FRIENDLY MANNA – 8YO best rating over 1800m back in April 2000. Best distance range 1800m-2400m. Current campaign racing well below best. Looks outclassed on current form.


ELVIS RULES – 6YO best rating over 1200m in July 1999. Infrequent city visitor who’s recent form includes a 1.75len 2nd class 2 over 2000m at Bunbury. Looks totally outclassed over this distance.


DELA VENTOSA – 8YO best rating over 1600m in January 1999. Best distance range 1600m-2400m. 11th in the 2001 Perth Cup beaten 6.75len by Lottila Bay. Improved in last year’s Perth Cup to run 7th beaten 3.75len by Cardinal Colours. Recent form has been reasonable although well beaten in the CB COX Stakes last Saturday. Drops 7kg on that run. A rough chance.


DANANMATT – 5YO lightly raced gelding, who registered best rating last Saturday in the CB COX Stakes when he ran on strongly to be beaten 3.5len by Bold Mirage. Drops 7kg on that run. Prior two starts ran close 2nd over 2200m & 2400m, running on strongly on both occasions. One of the better chances, races like the extra distance will suit.


COUNT KONAN – Maiden who’s best recent runs have been a couple of 4th’s over 2200m & 2000m class 2 at Bunbury. Looks totally outclassed on disclosed form and most unlikely to make the final field.


COSSACK ANGEL- 6YO who’s best rating was over 2200m at Ascot last month running on strongly to win impressively. Since well beaten over 2200m & 2400m. Has won and been placed a couple of times over 3000m at Moonee Valley. Better than a rough chance and could surprise.


CHARMING STORY – 5YO who’s best rating over 1800m at Ascot last month, when ran a close 4th fighting on. More recently beaten 1.5len over 2200m when ridden near lead and fighting on. Last start beaten 5.75len by Higgins Gold (2400m) weakening over the final stages. Looks outclassed over this distance.


BATTLE WIND – 5YO best rating over 1600m in June 2001. Best distance range 1600m-2200m. Has won (2000m) and been place (2200m) in class 4 races at Pinjarra at most recent starts. Looks outclassed over this distance.


AYGUIDO – 1600m maiden winner at Northam in September last. Most recently well beaten over 2000m (class1) & 2200m (class 2) at Bunbury. Looks totally outclassed on disclosed form and most unlikely to make the final field.


ALPINE TROOPER – 5YO who’s last 3 starts have yielded a 3len 3rd to Higgins Gold over 2400m fighting on reasonably, a well beaten (5len) -weakening, to Uno Jack over 2400m and a well beaten (7.75len) to Battle Wind, 2000m class4 at Pinjarra. Looks totally outclassed over this distance.


_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-24 10:02 ]

Keep working through the list please Perth Placegetter.

Courtesy The West Australian website

SEVEN gallopers who need a win to automatically qualify for next week's $350,000 BMW Perth Cup (3200m) have been nominated in the $40,000 ATA Stakes (2200m) at Ascot this Saturday.

ATA Stakes entrants Play The Whistle, Fujiama, King Jugah, Tuart's Pride, Friendly Manna, Merlos and King Elvis are not qualified to run in the 18-horse cup field.

"The seven horses are Perth Cup nominations," WA Turf Club racing manager and handicapper Greg Carpenter said yesterday. "But they must win the ATA Stakes to automatically gain a cup start".

"On current form, they lack good performances in strong company and need improvement to earn a cup run. An ATA Stakes placing will bring them under consideration to be allocated a start in the cup".

Carpenter said leading qualifiers for the cup were Bold Mirage, Honor Lap, Exit Lane, Tumeric, So Canny, Alibi Bay, Time Signal, Moonrise, Our Annabel, Zero Point, Mr Tambourineman, Special Jester, Super Moss, Higgins Gold, Dananmatt, Thunder Hawk, Cossack Angel and Dela Ventosa.

Last season's Perth Cup winner Cardinal Colours, who wrenched an off foreleg fetlock joint when frolicking in his yard on December 13, has been scratched.

__________________
Ta me go maith

Market moves since the 23rd December:

Exit Lane & Honor Lap in a point to $15
Alibi Bay & Dananmatt out a point to $11
So Canny, Moonrise & Zero Point out a point to $13
Tumeric in a point to $5
Battle Wind in 30 points to $51 – note this horse unlikely to make the final 16.
Higgins Gold out a point to $17
King Elvis out 10 points to $31
Play The Whistle in 50 points to $101 – note a per Paddy’s post, this horse needs to be placed at least in ATA Stakes this Saturday to come under consideration for a start in the cup.

Others remain unchanged.


_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-26 10:08 ]

Courtesy The West Australian website:

Final declarations for the Perth Cup close at 5pm Saturday. The barrier draw will be held at 6pm on the same day.

Trainer Fred Kersley says his cup hopes, ATA runners Play The Whistle and King Jugah, are unlikely, leaving new stable member Thunder Hawk as his sole acceptor.

Kersley was forced to rush Thunder Hawk's cup preparation because the gelding arrived at his Forrestdale property from Queensland only about seven weeks ago.

"We've had to step Thunder Hawk up in distance fairly quickly," Kersley said. "So he's not had the best preparation into the cup".

"The owners will decide whether they will push ahead with a cup start after he runs on Saturday."

Thunder Hawk was having his third WA start when he jumped from 1800m to 2400m at his last start and ran eighth to Higgins Gold in a restricted class Ascot handicap two weeks ago.

Trainer George Daly is confident WA Oaks-WATC Derby champion Honor Lap is no longer in season after running in that condition and finishing 11th in Saturday's Cox Stakes.

