Scotia on "that was the week that was"

Good morning all and hope you are looking forward to a good weekend and did not have the same change of plan that I did this week as I find myself typing from a hospital bed!




Was booked to fly to Cape Town on Thursday to watch the Samuri Warriors do battle in the final, with the concerned milkman and the father of the finalist Andrew. Just spoke to a very sleepy zoro and gather he lost the fight but they won the drinking competition including a tv interview and a great night, can’t wait to see the replay.

The lunch time before the flight just went to have the “Vaal river leg” checked and ended up in the hospital on the drip with a potential fatal cut to release the water on the knee (Vaal water that is).

Plus the surgeon is Irish (specialist on knee caps) must have been in the I.R.A.?

Well its history now and the planning was out the window, such is life so here goes as I intend catching happy hour this evening.




Paco Boy

As far as the weekend sport Paco Boy is running at Newbury in the locking Stakes and should be hard to beat, the super 14 we will establish who will make the semi finals(GARRICKS LATEST UPDATE). Have backed England to win the 20/20 cricket at 3/1 on good info from the host of the site glad to see they won last night so probably 12/10 but the Aussies play today. Chelsea should lift the cup on Sat to top a great season. Crystal still tops the idols at 7/10 and Lee 17/10 no other real threat as Casey is now 16/1.



On the horse front the July latest ... JULY BETTING

Ante Post……….Ascot is the next big meeting, Kings Stand where Nicconi fav with Starspangledbanner now on the scene, Gold Cup with no Yeats so Ask could top the boards with Kasbah Bliss, Kite Wood and our old fav Geordieland giving it another bash? Golden Jubilee where Canford Hills, “Rocket Man”, Fleeting Spirit and Overdoze? possible candidates.

With no stars emerging the Oaks has Rumoush at the top of the boards and Aviate coming into the picture and the Derby much the same with St Nich still a weak 5/2 fav.



My weekend treble for Hony/Jaffers my boy, would be Paco Boy, Chelsea half-time/fulltime and the Stormers to beat the Bulls, but I am a bit on the “back foot”.



Have a great weekend and good punting!



scotia

All the best Dave

its a miracle Shayne, I can walk again

cheers!

Get well soon,whats the rumours that the Docs have asked you to stop drinking for a week or 2?

Get better Dave, but remember you still have another one to hop on to get you to the Afrikaans pub on the corner for the happy hour!!!

Dont worry Tommy on track -D

Bad news, was hoping the Rocket Man would be on the flight.

Royal Ascot no-go for odds-on Rocket Man


Preview: Singapore, Sunday 12.50pm BST (live on ATR/RUK)

Kranji: KrisFlyer International Sprint (Group 1) 6f, turf, 3yo+

SINGAPORE'S sprint superstar Rocket Man (Patrick Shaw/Robbie Fradd) will start odds-on favourite to make amends for last year's defeat in the KrisFlyer - but don't expect to see him at Royal Ascot later in the summer.


Although there are no British-trained runners, the $1 million event could hold enormous significance at Royal Ascot as it features several horses holding Golden Jubilee Stakes entries.


Chief among them is hometown hero Rocket Man, whose trainer Patrick Shaw is leaning away from a visit to Britain, preferring the Melbourne Spring Carnival. "He'll spell [have a break] after the KrisFlyer," he said.

In last year's race, ‘Hong Kong Bomb' Sacred Kingdom inflicted a first career defeat on local idol Rocket Man, whose career record now reads nine victories from 11 starts.

Three-time world champ Sacred Kingdom is sidelined at present, but Rocket Man has returned in fine fettle after an injury absence, with two easy Kranji victories sandwiching a second place in the Dubai Golden Shaheen in March, a half-length behind US star Kinsale King, who got first run.

Not far away that day in fifth that day was Group 2 winner Eagle Falls (David Hayes/Damien Oliver), one of two Australian-trained rivals alongside Gold Trail (Gary Portelli/Michael Rodd), a Group 1 winner in New Zealand. Takeover Target won this for Australia two years ago.

