October
DecemberHighway how-to
I am a regular racegoer somewhat bored with Sydney metro races, which seem to contain an overabundance of Waller entries, all at short prices.
Consequently I look forward to the weekly challenge of assessing the Highway runners as they enter the mounting yard and I remember very well the race on December 2 cited by your correspondent from Windang (16/12).
I selected the winner of that race (it was an absolute standout on looks and was up to the grade, being handicapped at number 2).
It was my main bet and I had a standout quinella with the second, third and fourth runners, which I also backed at the generous odds on offer.
The winner was bound to pay a good quinella dividend regardless, which is why I also included the favourites. This was an unfortunate decision and precluded a try for a trifecta or first four, and indeed stopped me having a more substantial quinella bet.
And yes, I immediately very much regretted not having more on the quinella. It was only later I became very concerned at not getting a piece of that $30,000 first four.
Incidentally, Sky Thoroughbred Central — available to TAB account holders — shows the parade-ring walk through, and if you turn the sound down you can make up your own mind if you like to assess horses on appearance as I do.
History and form show what they can do; appearance indicates whether they will do it today.
The trainer Matthew Dunn is given some credit in the press for bringing Brisbane metro-class horses down from Murwillumbah to run and often win in the Highway handicaps.
I hope he is not beating the “country trainer” system, which of course happens with the Victorian country championships, which are open to premier metropolitan trainers because of the merely geographical qualification in place.
Fairfield (NSW)