MY CALL - STILL KICKING MYSELF OVER SLIPPER RESULT
By David Fowler | Tuesday, April 9, 2013
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
I am still beating myself up over the Golden Slipper result.
Overreach wins in a hand canter. And wasn't she always going to? Of course she was.
It's the price bet that makes me smart the most. When I discovered she drew the rails on Tuesday I resigned myself to "no bet".
"She'll be a $1.8 or $1.9 now," I mused.
And that's fair enough thinking, considering she'd been hovering around the $2 to $2.2 mark pre barrier draw.
But then the price drift began in small steps before gathering furious pace in the last 24 hours of betting.
You could have secured $3.20 in most quarters. Why is this so?
She was undisputably the benchmark juvenile. Only Villa Verde's name was mentioned in dispatches as a threat and then she beat her by nearly five in the Reisling. All over red rover we all thought.
Punting is often a great test of character. If you're strong of mind you keep betting confidently, putting more on as the price lengthens.
But, alas, most of us when it comes to the almighty dollar are of weak character and listen to, or find, reasons why she can't win.
She drifts in price because a heavy track will see the inside a no-go zone. Has she trained off and "they" have found out? They are but two reasons that were thrown up
It takes a steely resolve to forge ahead determinedly and, in this case, I didn't cut the mustard and watched the Slipper with some regret.
But then my top pick Dazzle Us won half an hour later at Doomben and returned yours truly a handsome collect.
What Golden Slipper I asked?
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You don't need me to tell you how well Michael Cahill is riding.
But isn't Michael Cahill riding well!
The stats are there for all to see, poised on 64 metropolitan winners with basically a third of the season to go.
He is a better thing to win the premiership than the Coalition is to win September's federal election.
But can he strike the magical 100 figure?
His momentum will be determined by the when and where of the Patinack sale and Chris Munce's return to riding but the century tally is not impossible.
See if you can catch a replay of his winning ride on Troilus Fuse at the Gold Coast on Wednesday and then see the initiative in his win on Transporter and his poise on Seeking More two races later at Doomben.
Throw his modesty into the bargain and he makes a wonderful role model for the younger jockeys.
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And a worthy mention to Paul Hammersley.
You wouldn't see a better ride on Dazzle Us in the staying race on the weekend.
Negotiating the box seat run to conserve as much energy under the 59.5kg before not going around a horse en route to victory was a 10 out of 10 ride.
"Hammer" is an underrated talent.
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Question: What will we find our first? Whether Black Caviar is coming to Brisbane or the names of those appointed to Racing Queensland's code-specific Boards and their overarching All Codes Racing Industry Board (ACRIB).
Yes, half tongue in cheek but if truth be known, both might be answered in the middle of next week.
My mail is a hitch on the harness front has caused the latest delay in the long awaited announcements.
I doubt Black Caviar will come to Brisbane but, on this occasion, am happy to be against myself.
Until next week.
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