Sure to starthot favourite with hometown advantage, Aussie-bred four-year-old Rocket Man is also vying for favouritism for the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot,

On the other hand, Royal Ascot is very much on the cards for Gold Trail and the formidable Hong Kong pair Happy Zero and Joy And Fun (Derek Cruz/Brett Doyle), winner of the Group 3 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai.

Group 1 winner Happy Zero (John Moore/Darren Beadman), only 12-1 for the Golden Jubilee, must overcome a wide draw in gate nine.

Green Birdie (Caspar Fownes/Mark Du Plessis), who breaks from the inner, finished in front of Happy Zero two weeks ago in a Group 2 event at Sha Tin.

What they say

Fred Crabbia, owner of Rocket Man

"He looks good and all he needs is luck in running. There is no need to strategise - just ride his normal race and have him where he is most comfortable. If any horse deserves to win an International Group 1, it is this horse. He has done everything you could expect of any horse."

John Moore, trainer of Happy Zero

"I'm very happy with his work. He's raced the anticlockwise way back in Australia before he came to us and even in Hong Kong, we work that way on Mondays. We don't envision any problem. It will be a tough race if they go 1m07s like last year. That's slick but I think he's ready to take on your giant. One World ran third and Rocket Man was second in the Golden Shaheen. One World is a genuine horse but Happy Zero is a fraction better than him.

"Happy Zero's next targets are the Golden Jubilee in June and the July Cup in England and then he'll spell at Hillwood Farm in Newbury Way before we bring him back for our big races in December."

Derek Cruz, trainer of Joy And Fun

"His weight is spot on - I can't fault him. If he jumps well I'm sure he won't be too far away in the run. Naturally it is going to be hard to run down Rocket Man, who looks a strong 1200m to 1300m horse. He's settled in nicely and is moving alright in his work. He's a good traveller and has settled in here really well. At this stage I couldn't be happier. If we are in a good position I'm sure he will be finishing strongly."

Micheline Vidal, owner of Mariol

"He looks impeccable - no problem at all. I think he is used to the heat better than he did in Dubai. Besides it was his first-up run then and it makes it even more difficult when the climate is different. He also drew barrier No 1 on the straight course which did not help him as he tends to come from behind. He's the type of horse who needs to have some cover from behind as he has a very nice turn of foot.

Gary Portelli, trainer of Gold Trail

"I knew the travelling wasn't going to be an issue as he handled his trip to New Zealand without any worries. He looks better here than when he landed in New Zealand where he was a bit tucked up.We will try and kick up under Rocket Man and keep the lead. He might sit off us, but I'm sure after 1100m we are going to be right in it. It is going to make for an interesting race."

David Hayes, trainer of Eagle Falls

"People talk about the bad luck Rocket Man had in Dubai but I think he had marginal bad luck, whereas we had three times the amount of bad luck. Our bloke is in perfect order and that is exactly the gate we were looking for. He is going to be able to camp just off the speed, and come with a run when we want him to. I couldn't be any happier with Eagle Falls. He has been knocking on the door for a Group 1 victory."

Good morning and gather England won the cricket, thank you Garrett (tu)
Would not normally punt England but gather a few Saffers in the team?
Good start to the week and kitty

Good luck there Dave...get well soon...see you at the Afrikaans pub...break a leg...lol

ABC mod Wrote:

---

Crystal still tops the
> idols at 7/10 and Lee 17/10 no other real threat
> as Casey is now 16/1.
>
>

Dave,

If you can still get 17/10 about Lee for Idols then GRAB it!!!!
there are no seconds here my friend. The people are gagga here in the US for Lee. If he looses it will be a bigger upset than Adam loosing last year!!!!

Ok so now I suggest that you grab the 17/10, 14/10, evens, whatever you can lay your hands on.......This is no competition.

lee will win by the widest margin in idols history!!!!!

and just for the record....I'm a HUGE Crystal Bowersox fan

Will see what I can do Tommy, but he has gone 8/10 and the lass 12/10 (tu)

Would not be ethical to "lay the lass" lol