WINNO'S WINNERS: 2016 CALOUNDRA CUP DAY

By Darren Winningham | Friday, July 1, 2016

Well, may I gloat a little bit this week? Winno’s Winners was in fine form last weekend finding some really good value! Flamboyer ($10), Bidii Babe ($31), Tales of Grimm ($10), Cellarman ($9) and then Sold for Song ($3.80) all being selected to win or run second and all saluting. On top of that Hugh Bowman did finish on 9 points in the jockey challenge, as predicted, at the great odds of $3. Seems like a good week for the loyal followers!

Now to back it up again this week where we head to the Sunshine Coast for Caloundra Cup Day. At this stage the track will probably be rated somewhere in the “soft” range and the rail is in the normal position for the meeting.

I am not a big fan of betting here as sometimes the track can favour on pace runners whilst on other days swoopers come down the crest of the track for victory. As we are now on winter tracks and some appear to be still suffering from the recent rain events in South East Queensland I would recommend slow and steady may be the way to go this weekend.

*As this form assessment was made prior to raceday, please check final fields and track conditions for any changes on the day.

Race 1

This race is interesting as it has a few runners first up from the Brett Cavanough stable. I hear that Brett is relocating is stables from Albury to South East Queensland. His runners are The Monstar (1) and Just a Bullet (5) who both have some interesting gear changes for their first up assignments. Tisani Tomso (8) trained by Kevin Kemp who won last weeks’ Daybreak Lover at Eagle Farm has some nice form first up and does love rain effected tracks. Look for a bold run here. His stable mate Brave Dazzler (9) won well here last start but on the synthetic track and has a nice claim for inform apprentice Josh Oliver.

Selections: 8-1-5-9.

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Race 2

Golden Mineshaft (2) is trained at the track and has a good record here. Banda Spice (5) is backing up after a solid performance last weekend at Eagle Farm. I have a good respect for Moon And The Stars (3) who loves the track and always seems to throw in a great performance first up from a spell and normally at a big price. Best of the others could be Nicked and Court (4) and Buon Auspicio (6) who will probably bounce from gate 2 with Tegan Harrison on board and take some running down.

Selections: 2-5-3-6.

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Race 3

Top Tone (3) goes well here and loves a damp track. I think the unlucky Outraged (4) is due for a change of luck. The interesting runner is the Steve O’Dea trained Sabkhat (5) that has changed stables from John O’Shea. It has winkers on for this run and could be one to watch out for in this field. Spur Le Jouer (7) is trained by Stuart Kendrick on the track and does like a wet track. I am not certain what to make of the run of The Iliad (11) last week, but it has had 4 starts here at the track for a win and two minor placings.

Selections: 3-4-5-7 rough chance 11.

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Race 4 Bruce McLachlan Memorial QTIS – 2 year old Handicap

I thought Rare Occurrence (4) was unlucky last week and is back to its home track this week. Happy Event (2) came late at Ipswich and just missed the eventual winner … probably the hardest to beat. This race can throw up a roughie each year and I do have some respect for Nuncius (11) to be ridden by Ryan Wiggins and Isla Tristana (10) that both have good performances last start.

Selections: 4-2-11-10.

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Race 5 XXXX Sunshine Coast Guineas (Group 3)

Sold for Song (12) won the Daybreak Lover last week in great style. Was the run a tough one? Can it back up this week? All good question, but the horse does have an explosive finishing burst in its races. High Spirit (6) from the Snowden stable has been well backed in early markets ($8 to $6) and did run a tremendous race in the Queensland Guineas a few weeks ago. I like the form of Madame de Ban (14) and Tivaci (1) as well and they both do not mind a wet track.
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Selections: 12-6-1-14 rough chance 2.

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Race 6 – 2016 Glasshouse Handicap

I am lost with this race. The top weights deserve the weight and are well performed. If the track is rain affected I just wonder how they will go against these light weights that have been performing well in recent weeks. You could not have missed the impressive performance by Saluter (5) just being pipped on the post by Into The Red last week … they peeled off about 200m out and staged an almighty battle down the Eagle Farm straight. The horse has a great record here with three wins and a placing from four starts. Flamboyer (9) was perfectly rated in front by Blake Shinn and had an easy victory as well. Then there is Irish Constabulary (12) a lightly raced seven year old racing in great from who has met with some serious support in early markets ($14 to $9). Elusive Catch (11) ran a great race at Ipswich two weeks ago as well. Then how can you leave out the quality runners such as Stratum Star (1), Sacred Star (2) and Ninth Legion (3). Looks a tough race. Pick one and stay with it!

Selections: 5-1-12-2 rough chances to 3 and 9.

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Race 7- 2016 Caloundra Cup

Maurus (2) broke some long standing records winning the Ipswich Cup last start … looked impressive in winning as well. It is trained at the track by David Vandyke and Damian Browne has retained the ride on the horse. Some real positives here. I like a rough one here down the bottom, Holy Cow (10) to be ridden by Luke “Sausage” Rolls. It has some nice form in Victoria and will handle the wet track. Jumbo Prince (4) is very honest and loves wet tracks … if there is any more rain or a down grade in the track make sure you have something on him. Amexed (9) won well last start at Ipswich in restricted grade. Not sure how it will go against these seasoned stayers. Index Linked (1) won well last weekend in the Tatt’s Cup at Eagle Farm. I think the ‘speed on’ helped the horse on that occasion.

Selections: 2-10-4-1 rough chances 9 and 12.

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Race 8 –QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap

Tough race to finish off the program. I was thinking maybe a leader drawn handy may be hard to run down here late in the day. So that leads me into Excellent Spirit (3). Last week Tarzan (5) and Gregory (9) raced well in the same race. Cashing Up (1) is coming back in grade here but I am not sure how it will handle the track if it is wet. My Firecracker (6) is lightly raced and was exciting last start at the Gold Coast winning a Class 1 race. Up in grade here but maybe one to watch. Brad the Lad (11) is another one down on the minimum and has been racing well, again winning last start to break its maiden but it has shown a liking for this Caloundra track. I am thinking go wide here and you could see a blow out result in your exotic bets.

Selections 3-6-11-9 rough chances 1 and 5.

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Quaddie (races 5 to 8) 1, 6, 12 / 1, 2, 5, 12 / 1, 2, 4, 10 / 1, 3, 6, 9, 11 - cost $240 for $1.

Treble (races 6,7,8) 1, 2, 5, 12 / 1, 2, 4, 10 / 1, 3, 6, 9,11 - cost $80 for $1.

Small Quaddie (races 5 to 8) 6, 12 / 1, 5 / 2, 10 / 3, 6, 9 - cost $24 for $1.

Madness Quaddie 12 / 5 / 2 / 3, 6, 9, 11 - cost $4 for $1

Jockey Challenge this week Kerrin McEvoy has a nice book of rides … probably will be short but looks the winner here with any luck.

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