is starting to wind up and so is western empire so the big guns are starting to hit over driver let's gallop and hits the front king of light zip away coming and bonjoy as well what a finish in the eurythmic king of light king of light does it again he's had
Speaker 2a wonderful career dan morton obviously with his father they train many a superstar but he seems to have that happy knack of finding a good horse nearly each and every season and king of light might just be wa's best horse with the way that he's come back and dan joins us now here on giddy up hey dan congratulations well done there on the weekend yeah morning gareth thanks for having me on um yeah cheers is it a relief that he's come back the way that he has oh
Speaker 20it is you know i think when you've got a good horse you just um it's always a relief just to get him around see him get their job done and pull up good so yeah um yeah i'd be lying if i said it's not a relief but uh he's come through well what impressed you about his victory there on saturday oh i just he was in a bit of a sticky position um you know he i know he got a beautiful uh exit when he needed it was a silky ride by lucy just his letdown speed was um you know pleasing to see it's also there he
Speaker 2gets himself out of trouble sometimes with that turn of foot
Speaker 20yeah like good horses can come they say you know they sometimes just make the impossible look easy but um yeah he was good um we were a little way between runs so i was sort of mindful of that and didn't want to be in you know in the sort of hustle bustle early in the race i know there was no real speed in the race but um that um sort of probably made the win even more um you know added a bit to it i thought so
Speaker 2he's had the eight starts for seven wins the only time that he finished down the track was when you gave him an opportunity in a northerly group one after winning the guineas um that was behind cosmic crusader and he had a long preparation um as a three-year-old that time around so you tried him at the 1800 what do you think his best trip is yeah well
Speaker 20we're a long way behind cosmic crusader yes yeah yeah like i don't know we get to know i guess his best trip but um you know he won the guineas at a mile you know if you had your time over yeah would i go to that race probably well definitely not obviously but um you know that was a bridge too far but so be it he's come back good um i would i go to the 18 again yeah i would so yeah um yeah i don't know he the horse has come back really good he's matured good um so far so good uh
Speaker 2we've had um great discussion with the plate field and everyone goes geez bob loves to back this horse up cosmic crusader and obviously you need the horse and he's tough but you teach them in wa to do that because you haven't got much of an opportunity have you dan in your carnival to win those group ones you get one chance and uh like from basically it's four weeks of group one racing and you can go to a a railway stakes and then you can go to a um uh northerly over 1800 and there's probably it's not a lot of opportunity in your own backyard and then not drop back to a 1400 meter gold rush so basically you have to train and teach your horses to learn how to back up
Speaker 20well yeah you're right you know it's our um we've only got a very small window um of that you know opportunity like you say so um yeah you're gonna be you're gonna have the right horse to do it obviously um and you know luckily enough this horse yeah looks good enough but yeah you've got to get get them to that point and then just make you know decisions as you go but um we don't always get it right and we didn't last
Speaker 2time no so so is it is the railway's main aim yeah yep that's
Speaker 20been a target um you know we've sort of mapped everything towards that and um yeah like i say so far so good yeah um
Speaker 2how would you compare to some of the other stars that you've trained in the
Speaker 20past oh look he's right up there um you know i don't know i'd find it hard to compare horses to be honest but um you just deal with what's in front of you at the time but um yeah he's he's got all the attributes he's a beautifully relaxed horse he's easy to train he's um and very fast so you know he's you know he'd like a stable full of
Speaker 2them and so is it the jackless deer that he goes to and then the the railways that he's he's um scheduled towards that group one yeah
Speaker 20correct yeah we'll just stick to the weight for age down um the weight for age next at least and then go there so um yeah like he's again he's pulled up and i'm sort of happy just to go three weeks now into it um and just give us the two weeks into the mile i think that'll suit beautifully
Speaker 2does lucy keep the ride or is it pikey jump back aboard um well
Speaker 20i think at least next start i think we'll possibly use away again um but we'll just have that chat along the way i think you know everybody's in um you know we're just keeping the communication open between you know pikey lucy ourselves so uh we'll just work it out as we go
Speaker 2and how much improvement? in him you reckon by the time you get to your grand
Speaker 20final oh i think you know naturally he'll just improve so will the whole field saturday that said um you know we're not the only one with improvement under you know to come but um yeah like i'd like to think there's plenty in him but yeah like i say mindful that you know everybody's heading for the same target so um and that's where we need to be peaking them and
Speaker 2you got another really good three superb on dubu i reckon darren mccauley made him famous with his call and his his first ever race when he gave him a rogering roger um and this is what he did on saturday and it was a hot tempo and the way that he did it boy he was impressive here's roger's victory on saturday heads for home
Speaker 7treasured legacy collared him very quickly and here comes roger he's on the outside and testing treasured legacy at the 150 and roger hits the front now he kicks it off and he's got it in the way he's got treasured legacy done to a dinner and roger is going to make it three for three game set match roger roger so obviously
Speaker 2darren's been told he named after roger federer i hope so yeah yeah clearly clearly yeah
