Speaker 1Let's chat to John O'Shea, who is joining us now. Morning, John. Morning, Dave. Are you going to Melbourne, mate, to watch this NFL? You'd be chomping at the bit for this season to start.
Speaker 2Yeah, I'll be flying out tomorrow midday and, yeah, looking forward to it, to be fair.
Speaker 1Okay, well, so Nath is in the studio with me, loves his NFL. Who do you think will win, Rams or 49ers on Friday?
Speaker 2A lot of form, you'd think the Rams would win, but you've just got this thing about turning up the day before and playing. We're about to see whether that's going to work or not, you know. So it might backfire on them and the 49ers might get them.
Speaker 1And what about the Super Bowl match, Nath, tomorrow? Because you were going through these odds before. So what time does that kick off tomorrow morning?
Speaker 310.20, Seattle, New England. John, who do you like? Seattle $1.55, the champs up against New England $2.45.
Speaker 2Mate, I'm actually going to go to the Pats. I've got a few changes there in Seattle and a few of their defensive players aren't playing. So, yeah, I just think, you know, Drake Mays on the improve and they've got some good wide receivers. You might get them early a little bit wide. So, yeah, I'm going to play the Pats, Dovers.
Speaker 1Do you, John, and I know we're going to talk horses eventually, but with this NFL, are you in any drafts or anything like this? I didn't, I'll be honest, I'm still learning about the game and watching it. But, mate, it seems... It seems like every jockey or, you know, young sporting star you talk to, they're in some sort of NFL draft and they know what's going on here and there. Are you into any of that or are you just watching?
Speaker 2I just watch it, but I don't go on that because if you got into a draft with Reggie Bayless, he'd take all your money. I'm not in the habit of handing money over to jockeys on a regular basis. So, but, yeah, no, I just enjoy the game. I've lost it for a long time. Probably the big difference between it and rugby league is they don't change the rules every week. So, you get an understanding of what's going to happen. You know what's going on.
Speaker 1Yeah, exactly. Okay, so before, just to wrap up the NFL chat, your tip for the Super Bowl and maybe give us a smokey, who you think might be a big improver this season.
Speaker 2The Texans. They've got big defence and last year their quarterback got a little bit lost. So, if he can fire, he can spit in and out. But, as you know, most of them games, defence wins everything. Seattle got their home this year and this year the Texans got the best defence on the planet.
Speaker 1Do you agree, Nath? Are you going to rebuttal? Come on, are you going to rebuttal O'Shea?
Speaker 3I just don't like the quarterback anymore. I know he had a good rookie season, but last season he looked terrible, John. And I do agree. They did. Best defence.
Speaker 2They did, but he can turn it around and he is a talent. Defensively, they're very strong and if they can get their quarterback back in the game, they can go along. They can go deep.
Speaker 3And, of course, my Cowboys.
Speaker 2I love the Cowboys.
Speaker 3Cowboys are about to go, I reckon.
Speaker 1Yeah. What about your team, Adrian? I'm a staunch pucker, John. How do you think they'll go?
Speaker 2Well, man, that Jordan Love has been very disappointing. You know, and Mika Parsons, they're all out to get him and he blows his knee apart. Yeah, they're a bit of a gunner team, mate. They're a bit of a gunner team. I took them last year and they ran to the line like I ran to the cliff, you know? Ha, ha, ha, ha.
Speaker 1Well. Look, let's keep this. As I said, I think when we last spoke before this was all approaching, let's keep getting you on for the season. Because I like it. You know what you're talking about and you love it. And it's not just yourself.
Speaker 2The best is Reggie Bayless. I'll get Reggie on.
Speaker 1Reggie's the king. I'll get Reggie. Well, we've got to get Reggie on to talk some NFL. We might have a little segment, Adrian. We can bring that incorporated in. We'll see how good they are. From Saturday, just on the return of stars. There's a couple of texts here about him already. So, what did you make of that return, mate?
Speaker 2Yeah, we were very, very happy with him. And, you know, I think we've got to give a little credit to the winner. You know, our bloke was there to run him down and the winner just dug deep. Great ride and he's got tremendous form. So, we're on to know losing the strength of the race. But he reacted really well. He reacted being a bit quieter and it's probably one of his better performances on dry ground. So, you know, he's in the zone. He's going a lot well. We go to the Kingston Town. Hopefully, he gets a run. He's just a little bit light on the rating. And we're desperate to get him to a mile and a half. And, you know, down in the weights in a Metroc or something like that. I think he's an aggressive horse and he's got a bit to offer in that respect. But he's just a little bit on the fringe in terms of his rating. You know, it would have been nice for him to stick his neck out on Saturday and just go up a little bit in rating and then assure himself of a run on the Kingston Town. You know, so that's going to be his trouble throughout the spring is where he sits in terms of rating.
