MY CALL: MY FASCINATION WITH WINNING RUPERT
By David Fowler | Tuesday, December 6, 2016
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'm fascinated with Winning Rupert.
It's been a long time since I ventured into the forbidden woods of odds-on betting but there I was searching and probing for a five cent advantage here or a five cent advantage there after acceptances were released.
Punting is a strange caper when taking short prices. Before you have the bet you think of every reason why they are a certainty but once you've pressed the button or handed over the cash, you think of every reason why they won't win.
Think about it.
No cause for drama though last Saturday ... but I digress from my main point.
How good is this horse?
Let's mark him hard to begin with. Had a perfect alley in a steady line-up and was afforded all the favours. It can only get more difficult. Right?
But the ease of the win, the margin of almost six lengths and the fastest 1200m on the 'new' Eagle Farm track was high quality stuff.
Winning jockey Jeff Lloyd will generally talk down before he talks up but his post race trackside interview revealed two significant points.
Lloyd would prefer to ride him with cover and there was "ample petrol in the tank".
That allayed any potential fears of him running out a strong 1300m in the Vo Rogue or the 1400m of the Magic Millions Guineas, his ultimate goal.
I hate the early crow but he could be the best horse we've seen in a long time.
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Now that I got my short price fix with Winning Rupert, I'm looking for similar betting propositions.
Bingo! Found one.
Surely the $1.35 about Jeff Lloyd winning this season's metro jockeys' premiership is actually "value"
Here are the facts. He has currently ridden 56 metro winners and is 26 clear of nearest rivals Jim Byrne and Robbie Fradd.
This is the same Jeff Lloyd who rode 11 winners last week. In other words, he is in form.
Put it this way, I've seen worse $1.35 chances go around.
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Premier trainer Tony Gollan has been a little slower into stride after a third of the racing season has been completed.
He finally drew level with Rob Heathcote on Saturday while Toby Edmonds lurks dangerously after his record five winners at the Sunshine Coast last Wednesday.
I'll stay with Gollan but he's no $1.35 hope.
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GRAPEVINE: Is a leading trainer starting to tire of a certain jockey with a third party involvement making things a tad tricky for all concerned.
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Great to see former bookie Micky Dolan at the Bernborough Club luncheon last Friday.
Dolan attributes daily swimming to his sprightly appearance, proudly 80 years young.
Dolan was a leading paddock bookie in Brisbane for many years before ending his career at the Gold Coast, working alongside the late Chubby Holloway.
"A better man you wouldn't find," Dolan recalled when we chatted on Friday.
A media price assessor for many years post bookmaking, Dolan still relishes doing the form and having a bet these days.
And a free tip from the octogenarian ... Sacred Elixir will win next years Queensland Derby.
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