Speaker 20he's gonna be he's having a bit of fun with it that's for sure yeah he's a beauty he's a beautiful horse actually he's um yeah a lot of upside to him i think and um it will go fair ether and guinea's all going well so same boat he's pulled up well um yeah a lot to like about him their
Speaker 2beauty's the all-too-hards like he can produce a good horse can't he and um he just continues to do it all too hard but he's a big chestnut he's going to get some following i reckon um dan um because he's a chestnut the big with the um i think he's got that white blaze and just the way that he his name of course at d mccauley with roger and i reckon the action too he just glides over the surface yeah he puts his head down and he's got a lot of power and he's got a lot of power and he's got a lot of down and tries it looks like certainly
Speaker 20does yeah like i said i did go in sort of fairly confident there saturday what we'd seen leading into that race was excellent and um yeah so he's like i say he's a beautiful horse and he's certainly i think he's already starting to get a bit of a cult following which is pretty cool yeah
Speaker 2can you compare him say to king of light this time last year
Speaker 20oh well he's yeah he's definitely tracking in the right direction um you know he's three for three he looks like he'll eat the uh yeah fingers crossed we can get him there in one piece it's
Speaker 2going to be a fun old pinnacles i reckon especially if pride of jenny turns up it'd be interesting to see if the three-year-olds do go to a northerly if she's there um she will test how fit they are but um you got buckaroo and the jigsaw and um ray mcnero so i reckon this might be the best representation from the eastern states for the pinnacles for quite some time down i reckon
Speaker 20yeah it's certainly not music to our ears You know, the line-up if they turn up. Yeah. But, you know, yeah, they get here. It makes for exciting racing, doesn't it? Especially like a prior to Jenny. It just throws a real curveball at you. But, you know, you've got to have the right ammo to be able to contest it. But so far, we look like we've got some nice horses heading into it.
Speaker 2What about the return of a fire of Gidgee Coles? How's he trained on since?
Speaker 20Yeah, he's a beauty. He was – that was a great run first up. He's still a colt. Yeah, plenty to like. He's come through well again. So we're three weeks between runs into the Placid Art Pro with him. So sort of three weeks keeping a lid on a fit colt's bit of a challenge. But he's heading in the right direction.
Speaker 2Yeah. Did he surprise you with how well he returned? Because it was fascinating watching that market there the other day. No one wanted a bar of him, really. There in that three-year-old classic behind Big Red Zoom.
Speaker 20No, he certainly didn't surprise. He's one of our high-class horses. And he'd come back in great, great order, I thought. So no, no surprise to me. We're probably not a punting stable per se. So, you know, you may not get the big drifts in the market or, you know, the big shorteners and whatnot. But, yeah, from our point of view, we went in confident that he's going to put his hand up and, you know, have a good prep for us. So which way is he? Is he a guinea's horse or a winter-bottom horse? Well, first and foremost, he's a placid arch horse. And, you know, if we're still a fighting chance, then I'd probably lean towards winter-bottom and a gold rush, potentially. But, yeah, like I say, we'll aim at the three-year-old target for him first.
Speaker 2If someone was having a swan draft with you, I know you love your swan draft, and they said, Dan, who's your best horse in your stable, what would you tell them?
Speaker 20King of light at the minute, obviously. But, you know, we're lucky to have a few, you know, at this point in time, at least, heading towards the carnival. So, yeah, I'll have a few nervous sleeps in between now and then, obviously. But, yeah, if I had to pin one at the minute, it's king of light.
Speaker 2Well, that's pretty good. I reckon you have that problem when you've got pressure. If you've got pressure, that means you've got good horses.
Speaker 20Well, that's right. I've been under more pressure, you know, trying to, you know, find a hundred bucks here and there. Yes, yes, yes. No, it's a luxury position to have and, yeah, we're really looking forward to the pinnacles.
Speaker 2What's your best tomorrow, mate? You've got Envy Her, Lady Talk and Baron Bill engaged.
Speaker 20Yeah, three nice horses. I think Envy Her is potentially more of an autumn three-year-old. I'm hoping so at least. She'll probably just have the one go around and have a break and hopefully head towards an Oaks prep. So that'll be her. The other two I think are very capable tomorrow. I think they're short enough in the market. But, yeah, they're both winning chances.
Speaker 2All right then, mate. Thanks for your time. Well done on the weekend. You've got an exciting team of horses in your backyard and bring on the pinnacles, mate. We're looking forward to getting over to the west during the carnival.
Speaker 20I appreciate your time.
Speaker 2Thanks. There's Dan Morton, the champion trainer. 13 minutes past 11. We'll find you some winners with bag of tips next.
Speaker 1Text us. 1-449-736-736. The Giddy Up Bag of Tips for Oz Equipment Rentals. Supplying equipment to the construction, mining and roadworks industries.
Speaker 2ozequipment.com Welcome back to Giddy Up. Big bag of tips coming your way thanks to Bet365. Also, of course, the Ultima Hotel in the heart of the Melly just down the road from Swan Hill. Swing by for a cold beer. Oz Equipment Rentals. ozequipment.com And our Bet365 Boost Tour's Pauly Sebastiani. You're going everywhere and anywhere these days. We're off to Mount Isa. Yes. Race three, number two, Dark Harmony. Straight on the bunny. Back to the scene where the crime two starts to go. Away we go. Love it. Our great mate Simon Lennox, he said, I've never seen a crowd like it there at the Osborne last Thursday night when Salts, Footy and the Two Units boys, teamed up with Felgate and Sharks there with the verdict team. It looked like it was a great night. Salts, as we welcome you back to Giddy Up.
