17/1/2003 edition

Betting Tips

Talking about Super Elegant, this 5YO was a very promising 2YO. He won a Group 3 2YO race at Morphettville in May 2000 by nearly five lengths. That was also his last win until he was produced first up at Moonee Valley on December 21 where he convincingly won an Open Handicap by two lengths.

Punters obviously dismissed the run. That is why Super Elegant started at $9.00 on Saturday, with five of the other six runners starting at shorter odds.

Super Elegant proved his Moonee Valley win was not a fluke. It may well pay not to lightly dismiss horses that promised a lot in their younger days when they suddenly rediscover their form.

While talking about quality horses, 7YO gelding Georgie Boy reached the heights he did because of his outstanding trainer John Size. In May 2000 the gelding won the 200 metres Group 1 Weight for Age Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

Since John Size left for Hong Kong, where he won the trainers' championship in his first year and is comfortably leading this year, many of the horses he used to train here have flopped badly. None to our knowledge have performed at the standard they reached under John Size.

A case in point is Georgie Boy. In his campaign last year his final three runs were beaten 16.4 lengths, 16.5 lengths and 46 lengths in a Listed race at Canberra on October 16, over 2000 metres, carrying only 54kg. He started at $61.00.

Connections got a glimmer of hope when Georgie Boy resumed and ran second in the Group 3 Christmas Handicap on December 26 in Adelaide at Cheltenham - (with John Size training the horse would have won by lengths) so brought him to Melbourne.

Group 3 Adelaide form often does not hold up in Open Handicaps in Melbourne, so it was not a huge surprise when Georgie Boy finished ninth of 11 over 1400 metres at Caulfield last Saturday.

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