"She appears fine," Daly said. "Her work has been good and I am happy with her. But I'm not happy with her efforts in races."

__________________
Ta me go maith

ZERO POINT – Eastern states visitor at only WA start beaten 4len by Bold Mirage over 2400m CB COX Stakes last Saturday. Does meet the placegetters in that race better off at the weights. Previous start 4th to Time Signal in the Queensland Cup (3200m) beaten 3len. Meets Time Signal 2kg better on that run. An EW chance.

SPECIAL JESTER – 6YO best rating over 1800m in December 2001. Best distance range 1600m-2200m. Racing below best this preparation. Beaten 8len when 2nd last to Bold Mirage (2400m) last Saturday. Start prior ran on fairly to be beaten 3.5len by So Canny over 2200m. Looks outclassed over this distance.

OUR ANNABEL – 6YO best rating over 1650m in July this year. Best distance range 1650m-2400m. Not a bad run when running on reasonably in last Saturday’s CB COX Stakes (2400m) to be beaten 3.5len. Drops 4kg on that run. Has a rough chance, although would have to improve dramatically on last years Cup effort, running a well beaten last to Cardinal Colours.

MR TAMBOURINEMAN – lightly raced 4YO who’s best rating was over 1800m in November 2001. Best distance range 1600m-2400m. Has been racing not far off best recently. Placed last 5 starts at Ascot mainly over 2200m. 3 starts back beat Dananmatt by a neck over 2200m running on fairly. Meets Dananmatt 1kg better on that run. Last start 3rd to Higgins Gold over 2400m beaten 1.75len – again running on fairly. Meets Higgins Gold 3kg better for that defeat. One of the better chances, although some doubt at the distance.

MOONRISE – 7YO who’s best rating was in the 2001 Cup when 2nd beaten 1.75 behind Lottila Bay. Rises 1kg on that run. Won an 1800m welter at Ascot last month. Has been unplaced in all 3 runs since, over 2200m & twice over 2400m, although not beaten far. Drops 6kg on his last run in the CB COX Stakes, when beaten 4.25len. On best form a definite threat.


_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:



[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-30 13:59 ]

More market moves:

Exit Lane in 4 points to $11
So Canny, Moonrise & Zero Point out a point to $14
Our Annabel out 4 points to $35
Cossack Angel in 30 points to $51
King Elvis & Tuart's Pride out 4 points to $35


Others remain unchanged

_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-27 09:59 ]

Cossack Angel in 30 points!?

You're not responsible for any of that, are you Sandgroper! :wink:

Courtesy The West Australian website:

FROM crowning triumph to tragedy, trainer Fred Castledine knows the full gamut of emotion in his quest for another Perth Cup.

Castledine celebrated when Meliador won the 1979 race ahead of the previous year's Melbourne Cup winner, Arwon, and Caulfield Cup champ Taksan. It was regarded as the best cup field ever.

But there was tragedy just weeks before the 1999 cup when Castledine's big race hope, Brave Buck, and jockey Damion Beckett were killed by a freak lightning strike during a trackwork gallop.

Jason Oliver, who was to ride Brave Buck in the cup, was supposed to have been aboard the horse that morning but was late and was replaced by Beckett.

Castledine, 65, takes the good with the bad and now he is back with a new Perth Cup chapter in the making. Dananmatt is his 11-start five-year-old gelding named after the rodeo riding 18-year-old Pascoe twins, Dan and Matt Pascoe, of Gingin.

Castledine believes the horse will need luck to pull off an unlikely dream, but his lead-up races - including a powerful finish in last Saturday week's Cox Stakes - appear to have him primed for the gruelling 3200m test.

The addition of a travelling partner, his two-year-old filly Smart Dollars, has also added a calmness to the horse.

"He's quite promising - he lacks a bit of racing know-how, but it's all a learning process and he's got a bit of raw ability," Castledine said.

"He's still a babe in arms in terms of his racing career. He's no Meliador, but he's a trier who just keeps coming and if he runs in the money he'll have done a mighty job."

Dananmatt will have his last hard work-out before the cup at Ascot today.

__________________
Ta me go maith

Latest market moves:

Honor Lap in 2 points to $13
So Canny, Moonrise & Zero Point out 1 point to $15
Time Signal out 0.5 point to $7.50
Mr Tambourineman out a point to $11
Higgins Gold in 6 points to $11 :grin:

Other news – Paul Harvey not riding Zero Point (unable to make the weight) & King Jugah highly unlikely to be a final declaration.


_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-28 12:37 ]

Final field and current odds-

1 EXIT LANE 55 $12
2 ALIBI BAY 54 $14
3 HONOR LAP 54 $13
4 SO CANNY 54 $21
5 TUMERIC 54 $5
6 TIME SIGNAL 53.5 $9
7 BOLD MIRAGE 52.5 $5.50
8 MOONRISE 52 $17
9 MR TAMBOURINEMAN 51.5 $7.50
10 OUR ANNABEL 51.5 $41
11 ZERO POINT 51.5 $16
12 DANANMATT 51 $12
13 DELA VENTOSA 51 $201
14 FUJIAMA 51 $81
15 HIGGINS GOLD 51 $12
16 PLAY THE WHISTLE 51 $201
17 SUPER MOSS 51 $31
18 TUARTS PRIDE 51 $26
19 UNO JACK (1 Em) 51 $251
20 GILLS DREAM (2 Em) 51 $251


_________________
All the best from the West

Sandgroper :smile:

[ This Message was edited by: Sandgroper on 2002-12-29 00:24 ]