Much higher injury rates. The New York Racing Association are in the process of installing synthetics at all their tracks for winter racing, primarily for that reason. https://www.nyra.com/belmont/news/nyra-announces-plans-for-winter-racing-at-belmont-park-and-provides-details-on-new-racing-surfaces

For all Sydney's efforts to upset the pattern in Australia, Melbourne has certainly ended up with a high class field for this race. Even helped along by a bit of Everest form.

I never even imagined she would run in the Cup. Why on earth would you give her a gutbuster over 3,200m with topweight when she could race in a WFA, 2,000m group 1 for $3m?

Breeders' Cup NotebookView the full article

Cicero Farms' homebred 3-year-old filly Hope Road, winner of three straight races by five or more lengths, has been made the 6-5 morning-line favorite in the $200,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3), which kicks off the stakes undercard  Nov. 2 at Del Mar.View the full article

My question is, why not Dirt tracks?? Seemingly easier to maintain, and much less prone to the slipping issues we are getting on grass, possibly.... I think our current range of track experts might even be able to grow some decent dirt 😁  The world's richest race is held on dirt so why not try it?? Pukekohe would be perfect with the rich red Puke hill dirt looking splendid indeed 😉

Champion Stakes last day of Cup Carnival. 2000m $3m…..easy money.

My 5 bucks gone. Had the first Leg in too 🙄  of my treble $1000/5  (Fate Awaits at Menangle ) and was sitting on Via Sistina.  along with the Jmac + 'Switzerland'  in the Coolmore on Sat  at Flemington. Reckon JMac could be on Group 1 'winner 101' with it. very speedy and strong.

Going to the paddock for a well earned rest. 

Yes I think that is a fair point and judged on his runs this year, especially the other day when he was really asked to do not much more than jog to the line - I think he is a live chance. It has the tendency to throw up long priced place getters at least - Shiraz/ Max Dynamite etc.....SNS got to be a decent top six chance for mine, 

Len Butterfield wouldn't put up with this bullshit  by today's Stewards!🙄

CT leave me out of your shit ...I have nothing to do with him or anything you do..remember that.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes field lines up at Flemington on Saturday, 2nd November Saturday 2024, over 1200m. A high quality field has been finalised for the Coolmore Stud Stakes, featuring the likes of Everest place-getter Growing Empire, group 1 placed Traffic Warden and dominant last start winner Switzerland. No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating 1 GROWING EMPIRE Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra 9 57kg   110 2 COLEMAN Matt Laurie Ethan Brown 6 57kg   102 3 TRAFFIC WARDEN James Cummings Ms Jamie Kah 3 57kg   101 4 BITTERCREEK Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin Ben Allen 13 57kg   88 5 SWITZERLAND Chris Waller James McDonald 8 57kg   100 6 FIRST SETTLER Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Michael Dee 10 57kg   90 7 BODYGUARD Peter Snowden Hugh Bowman 2 57kg   82 8 GATSBY'S Chris Waller Damian Lane 7 57kg   81 9 STOLI BOLLI Ben, Will & JD Hayes Luke Currie 5 57kg   74 10 YOSHINOBU Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Jamie Mott 1 57kg   82 11 ENRICHED Michael Freedman Jye McNeil 14 57kg   75 12 GALLANT SON Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Luke Nolen 12 57kg   69 13 LADY OF CAMELOT Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 4 55kg   109 14 BELLATRIX STAR Mark Walker Blake Shinn 11 55kg   109

The Victoria Derby field lines up at Flemington on Saturday, 2nd November Saturday 2024, over 2500m. A full field of 16 has been assembled for the Victoria Derby. Last start Group 1 winner El Castello will jump from the outside gate. Moonee Valley Vase winner Red Aces has faired much better, drawing barrier 4. No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating 1 EL CASTELLO Anthony Cummings Joshua Parr 18 57kg 106 2 RED ACES Nick Ryan Jamie Mott 4 57kg 84 3 KEENELAND (NZ) Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Hugh Bowman 11 57kg 78 4 GOLDRUSH GURU Andrew Gluyas Ms Jamie Kah 15 57kg 73 5 SAINT EMILION Ciaron Maher Tim Clark 6 57kg 71 6 KINGOFWALLSTREET Matt Cumani Michael Dee 10 57kg 78 7 POLITELY DUN Danny O'Brien Damian Lane 5 57kg 68 8 KING OF THUNDER (NZ) John O'Shea & Tom Charlton James McDonald 1 57kg 74 9 TENBURY WELLS Brad Widdup Blake Shinn 14 57kg 68 10 PERU Michael Moroney & Glen Thompson Declan Bates 2 57kg 64 11 CHINA SEA John Sargent Mark Zahra 7 57kg 72 12 HOT TOO GO Danny O'Brien Jordan Childs 13 57kg 65 13 SCARY (NZ) Emma-Lee & David Browne Luke Nolen 8 57kg 72 14 OXFORD BLUE Julius Sandhu Ethan Brown 16 57kg 65 15 WEST INDIES (NZ) Mark Walker Craig Newitt 17 57kg 65 16 AUTUMNHEAT Matt Cumani Eoin Walsh 12 57kg 64 17e WAR RIBBON David Payne John Allen 3 57kg 62 18e CECCHETTI Matt Cumani Daniel Stackhouse 9 57kg 61

Hmmm and how many non-refundable futures bets have the bookies taken over the last 4 days..  

The Cup often proves to be a race where unlikely dreams and fairytales come true. Why not this one? If SNS had not copped that 'bug', Rogie would likely have raced the guts out of him as a 4yo, so perhaps the racing gods are working in mysterious ways here. Max certainly wouldn't write him off. Noted, though, that Rogie didn't mention giving him a run on Derby Day, so ...

She is Out

🤣🤣🤣

Saturday from 2 30, Trackside Premier but on Tuesday looks like it's only from 4 30 until 5.40, well that's how the TV guide seems to read, so it seems on Melbourne Cup Day you will just get everything jammed on 1 and 2.

Break A Leg Rogie!!