Speaker 1Okay. All right. I've got to ask for an update on mind games. How's mind games going? Because this is one you've mentioned to us to follow this spring.
Speaker 2Yeah, no. He just stubbed his toe a little bit, had a foot abscess, which cost him a couple of weeks. So, he touched behind the eight ball. He goes to a trial on Friday. He left two trials. And then I think he'll probably end up later on in the season over a mile. He's just a little bit behind the eight ball in terms of timing, but still very bullish on the horse.
Speaker 1And you're going, everything going well with linebacker?
Speaker 2Yeah, no. He goes around to Bill Ritchie next week. We thought he's trialled up really well. Zach's happy with him. And, you know, we can just duck and weave a little bit on him this year and not sort of charge in at that elite level. I think he can be well placed to advantage.
Speaker 1Another one to get an update on since we last spoke, Napoleonic.
Speaker 2Well, he's first. That run was fantastic. I think it wins you, you know, nine out of ten missiles. He goes to the Manicato. He trials Friday and then down to the Manicato. And then we'll bring him back and, you know, possibly the Sydney Stakes. And then we'll make a decision after that whether he goes and has a look at the straight or how we handle him. But he's in great form. I think, you know, he can be very effective in the Manicato because he takes a position. He's got a good racing pattern for the field.
Speaker 1He's $15 in the Manicato. Who rides him? Zach. So Zach Lloyd will go down to ride him on that Sunday in the Manicato. He shouldn't be $15 probably.
Speaker 2No, I'd say that's a touch of overs.
Speaker 1Yep. All right. So that's Napoleonic in the Manicato punters. Another text here. G'day, boys. Can you ask John about King Pedro who's been trialling ready? He won that Grafton Cup and the winner. You're going to try and get him into the Metropolitan? That's his plan?
Speaker 2Mate, he does. Presented with a temp on Monday. So just on the back burner there. Look, I'd say he'll miss the kids in town and probably have to go to the hill. But we'll get a blood on him Friday. Hopefully we can get back at him towards the end of the week and get him back on track. Just had a little bit of gunk in his nose and spiked a temp Friday afternoon, actually. But he should be right and just a little step back. But we can get him back. He's a horse that comes to hand quickly and would just be guided by... what happens at the end of the week.
Speaker 1What about that Metrop going from a Group 1 to a Group 2? Has that sort of changed your plans or thoughts or have any of your connections, you know, said, oh, well, we don't want to target that race. We want to go to this race. Or what's been the general feedback? And I guess the thought out of it from your personal point of view too.
Speaker 2Yeah, look, I don't think it's going to affect what horses we set for it because, you know, it's still a good prize money race and, you know, historically a tremendously good race. I think it's... It's fought with danger, the attack on staying races in terms of their rating. The Patent Committee doesn't include any ex-trainers, any form students, and yet they have the audacity to reduce a race like the Metropolitan that has produced Caulfield Cup winners. You know, there's only a few seasons. David Payne's made a five-time Group 1 winner, won it. And to suggest that its form's comp is not up to standard whilst, you know, we jump for joy every year when the slipper winner wins a race, not wins a group, but wins a race. So it's unfair. It's not in the best interest of our sport. We tend to want to reward horses that can sprint and yet not reward horses who can endure or stay. And that's not a good thing for our game. We're still significant prize money beyond a mile. And the Metropolitan is a, you know, a great race and has its own place in Sydney staying history. And, you know, I'm disappointed that it's downgraded, but hopefully it doesn't impact, I don't know, the quality of the race.
Speaker 1Hear, hear. So this weekend, from a stable point of view, you've got Santono, Glow, Noms. You've got in the run of the rows and also the Scirocco. Will you just sort of play barriers, except in both?
Speaker 2No, I think she's going to jump on a bus and go to Melbourne with her stable mate for the Captain on team. So we're just, we were keen to run her last week and she just had a little interruption to her preparation in the middle of the week and just played safe. And I'm glad we did, but she... She's fine and she had a lovely gallop on Tuesday morning with scintillation and, you know, both fillies are going to go down there and be very competitive.