Speaker 11Yeah, it was. Thanks, Gareth. Yeah, it was a great experience as well. It was good to pick the eyes of Jack Turnbull. Jeez, I'll tell you what, talking to him and getting a bit of an insight into how their operation works, it's no surprise that they're just cleaning up the mark camp. If a guy of his calibre and quality is an assistant trainer, of course, Michael Kent Jr. as well, everyone would have been pretty happy with him. He declared one at Maui on Sunday and that got over the line too. So it was a great night. I was a little bit worried. You know, there was a panel of hosts of myself, Sharky, Michael Felgate, Footy, Nico Noonan. I was wondering how I was going to get a word in, but I've got a few in mate. Yeah, I've got a few in, a couple of little zingers, I knew my role.
Speaker 2Yes, yes, yes. I reckon those zingers. Did you have them? Did you have a plan to try and get a, like Sharks would have tried to take over and that kit that he was wearing was just ridiculous. In fact, I said to, I don't know how he actually got into the premises there, but did you have to plan that zinger just to make sure you hit your mark nice and early to get one through the covers?
Speaker 11Nah, you just let them come to you, mate. You just let them come to you. But yeah, the Shark, he's a different operator. I'd like to see a fashions on the field battle between him and Jules Valance. I think that would be quite good.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, yes, yes. I love the way Jules Valance is going about his outfits. These days, they're nice and baggy these days.
Speaker 11The best thing about it is the more people don't care, the more he loves it. So as in the more people comment, the more he doesn't care and the more he loves it. Yes, I love the way he goes about it.
Speaker 2What was your highlight on the weekend?
Speaker 11What did you make of the weekend? It would just, it's pretty, a pretty straight shot, but the Caulfield Cup and obviously the Everest. Yes. You know, when I woke up, the first thing I thought about when I woke up on Saturday morning was the Caulfield Cup. Yep. It just says to me that still deep down inside, I have more meaning to that as a major, but take nothing away from Everest Day. And I've heard you speak about being there. And I guess I've been to a lot of Caulfield Cups and I've not been to an Everest. So once you actually go to an event, you really do have more of an affinity with it, don't you? You create a bit of a bond with it, but it's just the scenes before the race, it's just awesome. And it just, yeah, racing's in a good place, despite what a lot of people try and tell.
Speaker 2Correct. If you're a racer, racing fan, you would love that Saturday. Caulfield Cup's a great day. I was in Sydney. We had the Wentworth Park final of a race. I mean, there was a bit going on, but it was good to get to Everest. And I think the best part about this day now, and this is just my opinion, but the MRC have done a wonderful job, not just taking on the Everest, but embracing it as well. And some of the footies that I saw right across the country, from Durban to Ascot, the vision of the punters watching, as the attempt to go at it at Caulfield, and vice versa at Sydney, watching the Caulfield Cup. It's what racing's all about. And you could hear the roar when the Caulfield Cup was on in Sydney, and you could hear the roar when the Everest was on there at Caulfield Salts, which is good for the game, I reckon.
Speaker 11Yeah, there's a lot of races that aren't for the betterment of the sport, but the Everest certainly isn't one of those. It is for the betterment of the sport, and you're better off not keeping your head in the sand and just embracing those big events, because at the end of the day, it's just great for the sport, no matter what state you're in.
Speaker 2And it doesn't matter what price they're at, because you can back a winner at Randwick and Caulfield, and you can back a winner on a Tuesday afternoon at Kyson. So where do we start with your best bets today?
Speaker 11Yeah, hopefully, mate. I did pop up all my best bets, if anyone saw them, on the website yesterday, but I sort of changed them this morning. Race 2, there was a filly by the name of Better By Far that was $1.80, and then there was a few scratchings this morning. I think I saw it last time, I saw it was $1.28. So we'll see. We'll leave that alone, but it's come down from Sydney in some hot form races. What our spot go well at Kyson. I think Jet Stanley takes that to the front and it destroys them, but we'll be leaving that alone, $1.28 at Kyson on a Tuesday now. Race 5 is my best bet, Manchego. I really sort of only see one danger on Looker, and it is aided by the scratchings, that danger, because it'll go forward. But so will Manchego, and he's got a couple of runs under the belt, and his win at Echuca last start was good. He got onto the turf, after he resumed on the home track Ballarat synthetic for Tony and Kelvin McEvoy, and he went in really fast time, and a good indicator that there's a bit of substance to his win was he smashed second, and second just beat third by furlong. So I'm happy to trust him. He'll be up on speed, Manchego. And my next best of the programs, and each way bet comes up in race number six, horse by the name of Temps the Gods. It's got a good third up record. Last start at Ballarat didn't have any excuses in terms of the way the race was run, but it was going 1,000 to 1,400 metres second up. So I think that with that run under the belt now, he's certainly going to be peaking this preparation, and each way price has got some good options.
Speaker 2Yeah. All right, then. So you've got a quaddie for us, mate?
Speaker 11Yeah. I do have that here, mate. Just bear with me a second. That's all right. Actually, no. I've got it here in front of me. Sorry, I don't have that in front of me.
