Whatever you do, don’t take this seriously

Running Score: 63 Runners, 26 winners, 15 seconds, 9 thirds

Crazy Craig: 14 Runners, 6 ‘Wins’, 1 place win, 4 Lays of the Day

What a big week it’s been- Ben Currie getting rolled on five more charges, More million dollar races in New South Wales, Blake Shinn announced he’s off to Hong Kong, and perhaps the most terrifying news of all…

Glen Boss is back in Australia.

Of course in keeping with the Queensland theme, it is the biggest day of the racing calendar in the Sunshine State- The Queensland Derby, The JJ Atkins, and of course, the time-honoured STRADBROKE HANDICAP, back at it’s hallowed home of Eagle Farm.

It’s pretty much forecast for Soft Tracks around the country- Brisbane is due for a shower or two, Sydney has copped rain most of this week, Melbourne as well, and even over here in Perth we had our one day a year of rain, sending everyone into a frenzy.

Speaking of the Stradbroke, is this the part where I pull the usual and play ‘Rough Habit 1992’?

Of course, the Wayne Wilson is being run tomorrow!

Noble Boy (No.10) in Race 4 at Eagle Farm, 12:55pm AEST

1200m Listed Quality Hinkler Handicap

Trainer: Todd Blowes, Hoop: Glen Boss

The best country galloper in New South Wales made his triumphant debut in Queensland a fortnight ago at the Farm, and it was as impressive as any of his previous six wins, as he rocketed home to win by 2 lengths.

As a result, Todd Blowes’ stable star now has a career record of 8:7-0-0, with his only defeat coming in the Goulburn Country Championships Qualifier, when he got too far back on a track that was harder than freshly laid tarmac.

In what is Noble Boy’s first test at Listed level, this was all set to be a brutal match race against Deprive, but Godolphin elected to keep him in Sydney and kill everyone in the June Stakes, meaning Noble Boy has cleared out the market for the time being.

James McDonald goes off, and on comes the Hall of Famer himself in Glen Boss, he drops 3.5kg on his last start, which should come in handy against some proven runners like Victorem and Tactical Advantage.

Deprive (No.9) in Race 7 at Randwick, 3:10pm AEST

1100m Listed June Stakes

Trainer: James Cummings, Hoop: Rachel King

The fact that James Cummings didn’t bother to send Deprive to Queensland probably means he’ll just about win this, based on that first up win at the end of last month, which was one of the more spectacular ‘Get of Jail’ rides you’ll ever see from Rachel King, who stays aboard for Saturday.

The big difference tomorrow from that win will be that the track is currently a Soft 7, but do you think that’s ever stopped me from blindly jumping on?

Quackerjack (No.2) in Race 9 at Randwick, 4:25pm AEST

1600m Benchmark 78 Handicap

Trainer: Mark Newnham, Hoop: Josh Parr

Quackerjack is what you get if a Duck had starred in Crackerjack, instead of Mick Molloy.

A classic Australian film- Bill Hunter and Judith Lucy were also in it- Go and rent it out from the VHS Store some time.

Quackerjack has had a pretty decent prep, winning first up on the Randwick ‘Kenso’ track, then ran 3rd in the Hawkesbury Guineas (Behind Military Zone), and then came back to Randwick at thend of May, and was only beaten by the revived Kolding, who now goes up to Eagle Farm to start a shorty in the Queensland Guineas tomorrow.

A big concern is that he’s drawn the carpark in Barrier 14, which means that Joshy Parr is either going to have to ping the lid like a wizard and get on speed without too much trouble, or pray to the four-legged deity that he manages to find some form of cover without getting drowned out wide.

Also interesting is that he’s 2/2 on Soft tracks, which is at least the track question answered.

CRAZY CRAIG’S TIP OF THE DAY

Iconoclasm to WIN Race 8 at Flemington, 4:05pm AEST

1400m Handicap

Trainer: Danny O’Brien, Hoop: Jamie Mott

G’day folks, Crazy Craig the boy from Bairnsdale, back here with my usual Saturday spiel, and I’m trying to atone for last week’s shock loss, an atonement that comes in the physical form of another runner formerly trained by Darren Kenneth Weir, now in the care of one D. O’Brien!

Iconoclasm won first up at Caulfield in his first race for Danny, a 1200m VOBIS Gold Sprint, before going to Adelaide and being well-beaten by Despatch in the Goodwood, which makes you ask, why are you supporting some Group One plodder, Crazy Craig?

Well, the reason i’m Craaazy enough to support Iconoclasm, is that 1400m is his pet distance- 3/3 at the old seven furlongs, and 3/4 at Headquarters!

That’s enough for me to throw my fifth mortgage on him, so to Jamie Mott the Hoople, bring this bastard home for your old mate Crazy Craig!

I’m Crazy Craig, and that’s why they call me Craaaaaaazy Craig.