Fritzy Boy is also out thank god as it has sustained an injury. That means Russeting will make the field with Maskiell to ride and Latin News 1st emergency at this stage.

Final Field

1 Whobegotyou (Mark Kavanagh) M Rodd 57.0
2 Black Piranha (****** Karakatsanis)N Rawiller 55.5
3 King Mufhasa (NZ) (Stephen Mckee)Ms S C Spratt 54.5
4 Mic Mac (Paul Messara) S Scriven 54.0
5 Ortensia (Tony Noonan) C Williams 53.5
6 Albert the Fat (Eden Petrie) D Browne 53.0
7 Catapulted (Mark Kavanagh) L Nolen 53.0
8 Swift Alliance (Gai Waterhouse) C Munce 53.0
9 Phelan Ready (Jason McLachlan) S Katsidis 52.5
10Red Lord (Anthony Cummings) D Nikolic 52.5
11Mr Baritone (NZ) (Michael Moroney) J Ford 52.0
12Culminate (NZ) (Stephen Mckee) S Seamer 51.5
13Ghetto Blaster (Gillian Heinrich) Ms C Lindop 51.5
14Melito (Gerald Ryan) C Brown 51.5
15Beaded (Peter Snowden) K McEvoy 51.0
16Russeting (Bart Cummings) J C Maskiell(a) 51.0
17Shellscrape (Chris Waller) T Bell(a) 50.5
18Graceful Anna (David Pfieffer) G Boss 49.5
19eLatin News (Bart Cummings) C Newitt 50.0
20eStryker (Chris Waller) 49.5
21ePrince Braeman (Paul Perry) 51.0
22eMr Unforgettable (Kevin Moses) 51.0
23eMessenger (Anthony Cummings) 51.0

Barrier Draw at 12pm.

Field and Barrier Draw

No Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 WHOBEGOTYOU Mark Kavanagh Michael Rodd 9 57
2 BLACK PIRANHA ****** Karakatsanis Nash Rawiller 15 55.5
3 KING MUFHASA (NZ) Stephen Mckee Sam Spratt 23 54.5
4 MIC MAC Paul Messara Shane Scriven 17 54
5 ORTENSIA Tony Noonan Craig Williams 21 53.5
6 ALBERT THE FAT Eden Petrie Damian Browne 18 53
7 CATAPULTED Mark Kavanagh Luke Nolen 13 53
8 SWIFT ALLIANCE Gai Waterhouse Chris Munce 8 53
9 PHELAN READY Jason McLachlan Stathi Katsidis 10 52.5
10 RED LORD Anthony Cummings Danny Nikolic 20 52.5
11 MR BARITONE (NZ) Michael Moroney Jay Ford 11 52
12 CULMINATE (NZ) Stephen Mckee Scott Seamer 5 51.5
13 GHETTO BLASTER Gillian Heinrich Clare Lindop 1 51.5
14 MELITO Gerald Ryan Corey Brown 4 51.5
15 BEADED Peter Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 22 51
16 RUSSETING Bart Cummings Jason Maskiell (a) 14 51
17 SHELLSCRAPE Chris Waller Timothy Bell (a) 12 50.5
18 GRACEFUL ANNA David Pfieffer Glen Boss 2 49.5
19e LATIN NEWS Bart Cummings Craig Newitt 7 50
20e STRYKER Chris Waller 16 49.5
21e PRINCE BRAEMAN Paul Perry 3 51
22e MR UNFORGETTABLE Kevin Moses 19 51
23e MESSENGER Anthony Cummings 6 51

I reckon on a dry track, the best roughie is Bart's other horse Russeting. Ran okay in the BTC Cup on a good surface and then ran just behind midfield in the 10,0000 on an unsuitable. slow track. I can't really see any horse that finished behind Whobegotyou in the 10K except it and maybe Shellscrape on a wet surface beating it. Sure, most get better in the weights and Whobe had a tough run 1st up, it was still hitting the line strongly and should improve slightly. Latin News is obviously a chance if it gets a run but I'm not a massive fan of a week back up for a young horse. In good hands obviouly though.

LATIN NEWS is in, stewards have ordered the scratching of Swift Alliance. I'd imagine it would come into 2nd favourite now.

Exciting day tomorrow :)

The Fat will need alot of luck , but he has no probs going through gaps and with the likely tempo i still have high hopes.

Ortensia around the 12's now and is finally backable odds. She'll be a mile back but has the finish to win this , Craig will no doubt go the carpark route and at any cost be the widest , Rodd gave Hughy a riding lesson last time but Williams will ride her alot smarter.

Of the others , Whobe (class alone gives him a chance)
out of the youngsters LAtin News , Melito and Anna you'd have to be on Latin News , Melito had her chance in the btc with Latin news was flying down the outside with all the bells ringing , EF and the extra 200m only helps.

gracefull anna getting pretty far back last start might have been a real good thing , she really finished well and now the jock has that option of not having to be so aggresive with her and just smother her in behind the tearaway leading bunch.

Albert the Fat / Ortensia
Whobe / Latin news
Anna / melito
My top 6 :)

As always nice work Maverick!!

Ortensia is still the same horse that was favourite last start at Doomben, it's funny how public opinion sways. She was tightened for room last start and only went down by 2.5 lengths. I think the Eagle Farm track is in her favour and after placing last year is a massive chance to place again. I'd like to see her at the back of the field, 3 wide, given time to balance and SWOOP!! Each way value.

I've been following Graceful Anna without much luck this prep. Grand Final Day today with 49.5K? I'd love to see her just off the speed 5th/6th with the light weight or even leading with Bossy setting the tempo!

Melito seems to tick all the boxes, form weight, distance, barrier, jockey etc. so I'll be having a few beans on her at around $8.

True test for Catapulted today. Super consistent but against the best? We'll find out today.

I love Whobegotyou, and will throw him in all exotics.

I pretty much agree with Maverick's selections.

The Schmile.

I am on Albert the Fat and Graceful Anna for the straddie will be happy if either of them cross the line 1st had a good day so far that will be just cream on top at this point.

Geez I know Black Piranhas last run was improved but he also had every chance in the run today was a huge improvement on that, Albert was a good run without ever really being a chance just had to get to far back because of the gate.

Alot of very ordinary runs in the race though

wow i thought the firm surface would rule Black Piranha out but he finished beautifully ,
Ortensia was dissapointing as was a few of the others , i havent seen the replay yet though.
Good old the fat did very well and if he drew a barrier it would have been interesting .
Beaded ran very well , did it from both ends as well.

back to drawing board :)