Speaker 2No, I've got it here. 1,347 first leg. Thanks, mate. 1,6 second leg, and then 4,690. 9, 11, third leg, 4, 8, 10, and 14 on the way home. So let's get the cash. I'll be watching racing.com this afternoon. Matty Hill with you, as always, on a Tuesday.
Speaker 11Kate Watts today, actually. Yeah, we've got a big program today. The first is at 2, but we're on air at 1.15. Cox Platefield. What's that, mate? The Cox Platefield. It's being announced, yes. Yeah, we're discussing the Cox Platefield, and we'll have the barriers. And Kate and I are going to interview Johnny Allen. He's well fresh off his big weekend with the Caulfield Cup and ahead of a big Saturday as well.
Speaker 2So, yeah, have you heard anything about Middle Earth yet? No, there's a bit of controversy, I reckon, this morning. I can't reckon they're in. But I was hearing on the Great Vine that there are chances that they might not be in. So I don't know if the Moonee Valley Racing Club have just sent out a message to a few people just to say, just to build up a bit of, you know, theatre for your shows so they're watching at 1 o'clock to see if Middle Earth is in or not. You know what, I could have it both ways. Nah, yeah. Would you have him in or not?
Speaker 11I was just going to say, mate, like, I know it's getting some splinters sitting on the fence, but I can literally see both arguments. But if I was in the position of decision-making, I would let him in because I can look at his CVF and say, well, he's placed in a Group 1 Melbourne Cup. You know, he has recently won a group race at 2,000 metres where he beat Royal Supremacy, who then went and won a Q22 and was also. a Group 1 winner in his previous preparation of the Metropolitan. So, like, his 2,000-metre form is actually, like, not bad. Like, he obviously can't win the race, but, like. and it's a stepping stone. But, like, his CV's all right. Like, I think he should get a run.
Speaker 2Kieran might just say, if I've got Land Legend to win a Group 1 Martin Power, I can get Middle Earth to win a Cox Play.
Speaker 11Well, Land Legend, no-one expected him to win that race. No. No-one expected Lunar Fox or whatever. Its name was to win an Australian in Guineas. Like, weird stuff happens.
Speaker 2It does. It does. And, you know, I think it's a great Cox Play. I think that you've got so much intrigue, there's going to be pace on with the stablemates, Land Legend and Light Infantrymen, the three-year-olds with the X-Factor, Cosmic Crusader back from a Caulfield Cup. Can Serdilius do it again? Aliana's the favourite with the McDonald and Wollard combination. So, yeah. Birdman, will he see a strong 2,000? Yeah, it's got it all.
Speaker 11I think it's an absolute. It's an absolute. Yeah. It's a cracking Cox Play, isn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Here's your early tip.
Speaker 2Or do we have to wait for Thursday when the two units drop?
Speaker 11I've already had two there. It's Aliana, who I just think, as soon as we sort of found out that this was the grand final, you're just Chris Waller, James McDonald, grand final. Like, jeez, we've seen this before, haven't we? And I think. And just before they notified that Land Legend was going to go there, I had something on Light Infantrymen because. You have a look at his record in fast 2,000 metre races at Flemington, and it's exceptional. Yeah. So, I think the fact that Land Legend is going to be there, you know, like, how good was he in the Turnbull?
Speaker 2I loved him.
Speaker 11He chased that fast tempo. The form through, it's good.
Speaker 2Yeah. And when I talked to Harry Coffey about him, he's a better chaser off a strong tempo. So, he sort of can wait for him in front. So, if he gets Land Legend to be the horse that leads the. It's the peloton, and he can just follow that horse like he did with Pride of Jenny in that memorable Australian Cup, I give him a wonderful chance at 18 to 1.
Speaker 11You know you're a good horse when all your best races are when Pride of Jenny's in there and when they go fast. So, that's when you're a genuinely proper racehorse. Yeah. I think he's a bit underrated.
Speaker 2I agree with you. On Infantrymen. The salt should just give him any more confidence. All right. Beautiful, mate. I appreciate that. All right. I bet.
Speaker 11I'm going to go and do my hair, mate. It's not long until I've got to get going. So, you're going to have to watch it for us. It takes me a little while.
Speaker 12All right. Thanks, mate.
Speaker 2Bye. There's Dave Strelaw, the man they call the salts, joining us here with his look at kites. And Luke Ovenessian, he's not with us today because that Grafton meeting's been abandoned. Then we've got Chris Nelson at Mount Isa. Best bet race four, number two, Revolt. Next best race three, number one, Sephirine. Head to thetrots.com.au for expert harness racing tips and in-depth analysis for Major Victoria. The meeting's starring Carol at Mildura. Likes race one, number two, Hook, Line and Sinker. Bet or Bus, race two, number 10, and race seven, number seven, The End. And it's Sheppard and Wareswood would race four, number four. Harness Racing New South Wales, the home of the Carnival of Cups for Australian Music Rules. He meets Quality Harness Racing Action. Amanda Rando likes race three, number six, Hunter Stride. And race seven, number seven, Terry. Gledmore at Gloucester Park, race one, number six, Idle Titan. Race four, number five, Graceful Shark. Race five, number one, Sheerock Lady. And race eight, number one, Jimmy's Rainbow. So one, six, four, five, five, one, and eight, one. And Georgie Farrugia joins us. Hello, Georgie. Well done, mate. On Friday night, you've done the tips for us at Q1 Lakeside. But it was, someone described this to me best. It was one of the greatest ever funerals that they've been to. As we said goodbye to Wentworth Park on Friday night.
