Tricky meeting at Randwick on Saturday with surprise, surprise an expected soft track.
Winter has certainly set in and such is the case this time every year, we have to start assessing whether or not a horse can perform up to their peak under such circumstances.
While most consider handling a wet-track as being black or white, that is not always the case when trying to make money.
You are actually more likely to make a profit backing a horse who has never seen a wet-track, as opposed to backing a horse that already has.
The market is obsessed with known knowns, whereas money can be made with known unknowns.
We don't know whether Call Me Royal will handle a wet-track, she's never seen it before, however that is not a reason not to back her, in fact I argue the opposite.
Rock solid in both starts to begin this preparation, she has the perfect platform to perform up to her peak racing third up — a level of form which sees her very hard to beat on Saturday.
The quick back up, remaining at 1200m and being by Sebring, you can also be fairly confident she will get through it.
Another tick and possibly the biggest tick is the speedmap — on paper she looks to get all the favours, Magorrian should get an absolute picnic.
Takes on the older horses, but is very well treated at the weights and her biggest dangers look to get back in the race.
She spiked third up last preparation and if following a similar form profile, she should prove very hard to beat.
In the final event, the Mark Newnham trained Quackerjack ticks all the boxes and hence it's no surprise that he has been a big firmer since markets opened on Wednesday.
He clearly brings the best form and much like Call Me Royal, he looks to get all the favours, he either leads or sits outside Pandemonium — jockey Josh Parr should get complete control.
An impressive winner fresh, he went on to finish third in the Hawkesbury Guineas, before game in defeat behind Kolding last start.
On that occasion Kolding got the cold drop on him and did get weight off Quackerjack.
Sticking on gamely to the line, there was a good gap back to third (2.3L) and he should be right at his top racing fourth up.
No secret the Mark Newnham stable is absolutely airborne and do expect Quackerjack to continue that trend on Saturday.
Simon Dinopoulos' Three Tips For Sky Sports Radio:
Race 3 #8 Mr Wong @ $8.00
Race 5 #6 Call Me Royal @ $2.30
Race 9 - #2 Quackerjack @ $2.60
