TABradio Q&A

Posted on March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 | Posted by TABtouch

DB: We’re back for another week, TC. We haven’t been sacked yet. Can I ask you whether we saw the Karrakatta Plate winner on the weekend?

TC: Yes. Amelia’s Jewel, I presume you are talking about. We’ve been waiting for someone to put their hand up and that dominant Supremacy Stakes win certainly did that. She looks to have a heap of talent and her breeding suggests the further the better. Having said that, is the $2.80 with TABtouch on the skinny side?

DB: Absolutely it is. I agree with you in regards to her being the No.1 seed, but we’re just under a month out and as we know with babies, you can have them today and lose them tomorrow. In short, I’m not taking that price. Who’s stretching her neck in your humble?

TC: I’m looking forward to seeing Snowdome back at the races and Man Crush’s last-start win suggests they might be the two. Devine Belief has trialled well, but she hasn’t been to the races yet. Hopefully we see her Gimcrack day.

DB: Before we look to the east, what were your other highlights from Ascot on Saturday?

TC: Patrick Carbery and Shaun O’Donnell sharing the honours in the Bunbury Cup after giving their respective mounts 12 out of 10 rides. Paddy’s Shadow has been an absolute ripper and Raquel Williams deserves a lot of credit. What did you make of Clairvoyance in the Bunbury Stakes?

DB: I think she was set a task early in the race, but the most interesting aspect for me was that she drifted in the betting in the lead-up to the race. Punters don’t always know, but more often than not a drift like that raises the eyebrows. In saying that, you cannot take anything away from Carocapo, who rode the speed and was strong enough late. All in all I thought it was a great day’s racing.

TC: Moving to the east coast now, late last month we saw Home Affairs win the Lightning Stakes. On the weekend just gone we witnessed Hitotsu win the Australian Guineas first-up and Anamoe run a brave second in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas on a bog. Who’s Australia’s best three-year-old colt?

DB: I have no idea, but if Home Affairs is to win this Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap down the straight with 55.5 kilos and claim a third Group 1 in succession, surely he goes to the top of the list. Which way do you lean?

TC: I’m in Hitotsu’s corner. It’s hard to believe we are overlooking a colt that has run second in a Cox Plate like Anamoe did (still should have won the protest), but what Hitotsu has done so early in his career in winning a VRC Derby in the manner he did and an Australian Guineas first-up, is breaking new ground.

DB: How pleasing was it to see Inspirational Girl winning again like she did in the Blamey?

TC: I was happier than you on the first day of Oktoberfest. Seriously, we know the talent she’s got, she’s a Railway Stakes winner and to see her back near her best is good for WA and Australian racing. She’s a flat-out star. Is she now a serious top-three hope in the All Star Mile?

DB: She has to be. Third-up after a long break would be perfect for her, you would think. I just thought it was interesting the other day where she got her head up in the run. I can’t recall her racing like that previously. Regardless, it was great to see her salute.

TC: I believe you have a theory or concerns over Nature Strip after he ran third of four in the Challenge Stakes on Saturday?

DB: I do TC, yes. I just get worried when horses are slow away more than once in a campaign and to be fair, he was a bit tardy out on the weekend after being slow to step in the Lightning as well.

TC: Why does that raise red flags?

DB: Horses who are engaged in the contest, especially sprinters, often jump well, even if they then don’t settle all over the speed. Those who don’t might have an underlying issue, that’s all I’m saying. Here you have an on-speed sprinter with a lot of miles on the clock who has been slow to step at back-to-back runs early in his campaign. I am not saying he’s Chautauqua just yet, but I think Chris Waller would be a little concerned.

TC: Give us an update from your perspective on the murky Golden Slipper picture?

DB: I am none the wiser after the weekend. I’ll throw the question back at you, mate?

TC: Can I phone a friend?

DB: No you can’t. Can I please get your answer?

TC: Sejardan hasn’t done anything wrong and he’ll be strong at the end of 1200m. That’s all I’ve got. The short answer is I have got no idea.

DB: I don’t think you’re alone. Now can we talk footy please? The pre-season has concluded, the real stuff is just over a week away. Did we learn anything over the past fortnight that we didn’t already know?

TC: I learnt that Mitch McGovern behind the ball for Carlton is trending the right way, Tom Green from the GWS Giants looks ready to take the next step and it’s all aboard the Heath Chapman bandwagon at Freo.

DB: What impressed the most with what Chapman produced against West Coast?

TC: Loved his poise across half-back and I like the look of him teaming up with Hayden Young and Jordan Clark in defence. That trio give Freo line-breaking ability. On the flip side, would you agree Tim Kelly was a standout for West Coast?

DB: He was very good, no doubt. And he needed to be given the names missing from that Eagles midfield. They were a lot better yesterday and Patrick Naish did enough to be worthy of a contract, I would have thought. The thing with the Eagles, from years of watching them and understanding the culture of that club, they won’t be as bad as some think. That’s how I feel. What about you, TC?

TC: I agree with that. I liked the fact they tried to move the ball more direct from defence and with Kelly looking fit and healthy, Gaff, Redden and Naitanui in that midfield, they have the personnel to be competitive against most sides. Willie Rioli and Liam Ryan showed some of their tricks and with that sort of X-factor at the feet of a Josh Kennedy and Jake Waterman, they still have some firepower. I think there’s 12 to 13 teams who can play finals football this year. Who do you think are the four that miss out?

DB: I think 13 teams have legitimate finals claims if you include West Coast and I wouldn’t be completely shocked if they found a way to sneak in. However, I think they miss and will be idle in September along with Essendon, Carlton, Richmond and St Kilda. Both Sydney clubs make it for mine and I’m chips in with Freo. How do you view the top-eight race?

TC: Sydney take another step forward, Essendon, Richmond, Carlton and St Kilda miss, Fremantle play finals and Geelong limp into the finals. I think it is one of the tougher top-eight races to predict.

DB: We’ll look at Brownlow, Coleman and Rising Star fancies next week. Is there anything else we should touch on out of the footy or racing or something you’re looking forward to this weekend?

TC: Since Ben Simmons isn’t returning to the court this week for the Brooklyn Nets, it’s all eyes on Henchard this Saturday in the JC Roberts at Ascot for mine. How about you?

DB: There’s so much to like about the weekend upcoming, but I’m going to pay close attention to Givemeonereason at Ascot on Wednesday. I’ll leave it at that.