Speaker 21Yeah, yeah. It was really bittersweet, wasn't it? I mean, you feel like saying, you know, if we can get, I know it was the last buck at the park, as they were calling it. But I mean, if you could get a crowd like that, not most weeks, but you know, if you, if there was interesting ground racing like that all the time, you got no problem. But it was, it was fantastic. I loved how they made that the last race too. I think that was, I think it was perfect for it. We've seen a champion like Magpie Hector go around and do his thing as well. No, it was brilliant, mate.
Speaker 2Absolutely. Someone just text through, and it might have been me saying, Morse can't win. So why do you keep saying can't win? It's a race. Anything can happen. History tells you it's a mugs game. That's from Sean. Well, that's what happened in Million Dollar Chase on Friday night.
Speaker 21Yeah, look, I mean, I think I spoke to you on the night. I mean, even when I spoke to Peter Lagagione during the week, he said, look, we're just, we're just a hundred to one. We just don't know how you're going to get across and a little bit of speed drawn. And he outpaced Pound Keeping, the favourite. She outpaced Pound Keeping, Magical Ange, and then was too good for them. It was an unbelievable effort. What a record he has in that race. I mean, it's quite remarkable. It's three out of seven now. Like, it's just, if there's one race you're going to win, that's the one, Gareth, because, I mean, the Phoenix is unbelievable, but you don't even have to put up a hundred grand. You just got to try and qualify and win the million dollars. So, no, look, again, it was, is one of the components of grand racing, isn't it? Early pace wins the race, and that's exactly what happened. But I think they've got the final numbers where it was almost six and a half thousand people, Gareth, which was, which was fantastic.
Speaker 2Yeah. Six thousand. So, hopefully they don't get in trouble or anything. Luckily, they're shutting down the joint. I thought they could put a ban on grand racing in New South Wales. I think we're talking to Steve Griffin. He said, no, more than six thousand. I said, well, good luck with that. They were jumping over the fences to get in. Yeah, it was fantastic, mate. Yeah. What can we back today?
Speaker 21Yeah, there's three that I like at Q1 Lakeside. Race three, number one, a grand called Red Rock Reactor for a very good trainer called Trenz Trebles and Doubles there at Q1. He's a terrific trainer. This greyhound started his career really well and has been well supported in its runs at Dubba. It comes to Q1 for the first time. It's drawn well. It's been well supported. Looks like it'll be tough to beat. Race seven, number four, Zipping Lipper. Again, one of our favourite things to do is get, take a greyhound on a Tuesday that's dropping in class. And Zipping Lipper has been racing against some of the better middle distance greyhounds in the last three to four starts. And she finds her race here. She's got enough. Early speed to just go bang early and be hard to beat. And the other one, race eight, number eight, Sirin and Tiger. If this greyhound wasn't born with a pink rug on his back, I don't know who he is. I mean, he just absolutely loves it out there. He just needs a little bit of time to, to steady up and, and, and work around them. He does that very, very well. He's drawn perfectly. Shopping around the 290, we're happy to have a play there. So race three, number one, race seven, number four, race eight, number eight.
Speaker 2Yep. Love your work, Georgie. We appreciate your time as always, and we'll catch up with you tomorrow. Talk soon, mate. There we go. There's Georgie Ferugia there to wrap up Bagger Tips with his tips at Q1 Lakeside. That was Bagger Tips. Thanks to Bet365, the Older My Hoods Help, and Oz Equipment Rentals. Now, the Stewards Report has come through for the Caulfield Cup. So they had the inquiry today. It is a long Stewards Report, so I'll try and summarise it for you. Basically, it reads, following a thorough review of the evidence of the riders, along with Mr. Highland, who is the CEO of the Jockeys Association, in Victoria, which was inclusive of numerous camera angles, stewards could not attribute the incident to the careless actions of any one particular rider. The stewards are of the view that the marginal shifts from both green spaces when under pressure in Kings Valley resulted in both those runners becoming unbalanced and shifting in, and ultimately resulting in half-yours being tightened and falling. Further, stewards were satisfied. They were satisfied that Saran and half-yours had both established a clear-run prior to half-yours meeting with interference. It reads, stewards found that Rachel King and James Johnson had both taken the necessary corrective measures to straighten and relieve any pressure caused by their mounts to half-yours. Furthermore, Ethan Brown, rider of Saran, had not contributed to half-yours being tightened for room. As is routine practice, prior to resuming racing, stewards conducted Conducted an inspection of the track where the incident occurred and found no safety issues with the racing surface race 10 was subsequently conducted without incident the inquiry is now closed and no further action will be taken against any rider i hope he wins to sustain a serious racing injury despite veterinary attention could not be saved this incident has been referred to the rv veterinary service department as standard practice co-trainer tony mcavoy mcavoy advised that half yours had received treatment for lacerations and abrasions and was recovering well however would now be spelled and rider jai mcneil has subsequently been cleared of any injury and is expected to resume race riding at the geelong cup race meeting tomorrow afternoon rider mark czar is meeting with his doctors again today with the decision on his likely return to riding expected after that so the news coming through from racing victoria that um racing victoria have basically and their have um decided that that incident on caulfield cup day was a racing incident and there was no one to blame for the falls there um that happened on saturday it's 11 33 we'll take a break and come back with plenty more next
Speaker 1join the conversation text us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is
