There was plenty of interest in the Rosehill meeting on Saturday, and rightfully so with an old-fashioned plunge landed and, also a race full of controversy.
TOM SYDNEY LOOKS BETTER THAN TOM MELBOURNE
There has been much discussion about the ride of Tim Clark on Washington Heights but for mine the biggest thing to come out of a spectacularly controversial seventh event at Rosehill on Saturday was, who was that horse who finished second?
I know his name is Tom Melbourne, but it can't possibly be the same Tom Melbourne we regularly derided during his 'illustrious career' down south.
After winning four of his first six starts following his arrival in Australia the import put together 11 outings without a win, starting $4.80 or less in eight of those runs.
He earned himself a reputation as a shocking betting commodity but I couldn't believe the Tom Melbourne we witnessed savaging the line at Rosehill on Saturday was the same horse. Where did that come from?
Chris Waller has inherited Tommy and just maybe, after a couple of ripper trials and his desperately unlucky effort on Saturday we might finally see what the seven-year-old is capable of.
Glenn Boss won three-straight early in Tom Melbourne's Australian career and has always maintained there's a major race in the gelding coming back from overseas to ride him on a few occasions, and judging by Saturday's performance just maybe that big one is not far around the corner.
NOW, TO TIM CLARK AND WASHINGTON HEIGHTS
I'll preface this by saying I tipped Washington Heights and like most have no doubts he and Tom Melbourne should have run the quinella in Saturday's Spring Preview at the Hill. But was Tim Clark's ride that bad?
The answer for mine is yes and no. Bad ride? Jury out for mine. Victim of a bad decision, undoubtedly an emphatic YES!
He should have gone outside Kingsguard when the field straightened but, even then I'm not certain he would have got a clear run to the line anyway as there was still traffic to be negotiated.
All things being equal would Washington Heights have beaten Tom Melbourne had they both got clear running in the straight? I reckon he would have run a nice second, but we'll never know.
WARNING: If you backed Tom Melbourne look away now 🙈
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 12, 2017
Kingsguard hangs on to win the seventh event at #Rosehill. pic.twitter.com/7381YvHNVw
For those who want to endure the pain of watching Tom Melbourne and Washington Heights again, here it is.
OLD FASHION PLUNGE A BEAUTY
It's not often you can land a decent plunge these days but Brett Cavanough is as astute as they come when attacking the punt and it was great to see the satchel swingers on the wrong side of the ledger in the opener at Rosehill on Saturday.
But really, was it anything like the good old days? There's no way it can be, as the price goes off that quickly it's impossible for punters to get on for anything like they did in the past.
In years gone by there were no early markets going up three days from the event and a $1500 bet, as the TAB reported at $14 on first-starter Another Sin was enough to see a massive price change.
By Thursday afternoon Another Sin was $8 and Friday he was $4 before eventually going to the post at $3.20. There's the usual howls from the bookies that "they got the lot" but I'm damn sure they never got anything like they would have back in the "good old days".
When you talk about plunges Another Sin would have fallen a long way short of Australia's most celebrated plunge when Getting Closer was backed from a high of 200/1 into short single figures before bolting in at Canterbury back in January 1982 and reportedly netting his supporters over $1m.
MENARI – THE REAL DEAL FOR THE EVEREST
When trainer Gerald Ryan declared Menari a serious contender for The Everest I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree, so impressive was the colt when winning Saturday's Rosebud at Rosehill.
Taking into account his autumn performances against the cream of the juveniles when he lost little caste despite some adversity through his preparation, Menari has shown himself to be very much the real deal.
On Saturday he gave plenty of weight to his main rivals but got the job done with ease and with She Will Reign a $6.50 second favourite for The Everest, and the other star filly Houtzen at $13 Menari certainly measures up more than favourably against those three-year-olds at least.
After Saturday's race you could have grabbed $26 Menari but Ladbrokes now have him a more realistic $13 chance and should he pick up a spot the colt would be a more than worthy contestant in a race which is really building nicely.
It's an interesting one for Menari and any other 'boys' as how would a win in The Everest affect their stud value against a prime Group I contest? It's a bit of the bird in the hand v two in the bush.
THE DOC IS UNDERRATED
Hey Doc resumed from a spell at Flemington on Saturday and gave weight to a host of high quality gallopers over a distance short of his best but, once again, the four-year-old got the job done.
It occurred to me just how little recognition the Tony McEvoy trained galloper has received in a 15-start career which has delivered seven wins including the Group I Australian Guineas, plus a third in the Group I Caulfield Guineas along with three other Group wins.
His prizemoney stands at $1.1m and while Tony McEvoy continues to do a great job with the son of Duporth it's the association with Luke Currie which really warms the cockles.
Currie doesn't get many chances in the big events but has been aboard for all Hey Doc's Group wins and also his third in the Caulfield Guineas so you won't see any breaking of this partnership in a hurry.
Hey Doc has been listed as a $6 second favourite with Sportsbet for his next assignment, the Group I Memsie Stakes on September 2 with last year's winner Black Heart Bart at $5.
What a thrilling finish to the Aurie's Star Handicap! @lukercurrie lifts Hey Doc to victory! pic.twitter.com/jP5S1HEirA
— Racing.com (@Racing) August 12, 2017
He's a ripper Hey Doc, and worthy of some overdue accolades.
DO PAID TIPPING SERVICES DELIVER?
One of our loyal readers, 'Ockas' dropped one in the lap of The Armchair Punter during the week and I thought it worthy of an airing.
He asked has anyone had long-term success via a paid tipping service?
"I'd like to discuss the virtues, or folly of subscribing to professional tipsters? I have never taken one up on their offers and cannot understand, if you had such great knowledge why you would not just keep it to yourself?" Ockas wrote.
"After all, you don't want your clients knocking off your price. Does anyone out there have a positive longer-term experience with these people?"
So, it's over to you Racenet readers. But just letting you know we'll be moderating this one closely as it's not a forum for an adfest or otherwise.
Just let the Racenet community know if you have been successful over a long period of time and whether there are any tricks or formulas you've been sent into which work.
FOLLOW ME
While the spotlight was on Tom Melbourne and Washington Heights in the seventh at Rosehill imported galloper Sarrasin also showed he was one for the future.
He was last out and never really in the race however the five-year-old worked home strongly from the 600m to be only two lengths from the winner over an unsuitable distance.
At his only other Australian start Sarrasin was an eye-catcher when beaten just over a length third in the Villiers behind Sense Of Occasion.
FORGET ME
Loyalty Man put a couple of wins together at the end of last year but he's hardly a commodity to get confident about judging by his performance at Rosehill on Saturday.
He was well backed to test Arbeitsam in the Premier's Cup Prelude but, after a perfect ride from Brenton Avdulla the five-year-old failed to run on eventually being beaten nine-lengths into fifth place.
There were a couple of minor excuses but not enough to warrant being beaten so far.
His previous run when a close second to Sound Proposition at Randwick was very good but on Saturday's effort that's one thing he's not from a punters perspective, a sound proposition!
