5/10/2001 edition

Horse Racing Betting Strategy

Trainer Watch

1. Rosehill trainer Paul Sutherland is gradually getting a handy stable of horses together again. Last Saturday four year old gelding The Man won an 1800 metres Group 3 Weight for Age race at Randwick and paid $19.30. He was well ridden by Bernadette Cooper, the trainer's daughter. Horses ridden by Bernadette Cooper are also well worth keeping an eye on. She is a very good jockey.

In the same 12 horse field what was the Gai Waterhouse trained four year old mare Altiero doing going around at $2.25 after punters thought $2.60 was too good to miss? She finished a close third in the Queensland Oaks back in June, was fit after three runs from a spell and had put in a strong second at her previous start behind Mulan Princess. But the short odds meant the genuine claims of many other horses in the race were ignored. Altiero finished second.

2. Leading trainer Gai Waterhouse certainly knows the weight carrying ability of the horses she trains. When most trainers enter a horse in a race carrying the grandstand you can usually write off the horse. Not with Gai Waterhouse.

Last Monday at Warwick Farm in a 2130 metres restriced race smart four year old gelding Clonmel, by far the class horse of the race, with Chris Munce in the saddle, was asked to carry 61.5kg. He did it easily and won starting at $4.40. There have been plenty of other examples where Gai Waterhouse has sent out horses with hefty weights and they have won.

Worth seriously looking at. Gai Waterhouse does much more than dominate two year old racing in Sydney.

3. Did you see Riona ridden by Larry Cassidy win in her first race last Monday at Warwick Farm? She paid $13.10. The trainer? John Hawkes. Debrief won eight days earlier at Caulfield and paid $25.80! Backing his horses at good odds and avoiding his short priced favourites is still paying dividends.

Country Cups - beware

Last Monday at Warwick Farm they ran a 1600 metres race called the "Spring Country Cup". The race was for horses from non metropolitan trainers. As usually happens, these events are not particularly good betting races.

Six year old gelding, Glenrock David, who had raced 43 times for just five wins and $37,960 in prizemoney, led throughout to win at $30.90. He picked up first prize of $34,000! No doubt a great thrill for the owners and trainer Peter Pinkstone from Kempsey, 480 kilometres north of Sydney.

The odds on favourite, Pugad Lawin, who had good Sydney metropolitan form and five wins from 14 starts, finished the race off strongly but could only get second place.

Next pages
Future winners at big odds
Jockey watch
Epsom handicap - bet for value

Top Odds Are Important

Copyright ©1998-present. OZmium Pty. Ltd. All rights reserved.