Speaker 22giddy up with gareth hall garrard's horse and hound the best range and prices on all equine essentials visit horseandhound.com.au live across
Speaker 1australia on sen track this is facing the breeze with gareth hall
Speaker 2welcome back to giddy up it is time to face the breeze thanks to garrard's horse and hound let's welcome in the team alan hamilton hello to you
Speaker 23g'day gareth lots to talk about exciting time certainly in thoroughbreds but another big weekend coming up in harness as well
Speaker 2looking forward to it rickson g'day to you you've been everywhere of
Speaker 10late morning g and listeners yep it's been a busy period in harness
Speaker 2racing and hello to you patty
Speaker 10lee morning g listeners
Speaker 24let's relive the
Speaker 2victoria cup captain's mistress
Speaker 24up for the home turn she's four meters in front of nyack third dangerous and then our sunset delight from kingman turning for home though and it's the mayor in front captain's mistress four meters clear cam hart goes for home she's clear of nyack and a good chance for third kingman getting through from our sunset delight captain's mistress is finding and she's the first mayor to win a victoria cup
Speaker 2well done to jason grimson she wasn't in her best adam um captain's um captain's mistress but she was in season which didn't help her cause no
Speaker 23and i'm keen to get patty you know as a trainer to explain that to us a little bit more um patty there was genuine um nervousness and concern in the team going into the race because she was in season captain's mistress so explain to you know to us laymen how big a challenge that is and how big a concern it is um to have a mayor who's perhaps focused on other things rather than racing you
Speaker 8know it's a funny one adam because sometimes it can seem to not affect any mares at all but then on the other hand it can just have a yeah a slight ill effect or or a major effect on a lot of mares just because they come into season they're obviously their minds on other duties their muscles seem to tense up go tight um so yeah a lot of the time you're always just sort of hoping that they can uh fight through it but she's obviously an outstanding mayor to um do what she did on saturday night but yeah there can be challenging times but i also think you've got to take your hat off to the drive of um jimmy ratray on nyack i thought he was a daring drive to get across to the fence like he did earlier and then he he was a superb run as well yeah he's airborne
Speaker 23horse he's gone to a whole new level hasn't he um the inner dominion could be the making of the horse um they've always felt that he had dare i say it bowtied like potential um and he just keeps stepping up at the moment so um but the team were really worried with captain's mistress um she you know in the words of um of jason grimson you know she was squealing out on the track before the race and really playing up very very much out of character uh for her and she was in a pretty grumpy mood before the race as well so i think that explains why cam hart was ultra conservative on her and went so slow by the standards you would normally expect um you know in some hands in some ways it might have played into the hands of nyack going that slow and not trying to take a bit of speed out of him but i think cam drove drove with it with it with an air of concern do you
Speaker 2think if some of the opposition knew that then they would have did what a few of the jocks did to zach pertin with carring rising and then you know threw a few punches at captain's mistress instead of just handing her the race
Speaker 23i'm not sure many could i'm not sure many were good enough to um we'll bring will and in just a moment he tried didn't he when he got going um but when dangerous was outside the leader that made it really difficult for others to uh others to come will got going um luke mccarthy tried 27 times to get off the inside but kate gaff kept saying no no no as she's entitled to do and um kingman was virtually out of control a few times in that race and and did a pretty good job to finish off the way that he did after massively over racing but will you sense the tempo and and made a move and the old boy ran a mighty mighty race didn't he but you sort of had to get going when they were going that slow
Speaker 10yeah i wasn't game enough to go any earlier with dangerous in the chair adam i didn't want to do that again but uh it was pretty slow through that first half and um i was actually really hoping kingman was going to fast day luke was trying to get off a few times and i was really hoping he got off because um if he did get off i would have got going early and and flushed him i would have thought i could flush him out um you know up that home straight the first time and i'm sure luke would have went with that slow tempo and obviously um what kingman's done in them big races before he sustained a long run so i was sort of banking on him getting off and then once he didn't get off and i thought minos might have been some into going in front of me but um he didn't so i mean i just thought i might as well get up there in the slowest part of the race and and hope to kick on to the top five and he just hung a little bit around the last turn which which i thought maybe might have cost him running about fifth but because it was one two three four fence but um i was still proud of his efforts just as like there's just no nothing no one could really do in the race the way the draws uh panned out like we've um in that race in the everest uh the hong kong horse had the worst draw and hemp had the best draw so they could use it to their advantage where captain mistress had the best draw and kingman had an awkward one and a couple others so no one could really do about it and she showed all her qualities to still win
Speaker 23can we say kingman's back on that run or are we still guessing a little bit because he just had such a a soft run and he did finish off in whatever he ran home in 53 two or something like that his last half but but they've all been off soft runs haven't we we we want to see him up in the firing line and what he can do and we're not going to know now till the new zealand