Speaker 1And we've got, well, you've got, yeah, scintillation in that Captain on teams as well. What about the rest of your team that you've got nommed for Saturday? Is there a standout for Rose Hill?
Speaker 2Yeah, I think if he executes well, Kemmer Bay's in tremendous form. All his runs this season have been just fantastic. and he ran in behind the bench young stay in Sydney at the moment, the horse of Matty Smiths, and he just had a little bit of a bump down the side, cost him a bunch of lengths, and he would have run a clear second, he's got a great turn of speed for a horse that can run a mile and a half, and if he executes the best part of the race, the early part of the race, and just drops the bridle, I think he'd be too sharp for them late, and he's got a pedigree that says he'll run a mile and a half, and it's now time for him to step up to that trip, and I've been so happy with all his runs this season, and I think he presents a wonderful opportunity on Saturday.
Speaker 1Can get a fixed win on the weekend?
Speaker 2There's no doubting he can win, but he's always a horse that's so gait dependent, he's a horse you've got to get a soft draw, find the rail, and expose him at the end. Now, if ever a man is capable of doing something like that, it's a natural willer. He has had throat surgery subsequent to the end of his last preparation, and it's really agreed with him. He's in a good headspace, and his trials have been good. He has got a bunch of weight, but I'm just so happy with the horse and the manner in which he's come back into the yard this season, but he does need a wide draw is not to advantage him. He does need a soft draw where he can drop down and be buried away until the time's right.
Speaker 1Well, I like it. We'll have a look today. I see that today on the Kenzo, you've got the two runners, Stitzer and then Komodo. Dragon in the last, or race seven?
Speaker 2Yeah, look, obviously both horses have got chances by their price in the market, but I'd say with regard to Stitzer, he is going to be last in the slowly run race, so you're going to have your heart in your mouth, and whether you're going to be a thrill seeker taking six to four about a horse that's going to be last in the slowly run race, so I just suggest punters beware a bit. And in the last race, the scratchings have been very good to all horses, and it's going well. Probably my only hesitation about him. My only hesitation about him is that he's only ever won at 1,400, and he's just sort of struggled a bit under that trip, so if he does get there, it's going to be in the last stride. So again, both horses will run well, but are at prices where you're going to need to be a bit of a thrill seeker to take those quotes, but we're happy with both horses, and they'll give a good account of themselves.
Speaker 1So you're down for the footy in Melbourne on Friday, and then I'm presuming you'll stay and watch those girls race. Jason, Flemington, are you a chance to get back on the bird and get to Allianz on Saturday night to watch the Cowboys take on Cronulla?
Speaker 2No, Thomas is going to go down Saturday, but I'm going to come back on Friday of, and for the, look, it just so happens that the Cowboys are playing Allianz Stadium, so we'll have to get there and give them a cheer. So, yeah, no, it's a full sport. I was going to say, how good is it? Man, it's, it don't get any better.
Speaker 1Can they, like, they were talking about this morning. Daly, Bulldog, and Middleton about that, you know, Cronulla, last couple of games, you know, the wheels sort of been falling off there, and they can put a good game together, the Cowboys. See, they're 285, big outsiders.
Speaker 2They're entirely, they're hot and cold, Dave, and that little trindle being, I didn't like seeing a little trindle back in the Cronulla side, to be fair. He makes all the difference there, so we'll just go and give them a cheer and hope they put it, present a good account of themselves, but that was diabolical there. Last week, someone's put 50 on them a week before a semi-final.
Speaker 1Let's hope that you're cheering plenty this weekend. Appreciate your time, John, and safe travels down to Melbourne and back, all right?
Speaker 2Hey, Dave-o. Yeah, mate? With regard to your trivia questions. Yes. And you're getting together a list of trivia questions. I've got one you can put in.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2Name the three trainers who trained VRC Derby winners and also wore a wig.
Speaker 1Derby winners and trainers and also wore a wig. Okay. Who are they?
Speaker 2Jeff Murphy.
Speaker 1Yep.
Speaker 2Mate Bill Smith.
Speaker 1Yep.
Speaker 2And Colin Hayes.
Speaker 1There you go. That's another good trivia question. I like it. We learned that about the hearts this morning. Have you ever heard about massaging a horse's heart?
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1I mean, I think that's sort of a big thing. Well, it came through on the text line. We've always got people texting things through. I love it. Hey, safe travels, mate. Appreciate it. There we go. There's John O'Shea this morning.
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