Ballarat Cup 2023

[Messenger]

How is the field selected?
On NR, Rock N Roll Doo is Eq12th on this list of noms

[Messenger]

It must be selected by other means or else Major Meister is 14th with a NR of 112

[Yabbie]

Pretty sure it is manual selection

[Messenger]

It makes sense and yet at the same time introduces 'a grey area'

[Messenger]

Here is the Field
Potentially No.1 for Doo again, may no be appreciated or maybe Ant will get his chance to drive him as a sit-sprinter but there is No Sprint Lane

[Messenger]

The Ballarat Cup has had increase in stakes and the $150k on offer is the Eq2nd most it has been raced for ($175k in 2014 is the most)
We also have the EB Cochrane Cup for the trotters on the program for a mere $30k - it has been $30k for 18yrs

Early markets for the Cup pretty much have 3 equal favourites at $4 in RNR Doo, Cranbourne and Copy That

[Messenger]

The fields are on the homepage now

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=BA210123

[aussiebreno]

You wouldn't expect ID winner @ $12, ID 2nd @ $126, a triple ID heat winner $15 and a double ID heat winner @ $10.

Shadow and Saint are correct prices though.

But Honolua...whats he got to do to get market respect?

[Messenger]

Good observations Brendan
Mach Dan has been the only mover but that is just a case of the opening market getting it wrong ($17 into $10)

[aussiebreno]

Good observations Brendan
Mach Dan has been the only mover but that is just a case of the opening market getting it wrong ($17 into $10)

Well there you go. Missed initial markets. What a stuff up putting him up at $17!

[Messenger]

Major Meister has come in from $7 to $4.20 while RNR Doo has blown from $4 to $6
Copy That is still $4 while Cranbourne remains favourite at $3.70

Ants on RNR Doo is going to be interesting but I think we should think of the horse as if he was a stockmarket company
- no need to buy into him until we see some signs that he has turned things around

[Mighty Atom]

If they let Cranbourne get away with what he did in the Shep Cup virtually just sprinting the last 400 in 26:6 then they will be left lamenting again.

[Messenger]

I thought Mach Dan might have been a chance what with following out Cranbourne but I have gone back and looked at his 2nd in the Cranbourne Cup and been blown away by Major Meister again
We know he did it at Bendigo too and with a couple of stablemates in the field to make advancing a bit easier it is hard to see how they beat him
$7 opening odds was a real missed opportunity

[Showgrounds]

If they let Cranbourne get away with what he did in the Shep Cup virtually just sprinting the last 400 in 26:6 then they will be left lamenting again.

Doubt that will happen, Copy That should lead and then jokes are over.

[Messenger]

I have been waiting to find out from you Trevor, what I suspected, that Cranbourne is not really in the same league as Copy That

[Showgrounds]

More proof that the Australian harness racing media are as shallow as a puddle. Look no further than the Trots Vision crew peeing in Cameron Hart's pocket after another Grimson import wins first up in Australia. Bettorzippit backed for a stack, leads and is unchallenged to win the 6th at Ballarat.

Grimson is a genius trainer, they reckon, and he and owner Michael Boots have a great eye for NZ horses. Not a single mention of the following FACTS!
1. The horse had won 5 of 28 starts in NZ b7t only 1 of 15 last season, racing on the North Island.
2. The horse was only cleared to Ox on the 16th of January - 5 days ago!

So, what has Jason Grimson done to improve the horse, besides putting the cart on tonight?

I just noticed horse that hung and pulled in the death outside the winner is trained by Andy and was driven by Kate Gath. Nothing to see there.

Oh, it is a l so owned by the owner of the winner. Nothing to see there, either, according to the stewards. But, according to me, the ungenerous racing style of that horse, Whiskey Cavalier, may have prevented any other horse from challenging earlier in the race.

[Showgrounds]

I have been waiting to find out from you Trevor, what I suspected, that Cranbourne is not really in the same league as Copy That

Christmas arrived 4 weeks late, but it just shows again that Australian trots media are complete mugs. $4.80 the win, ya gotta be kiddin!

[Messenger]

Yes a very easy win even if Honolua was impressive

Something has worn off for Major Meister or he has been flattened (it cannot be easy being a gypsy horse without a home)
They probably wont but maybe they should just turn RNR Doo out
Cranbourne out of his class?

[Messenger]

Christmas arrived 4 weeks late, but it just shows again that Australian trots media are complete mugs. $4.80 the win, ya gotta be kiddin!

He would seem to be the beneficiary of the money that came for Mach Dan

[Showgrounds]

Now that I've watched the replay a couple of times, some comments.

The Race was all over as soon as Blair Orange went forward on Copy That. Just like the past two NZ Cups, he relaxes but keeps running honest quarters that make other drivers question how much courage they should display.

Cranbourne, as I said, is not up to the real top company. Bonno disagrees, stating that if David Aiken says he is a top horse then he is a top horse. Which, again, proves the media will swallow anything they are told without question. A word of advice, Bonno. The horse is only here waiting for a plane to North America and only ran tonight because it won the Shepparton Cup. That race resembled something you would watch from the banks of the Yarra.

Rock N Roll Doo is resemble a car crash filmed in slow motion. The Race at Cambridge at Easter? Unlikely on yet another performance. I await this week's excuse.

I Cast No Shadow, Majestic Cruiser and the ungenerous Major Meister all ran like claimers. All had been talked up as genuine chances in the big NZ races in the Autumn, such as the $1 million Race by Grins and $400,000 Auckland Cup. Yeah, sure. Copy That would love to welcome them as would a fit and refreshed Self Assured, neither of which take kindly to visitors on their patch. Old Town Road was top run from a second row draw and will gain a lot from this trip. If your going to join the big league you have to race like a big league horse; fails for the Grimson trio tonight.

[aussiebreno]

Personally I am shocked NZ Cup and ID form trumped Cranbourne and Shep Cup form...not!

Also, Rock N Roll Who???

[Messenger]

Having said before the race that punters needed to see a turnaround in Doo's form before entertaining him, well I suppose some could argue that they needed to see a turnaround in Copy That's Melton form before buying into him

Watch out now !!

Luckily there should be some different talent in Act Now and Expensive Ego for the AG Hunter
Copy is now $3.50 fav
and laughably Doo is still $6

[Showgrounds]

Copy That at $3.60 is bet of the year Mk II. Get on now.

[aussiebreno]

Copy That at $3.60 is bet of the year Mk II. Get on now.
Not pre draw with Act Now and Honolua Bay to contend with.

[Messenger]

Every leader (or eventual leader) won last night and there was only one close finish - if I am looking at that as an impartial observer, I doubt that I am going to summarize that as exciting racing

I don't think the lack of a sprint lane was a factor although a driver considering making a move, knows there is less chance the leader will hand up

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fields/race-fields/?mc=BA210123

[aussiebreno]

Not pre draw with Act Now and Honolua Bay to contend with.
;)