Speaker 10cup his best runs have been when he's done work really i think so i don't think you could um you know take anything away from him at the moment because he could really sustain a run like he showed in his big wins so um i guess it's to be interesting to see how he how he can um how he goes in new zealand and um we'll know them but um it was a little concerning how keen he was the other night the other night but every time he's been really keen it hasn't really stopped him from finishing off some horses it can take away their closings you know last 400 but it never really seems to worry him too much he's still um still able to find the line when he does over race like that
Speaker 2so captain's mission is too good our sunset delight you could have got 10 like it was the greatest bet of all time if you were smart you could have 15 the place even when the field was out and if you get your
Speaker 23money back yeah you get your money back and it runs third grimson's
Speaker 2grimson jumps on and it actually went super it went super yeah and heart's out to my heart goes out to jess tubbs and the connections there a fighter command that's just terrible news a suspensory adam and um he's got a long way back yeah i
Speaker 23know i know he had yeah absolutely awful news and especially difficult with a horse who you know has had a lot of other challenges and he's that big because getting those really big horses back is a challenge but i know he came back and had a few runs after brisbane but i'm really delve into going back on that brisbane series because my oh my there's a lot of horses that have gone amiss since that brisbane series gareth and that track we know that track was hard up there and and opinions vary on how hard the track is but um i i really yeah i'm gonna sort of go back and have a look at the the damage the damage that it doesn't seem to hurt leap to fame
Speaker 2adam no it doesn't he races every weekend and goes flat out look i get that all of the work i get
Speaker 23that um well why would i answer i'll ask a horseman like patty could it be that the locals are used to the track more than visitors
Speaker 8yeah it's a hard one adam um like you see so many of the locals race there week in week out and like gareth said with leap to fame he races there every week and like he said he's yeah he runs terrific races and it's never seemed to affect him but we have sort of listened to grant speak over the years that he does say that the tracks um you know sort of pretty hard and it does take some um taxing out of their legs but uh maybe the the locals are quite used to that track And, you know, they've got different training methodologies around the way they train to it. And, yeah, I think, yeah, it all comes down to that as well, like how much pressure you put on them during the week. Maybe they kick them over pretty light. But in saying that, like the ones that travelled there, they were only there for three weeks. Can that do that amount of damage as well in a shorter period of time? They say, you know, when you have suspensory and bone injuries, it's sort of impacting over time. So, you know, it's probably a hard one to put a finger point on it.
Speaker 2Yeah, it is. It's a talking point that we'll continue to talk about for a little while, but especially heading towards the next instant minion. But when I talk to people at Albion Park, they say the track's OK.
Speaker 23Yeah, yeah. Look, I mean, I just worry the number of, like it just seems so many horses have had setbacks since they've come out of that series. And I'm the biggest supporter of the series. But I think those, you know. The figures, the figures are pretty significant. Gareth, do we need a break or a couple of other races I want to talk about too?
Speaker 2Yes, we're going to talk about the Derby and the Oaks and the Bill Collins Trotter Sprint next here on Giddy Up. Let's talk about the other features. That Victoria Derby, I reckon it had an upset on the cards. And that's exactly what happened there, Adam, on Saturday with Dynamite Dan getting the job done defending Mount Barker Boy in Soho Charmer.
Speaker 23Yeah, old school Derby, wasn't it? Last horse standing affair. You know, Palladium monstrous in defeat after the work that he did. Dynamite Dan, really good winning. I think Mount Barker Boy's been the revelation of the last few weeks, like the heat run and the run in the final. Unbelievable. This horse is really on his way to good things. And being a son of Ride High, it's really exciting as well to see, you know, a colonial stallion sort of having the impact that he is with a horse like Mount Barker Boy. So, yeah, I'm not sure what to make of these three-year-olds. I think they're a good batch, but I think continually reminds us how, you know, the devastation of losing Hollywood Strip who just look different gravy to these horses, Gareth.
Speaker 2Yeah. What did you make of the Derby there, Will Rickson, on Saturday?
Speaker 10Yeah, it was a really good race, which was a good spectacle. And, yeah, I thought the winner went terrific. He, you know, he got a bit of a cart into it. He still had to go halfway around the turn. And as soon as Herbie pulled him out, he looked the winner. He moved that well. So, it'll be interesting to see what happens with the Eureka now. We'll see if any of those three-year-olds from Saturday night are going to take part in it. We've, you know, I thought the Philly, the Philly's run was pretty impressive. And, too, what time she went in the Oaks. So, it'll be interesting to see if Clayton and Emma want to take any of them and give them a shot at the Eureka with a better draw.
Speaker 2If Beto Beach was in the Derby, Paddy, do you reckon she should have, would have been competitive if not won that race?
Speaker 8Yeah, I reckon she would have been more than competitive. She looks a serious, serious horse. And I know Clayton and Emma have always had a really big opinion of her. And she just doesn't get tired either. Like, she can run slick sectionals and still finish off in the 26th quarter. And it's sort of unheard of for three-year-old Philly's to be doing that. I reckon, yeah, she got into the Eureka. She'd be up to it in her ears. Has she got a slot at him?
Speaker 23Oh, who knows? Who knows at this stage? It's, you know, like Emma and Clayton have got, what, five genuine contenders for it. If you look at, you know, The Last Trip and Fox Dan and Beto Beach, all the three-year-olds they've got as well. You know, the art of success. I mean, the list goes on, doesn't it? They're going to have to prioritise who they want to get in because the slots are going to be very, very hard to get this year.
