Churchill downs and Melbourne cup ante post at Hollywood

I see hollywood has put out ante post betting for the Melbourne cup and the Breeders cup!
Any early fancies?

BEHKABAD will gain revenge over workforce,he was desperate in the ARC imo

Look forward to some great racing.

Early selections

Shocking (dont think So You Think will stay)


Midday
Zenyatta (wont 20 from 20 be special)
Uncle Mo
Goldikova
Workforce (and wont the treble be special)

good punting and good racing!

I have taken an early Hollywood double Zenyatta and Workforce (tu) at 9/1

Zenyatta superb says exercise rider

ZENYATTA, due for her final serious workout on Saturday before the Breeders' Cup Classic, is attracting rave reviews from the man closest to her - regular work-rider Steve Willard.

On Friday, the celebrated six-year-old had a light spin over a mile and a half on the Cushion Track at Hollywood Park.

"Is superb adequate enough?" Willard said, speaking to leading journalist Steve Andersen of the Daily Racing Form.

"Judging by her aggressiveness, she's training really forwardly. If I gave her her head, she'd go [three furlongs] in 35 and change. Her mind is in a different place."

Unbeaten in 19 starts, Zenyatta is due to fly to Kentucky on Tuesday ready for her title defence in the Classic at Churchill Downs, where she will race on dirt for only the third time in her life after two victories at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Zenyatta has visited Churchill, though, having been sent there for a race in April 2009 from which she was scratched owing to a muddy racetrack.

"I know she'll handle it because she handled it last time we were there," Willard said. "The track is similar to Hot Springs. She got it over it terrific."

Zenyatta will be joined at Churchill Downs by John Shirreffs-trained stablemate Harmonious, one of the main rivals to Midday in the Filly & Mare Turf.

So You Think has gone 3/1 clear fav

Its now closer to 2/1 and Shocking in double figures!

Have you noticed how many horses have ran in major races as a build up to this 2 mile race? Only "days" apart.

What the Melbourne Cup trainers say

Mark Kavanagh, trainer of Shocking

"He won the Cup from barrier 21 last year, so24 this time isn't a concern. It is a much stronger race this time but I'm more than happy that he is a better horse this year. I thought his sixth in the Mackinnon Stakes on Saturday was a pretty fair effort. He finished out the race better than anything other than the winner and the run should have tuned him up perfectly."

Saeed Bin Suroor, trainer of Campanologist and Holberg

"Campanologist has done well since he came to Australia. He's a dual Group 1 winner this year and has won on soft ground. The distance will be new, but I think it will be fine for him.

"Holberg has a lighter weight and Frankie likes him. We are happy with him after his bruised foot problem and he has won over the distance."

Bart Cummings, trainer of So You Think and Precedence

"I thought So You Think's win in the Mackinnon was his best win yet. He seems to be getting better. I'm not worried about the track conditions and if he is ridden the same way as he was on Saturday then he will have every chance of running the 3,200 metres. I think he and Precedence, the Cathay Pacific Moonee Valley Cup winner,will get the distance."

Nick Williams, spokesman for team Williams, owners of Zipping and Linton

"Zipping is nine and is running in the race for the fourth time, but everything he is showing says that he is ready to win this race. He's in the best form of his career.

"Linton ran a good second in the Lexus on Saturday and is going up 600 metres in distance."

William Knight, trainer of Illustrious Blue

"Our horse is in great shape and having a runner in such a huge event is a great opportunity for a small yard. His preparation has been spotless. He stays the trip and has a turn of foot. He's a hold-up horse and Glen Boss has ridden him a couple of times in training and already knows a lot about him. I was glad to see rain and if the ground dries out, which it probably will, before Tuesday then the ground should be perfect."

Peter Ho, trainer of Mr Medici

"I was happy with his run in the Caulfield Cup which was his first race for five months. I think he has improved since and he does like wet ground.Two miles is the question but I think he will handle the distance."

Alain de Royer-Dupre, trainer of Americain

"The Geelong Cup was just a prep but he had an easy race to win.If the pace is slow, he can race close up and if the pace is strong he can wait as he has very good acceleration. He seems very well."

Kenji Nonaka, trainer of Tokai Trick

"I expect a big run. He had a very good prep race in the Caulfield Cup on ground that was too heavy for him and he has made good improvement since. Hopefully, the ground will not be too heavy. Two miles is his best distance."

Tony Noonan, trainer of Buccellati

"He is my first runner in the race and is a real stayer. He hasn't won in four starts since he came to Australia in April but three of those races were run on wet tracks which didn't suit. We're hoping the track dries out after all the rain."

Gai Waterhouse, trainer of Descarado and Once Were Wild

"I couldn't be happier with Descarado after his run to finish second in the Mackinnon Stakes. He won the Caulfield Cup on soft ground but he's also won on good.

