Monday Musings

Greg Polson had an outstanding weekend for the Racenet team, selecting two at double figures at Kembla and Muswellbrook.

Greg Polson’s previews uncovered some hidden gems away from the major metropolitan racing across the country over the weekend, finding a couple at big overs for followers.

Polson was keen on the Chris Waller-trained Cedarwood in the Deanne Panya Maiden Handicap (1300m) after nothing went right for son of Your Song on debut when caught three wide throughout.

Polson expected sharp improvement second-up and suggested punters take the $15 on offer.

The three-year-old was crunched late in betting to start at $5 and held on by a half head to score in a driving finish with the Gwenda Markwell-trained Babe In Boots.

With his eye in, Polson then turned his attention to Muswellbrook on Sunday where he identified the Dean Jackson-trained Annandale Lass as over the odds at $17 in the Godolphin Tiara Benchmark 72 Handicap (1280m).

Polson was buoyed by the fact that the mare had shown significant improvement in blinkers in previous starts and was having them applied again.

The smart money came late for the seven-year-old and she was well-supported into $10 by start time.

The daughter of Akhadan charged through the centre of the field from mid-field to score by a quarter-of-a-length over the Mark Schmetzer-trained Majestic Pedrille.

Clinton Payne and Paul Joice also had some joy at Rosehill on Saturday.

The pair believed that the Gerald Ryan-trained Deploy had gone to a new level and expected the son of Fastnet Rock to be too slick in the Group II Theo Marks Stakes with fitness on his side.

Delpoy was heavily backed from $5 into starting price of $2.80 and was first out and first home in an amazing display of sustained speed. Josh Parr, who was riding with supreme confidence, let the gelding roll which resulted in Deploy scorching the turf to set a new track record.

Parr seemed stunned with the performance himself, turning around in the saddle over the last 50m to see the horses left in his wake.

Country Crackers’ on top selection at Kembla Thy Kingdom Come also gave followers one to anchor in multiples, with the John Thompson-trained colt romping in by six-lengths at $1.85.

Also worthy of a mention are the each-way selections of Clinton Payne and Ben Dorries.

Payne’s selection Mapmaker gave a good sight in the Rydges Parramatta Handicap (1800m) when only run down late to finish third behind Chris Waller’s Quick Defence, paying $2.50 the place.

Dorries almost landed the boilover of the day with El Divino giving those that took the odds on about Brave Smash heart palpitations when going down fighting to finish a narrow second, paying $2.40 the place.

HORSES TO FOLLOW

Abbey Marie – It was an outstanding performance from this Group I-winning daughter of Redoute’s Choice behind Bonneval in the Group II Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. Bonneval’s performance was absolutely outstanding, especially considering she was first-up, but I think Abbey Marie’s performance held just as much merit. The Mick Kent-trained mare travelled just behind Bonneval along the inside for a majority of the race before getting on the back of the winner rounding the bend. Abbey Marie wasn’t able to pick up Bonneval but her last 200m was only 0.01 slower and she also recorded the fastest last 800m of the race. Bonneval has tightened into $10 in the Caulfield Cup futures market while $46 remains available for Abbey Marie with Sportsbet’s Odds Boost.

Big Duke – I’ve always been a fan of this Darren Weir-trained stayer and I loved the way he hit the line from a mile back in Saturday’s Powerflo Solutions Craig Opie Cup (1600m). With all six of the gelding’s wins coming at 1800m and above I’m keen to follow him stepping up in trip and believe a race like The Metropolitan (2400m) is well within his grasp. Big Duke is $13 in Sportsbet’s Metropolitan market using Odds Boost.

Don’t Give A Damn – For a horse to produce a performance like Don’t Give A Damn did behind the talented Suncraze at only his second start, you have to sit up and take notice. It is not easy to go from a maiden to a class 1 anywhere and win but to make a horse with as much talent as Suncraze work for victory in a Highway Class 3 Handicap suggests that Don’t Give A Damn has plenty of wins in store.

  FORGIVE FILE

Egg Tart – The market told the tale for Egg Tart in the end. Saturday was not her grand final and although she closed off strongly for second, she never appeared a winning chance in the race over the short trip. She’s clearly returned in fantastic order and is still a force to be reckoned with in the spring despite her first-up defeat.

SIN BIN

Houtzen - I’m not convinced that Houtzen is going well enough to be a winning chance in The Everest despite finishing a game third in the McEwen Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday. I couldn’t back Heatherly with someone else’s money to get close in The Everest and Houtzen was comfortably beaten by that galloper on Saturday. I’m a fan of the horse and maybe the tricky Moonee Valley track had something to do with the performance but it’s hard to see her measuring up to stars like Chautauqua and English come October 14.