It was farewell to night racing at the Valley last night.
We started off the evening with a trifecta in the first of Hot Too Go, Saxon Beauty and Amleto. Not so good in the next when favourite Mytemptation ran second. We did have a saver on
And the highlight of the night came in the penultimate race when Onesmoothoperator won the Gold Cup and thus gets a run in the Melbourne Cup.
Onesmoothoperator but it was quite a short price.
The crowds are already pouring in this morning – sat next to some fellow Canberrans on the tram as the horse box is parked in town to dodge the traffic and the roadworks! So a quick look at the card for today which will finish up with the Cox Plate as the last race at the Valley in its present configuration.
In the first we like Godolphin's Tonkin and Beast Mode – not much between them and only six in the field.
The second race Napoleonic and Prince Tycoon are very close in the betting and we may be tempted to go for the roughie Ornithology.
We like Proficient in the Crocket just ahead of Tres Magnifique and in the Fillies' Classic Salty Pearl – we've been following her recently and she looks right for this.
The JRA Cup is quite open so we'll go with Middle Earth and likewise the Tesio where we like Positivity,
Desert Lightning has always been one we liked and will add Pinstriped in the Mile.
The McEwan sees Charn Stone as a popular pick and for a rival maybe Tropicus.
The Vase has Observer at close to odds-on, We may play Options and Crown of Russia in some multiples.
And the Cox Plate itself – not the strongest field for what is to many of us Australia's best race but we have always been a Via Sistina fan even before she came to Australia. She's been here and done this having won this race last year and we have a theory that something jogs their memories and is worth another length.
And then it will be "so long Moonee Valley and thanks for the memories".
