I was suffering from nausea today, which I should add was 100% self-inflicted, so I didn’t see as much of the racing today as I’d have liked.

Still, there were plenty of highlights – The pair of juveniles that I put in the Chalk Eaters yesterday ended up winning superbly, Noble Boy finally realised he’s a good horse in the Winter Stakes, it was probably fitting that the hot pot won the inaugural Winx Guineas, and the moment the rain hit Caulfield, the mugs absolutely truckloaded Jungle Edge, and the popular old mudder did it again in the Sir John Monash Stakes.

In all, I was genuinely shocked when I realised how well the tips did – 3 wins and a 2nd placing from 4 attempts… I reckon that’s at least the fifth time that’s happened.

North Pacific in Race 1 at Rosehill – WINNER

I was nervous when I saw the sheer volume of kickback, proving it was a genuine Heavy, but the second North Pacific got out of cover and Koby Jennings flicked on the turbo, he never looked like losing, in what was a very nice win.

The Hawkes family did seem confident, and Michael Hawkes’ post-race comments back it up:

“Probably the heavy track was a bit of query as we generally don’t like to start horses, green horses, on heavy tracks – I don’t think he loved it personally – I think his ability really got him there.”

“The last thing I said to Koby was to let him go through his gears and try to hit the line strong, and he’s done that.”

“He’s a lovely colt. That’s what we do – we make colts – and he’s another one.”

“Remember, he ran third to Farnan in the Silver Slipper – He’s come here today to get the job done and he’s done that, so there’s a lot of upside.”

Yes Michael, he has done that.

Kisukano in Race 1 at the Sunny Coast – WINNER

60.5kg on a Heavy track, and yet, Kisukano’s form from her last encounter with Rothfire held up easily, because she still had panels on that lot.

Even if she had to wait for 8 minutes behind the barriers.

Aberdeen Queen in Race 3 at Belmont – 2nd

Annie Lennox is still the Aberdeen Queen after this one.

It seems the wide barrier has done in Aberdeen Queen, but even in defeat, she was given every conceivable chance of winning by Jarrad Noske, who decided to take luck out of the equation by going forward and leading, throwing every speed map out of the equation.

I can’t bag Noske for getting proactive – It was either get caught 3 wide no cover and lose ingloriously, or go forward – Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

The big effort taking 300m to grab the lead set things up for the outsider Bombay Style, who got the better run in transit (Ironically after jumping from Barrier 10) and that was the difference between 1st and 2nd.

In hindsight, I’m glad we didn’t wait until the final hurdle to lose the perfect weekend…. it’s the waiting that kills me.

Essential Spice in the Beaufine Stakes (Race 8) at Belmont – WINNER

It looked absolutely shot at the 600m, but 1000m races are funny things, and an extremely rare successful throw at the stumps comes off, courtesy of the one and only:

The Waterford TAB hilarity, as No.8 in Race 8 wins a 1000m race – The Gabster definitely wasn’t on, not because he once again claims he isn’t betting anymore, but it was a 1000m race.

Crazy Craig’s Tip Of The Day

LAYING Varda in Race 5 at Rosehill – FAILED

Craig, this went as well as your attempt to escape into Western Australia, because Varda always looked comfortable sitting outside the leader.

In fact, you were better off taking on Viridine if you’d bothered to stay in Victoria, because if there was a Godolphin horse starting with a V that ended up disappointing plenty of people, it was him.