Speaker 2And they're going to do deals with people.
Speaker 23Yeah, I can't imagine. They've got the Danny Zav one. Will he want to take one of his own? Who knows? Yes, he will. And then they might. Well, no, he may or may not. Like, Fox Dan, you think, would be the front-runner at the moment. Dinah might, Dan, the way he went. But, you know, anyway, it's going to be interesting. I'm not sure they'll get more than two in. And yet, they've probably got five that would be super competitive.
Speaker 2I've got some news. I'll reveal some news that I've got for the Eureka. I recommend that you get your Bet365 accounts out. And as soon as I tell you, get on. I'll tell you straight after this break.
Speaker 23The Kiwis just haven't got anything that can hold a candle to Gus. And I think Love Me Too and Rockin' With Attitude, who was enormous after that early mistake. I think both of them are factors as well. But we've got to get back to this news.
Speaker 2No, Paddy Lee had us on hold. Has he still got us on hold? He's got us on hold. Oh, he's put us on hold. That is so disrespectful, Will Rickson. What did you make of. Not the music. No, the Bill Collins sprint. What did you make of it? Alan Wilmer was too strong?
Speaker 10Yeah, she was really strong for the line. And I guess it comes down to draws over them all like that, isn't it? Like, I mean, a few horses in that race to get the right run. She got probably through the same thing as her. But she still had to burn early and did a good job to really sprint through. And there was probably some good runs out of the race, though, like Adam said.
Speaker 2I saw. I said, do you want to hear the news now? Have we got. Yes, yes. I'd be backing. Hesitate to. I wouldn't be. What? Hesitate. He's $34. New trainer, Jason Grimsey. Yeah. Oh. Oh, goes to Grimsey. Well, you changed your tune pretty quickly then, William, didn't you? Really? Why is that? Why is that, Gareth? I think that, obviously, he spent some time with the Abella camp. And he looked after him. And then he's got to go to Sydney. And, obviously, I don't know if he's. He's not locked in for the Eureka. Jason Grimsey's going to give him a try.
Speaker 23But Mick Harvey, through his businesses, has got two slots.
Speaker 2Yeah. So he needs a couple of horses.
Speaker 23Is Luke not on him, Gareth?
Speaker 2No, I just think that Mick makes a decision just to, like, from a. To change his scenery for Hesitate, so. Okay. Well, he'd be a fascinating horse, sir. I just looked up Hesitate, and it says he's got a new trainer, Jason Grimsey. Well, it'll be fascinating. Oh, you didn't hear from anyone else, Gareth? No, no. Do you know what? Yeah. If you expect. I didn't expect us to believe that. No, no, it's in. If you look up Harness Web.
Speaker 23Oh, so you just sit there all day looking up who trains horses, do you?
Speaker 2Well, I don't reckon he's any good, Hesitate, to tell you the truth. And I don't care how good you think Jason Grimsey is. I don't think he can win, but $34. He won't be $34.
Speaker 23And he's guaranteed a slot if Mick wants to take it.
Speaker 2You would be backing him now, won't you, if you know the information I've just told you?
Speaker 23Well, I mean, Jason's record of him improving horses and getting them ready for big races is absolutely fantastic. He's a different. A different sort of horse for Jason to take, though, isn't he? He was placed in the race last year. A real high-speed horse.
Speaker 2Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, as a three-year-old. Yes. So, actually, I might back him at $34.
Speaker 10Paddy might want him for his slot. Do you know, is Paddy. Who's Paddy walking in?
Speaker 2He'll probably team up with Emma Stewart as long as Jason gets the drive.
Speaker 23Is he there, Paddy, or.? Has he got the music? He's back. Paddy. Oh, this is brilliant.
Speaker 2Anyway, what news have you got out of.?
Speaker 23No, no, I just wanted to acknowledge the first group. We've got a new horse. We've got a new one of Beck Morrissey on the night as well. Amongst all of the headline stories, it was probably, you know, the most emotional and touching of the night. I just can't see it. And Dasher Douglas, who. We don't do a lot of media, Dasher, but he.
Speaker 2He doesn't talk to anyone, really.
Speaker 23No, he doesn't, but he still drives.
Speaker 2And let's be honest, he's not great to talk to anymore anyway, Dasher.
Speaker 23He still drives tremendously well, and he's, you know, 4,800.
Speaker 2He was my hero growing up, Dasher Douglas. career wins.
Speaker 23Yeah, absolutely. So, that was a great moment. And then, of course, this weekend, Leap to Fame and Gus race at Albion Park. So, this is important. Gus off 50 metres, standing start. This will be his only lead-up run before he goes for the big ones in New Zealand. As I mentioned, Mighty Logan, New Zealand's best trotter, is out of the Dominion. He's had a setback, so Gus is probably an odds-on chance now if he goes well Saturday night. And I think it's a D-day for Swayze Saturday night. Missed Victoria Cup. He's in. Well, that's a pretty weak race he's in on Saturday night.
Speaker 2We'll get your comments about that later on. I've run out of time. Anyway, thanks for your time, boys. Thanks, Adam. See you, mate. See you. See you, Jerry.
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