Hang on, there’s a THIRD Group 1 in Perth?

Well friends and strangers, it’s a shocking start to December to say the least, as the great game has been rocked by the tragic news that jockey Chris Caserta went for a late night swim with one of his fellow track riders on Surfers Paradise on Wednesday night, but while his colleague was rescued, Chris tragically never came back, although the authorities have found his body.

Just 26 years of age, a non-racing tragedy on the same scope as when Tim Bell lost his life in Singapore some 6 years ago, and Stathi Katsidis when he died aged 31 back in 2010 – But, you have to believe that the racing community will band together, and they’ll get behind the Casertas.

That all occurred just a few days after the record-setting ageless wonder that is Robert Thompson announced his retirement after 48 years of riding, in which he rode an Australian record 4,447 winners, and RT was one of those jockeys you thought would never retire…. Danny Miller was the same, before RWWA put him out to pasture back in 2017, and it appears the mantle has now passed to Cyril Small, the one-time partner of Vo Rogue, who must be north of 61 now.

So looking ahead to the first weekend of the Summer, the usual headline act is the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic meeting at Ascot, the traditional final Group 1 meeting of the calendar year which will feature Western Empire at some ridiculous odds ($1.30), the Group 3 George Moore Stakes at Doomben, and the only other meeting I can be arsed talking about is the Pakenham Cup at Pakenham, where the supporting act is Jamie Kah returning to race riding…

Fancy that, we’ve got a new Kah for Christmas!

On another note, I did have to do a few things in the past day that meant I couldn’t compile the usual guide this week, one of them being clipping a drain cover and puncturing my front left tyre last night, which occupied my whole morning, then I made a promise that I’d go out and see a few Jack Attack colleagues at a corporate cricket fundraiser, so because I’m such a lazy bastard, this week it’s the RANDOM Picks of the Day, and this will be the last Saturday before I get on the wire to see what Crazy Craig is doing over in Bairnsdale, because he is due back next week for a stint until Perth Cup Day.

As for this week’s theme music, it’s the national anthem for the world’s newest Republic… BARBADOS by Models!

The Random Eminem Pick: Lyrical Lad (No.4, Barrier 4) in Race 1 at Pakenham (MR1), 12:35pm AEDT

1600m BM70 John Duff & Co Handicap

Trainer: Phil Stokes, Jockey: Jamie Mott, 61kg

The lyrics are just Eminem describing Jamie Mott before he rides Lyrical Lad:

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There’s vomit on his sweater already, mom’s spaghetti
He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready to drop bombs
But he keeps on forgetting what he wrote down, the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won’t come out
He’s choking how, everybody’s joking now
The clock’s run out, time’s up, over, bloah!
Snap back to reality
Oh, there goes gravity
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He’s so mad, but he won’t give up that easy, no
He won’t have it, he knows his whole back’s to these ropes
It don’t matter, he’s dope
He knows that but he’s broke
He’s so stagnant, he knows when he goes back to his mobile home, that’s when it’s
Back to the lab again, yo
This whole rhapsody, he better go capture this moment and hope it don’t pass him!

The Michael Jordan Pick: Baller (No.4, Barrier 3), in the George Moore Stakes at Doomben (BR9), 5:10pm AEST

1200m Group 3 Quality

Trainer: Tony Gollan, Jockey: Stephanie Thornton, 57.5kg

Michael reading the Random Picks of the Day:

Michael after finding out he’s one of the Random Picks of the Day:

The Dame Shirley Bassey Pick: Bright Diamond (No.9, Barrier 3) in Race 7 at Ascot (PR7), 4:05pm AWST (7:05pm AEDT)

1400m Listed Fillies & Mares Jungle Dawn Classic

Trainer: Grant & Alana Williams, Jockey: William Pike, 55kg

To be honest, Welsh Legend is running at Rosehill, I probably should’ve used that for Dame Shirley…. Or Sir Tom Jones.

(Bright) Diamonds are forever
They are all I need to please me
They can stimulate and tease me
They won’t leave in the night
I’ve no fear that they might desert me!

Enjoy your weekend everyone, don’t throw your phone in the river, keep your eyes on the road, and whatever you do, don’t drive too close to a drainer in a ****in’ dimly lit street like I did!