"Once Were Wild ran absolutely super when third in the Lexus on Saturday and has a good lightweight chance. She came into her own when she stepped up to 2,400 metres in the Geelong Cup and has gone on since. Over 3,200 metres she might take a stack of beating."

Murray Baker, trainer of Harris Tweed

"He was fifth in the race a year ago and likes a rain-affected track as he showed when a good second in the Caulfield Cup last month. Although he had a touch of colic in the past couple of weeks, he missed no work and isin good shape."

Luca Cumani, trainer of Manighar and Bauer

"A lot will depend on the ground. It it remains wet then Manighar will be favoured whereas if the track dries out after all the rain then Bauer will be a lot happier on better ground.

"Manighar finished out the race well when fifth in the Caulfield Cup last month and we have been happy with him since. Damien Oliver has ridden two Melbourne Cup winners and I won't have to tell him anything.

"Because of a tendon problem Bauer has run only twice since the 2008 Melbourne Cup. His second run back was encouraging and he has been working well at Werribee since he arrived in Australia. The work he did on Thursday was excellent, probably the best of any of the international horses, and was a good signal that he is peaking at the right time.

Dermot Weld, trainer of Profound Beauty

"Profound Beauty is very well and I was very pleased with the way she looked and worked when I saw her this morning.

"The ground should dry out to around good or just on the slow side of good andthat should be fine for the mare. She doesn't like extremes as she showed when fifth in the Melbourne Cup two years ago when it was very firm and again when she ran second in the Irish St Leger in September. She just got tired on the very testing ground.

"She's ready and I'm expecting a very good run although being drawn 22 of 24 will be a disadvantage."

Wayne Hawkes, co-trainer of Maluckyday

"He couldn't have come out of his Lexus Stakes win any better. He ticks all the boxes and while we thought hard for a few hours after the Lexus whether to run him in the Cup, we think and hope there is a big chance he will improve."

Workforce does not like ground conditions and "maybe" scratched
Goldikova gets poor draw and drifts in betting

We got the 7/2!

Zenyatta 'could start odds-on' for Classic

ZENYATTA could yet start an odds-on favourite to win her second Breeders' Cup Classic at Churchill Downs, as the connections of American racing's megastar hinted that retirement plans could be shelved for the second year running if their champion wins on Saturday.

Having been 4-1 joint-favourite with Lookin At Lucky last week, Zenyatta fever has taken hold, and the mare was on Wednesday cut to 2-1 by several firms, who reported further floods of money for the unbeaten mare.

These include Coral, whose on-the-scene spokesman Simon Clare said: "The gamble on Zenyatta continues to grow in size and intensity, just as the hype and hysteria surrounding the undefeated filly threatens to go stratospheric here in America.

"We are now 2-1 having been 7-2 two days ago, and there isn't a cat in hell's chance that she will start any bigger on Saturday.

"If the American betting public bet with their hearts on Saturday, andthey surely will, Zenyatta will start odds-on on the PMU and just watch her odds collapse with the UK bookies."

Zenyatta looked in great shape on Wednesday when exercising on the Churchill Downs dirt, her exercise rider Steve Willard saying: "She loves this track, and she loves the dirt.

"She drives off it. She could not be training any better and is maintaining a good mental capacity. We want her to be nice and calm. The only time we want her to be in a hurry is when she's turning for home."

The Breeders' Cup Classic is due to be Zenyatta's final race - as it was last year, after which she was 'unretired' - but joint-owner Ann Moss said: "I don't think last, ever. It's not a commitment, but we've always gone race to race and she's having such a good time.

"I think horses tell you when they want to do something different, and if you saw her today it didn't look as though she does."

Inevitably, there were several market movers on Wednesday, perhaps the most notable being Boys At Tosconova in the Juvenile. At least ten firms cut his price, and he is now 11-4 with Bet365, Stan James and Coral, with favourite Uncle Mo eased to 2-1 by Coral, William Hill and Bet365.

Coolmore confirms So You Think purchase

COOLMORE has officially confirmed its intention for Australian superstar So You Think to race for Aidan O'Brien in 2011.

So You Think is the first horse ever to win the Cox Plate, Australasia's premier weight-for-age race, as a three-year-old and return at four to retain his crown.

He was third for Bart Cummings in the Emirates Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, after which it emerged that Coolmore had purchased a majority stake, with owner Dato TanChin Nam retaining a share.

A statement issued by Coolmore on Thursday read: "Coolmore Australia have entered into an agreement with the owners of So You Think to purchase an interest in the brilliant son of High Chaparral with a view to the champion joining their stallion roster at the end of his race career.

"So You Think will however race on for the immediate future, with the intention being for him to join Aidan O'Brien for a European campaign in 2011. Negotiations are still ongoing with some issues still to be resolved."

Coral have already installed the antipodean star as an 8-1 chance for next season's Coral-Eclipse.