The meeting was run under dreadful weather conditions, but Queensland Oaks Day was a ripper, with Quintessential winning a third successive Oaks for the kiwi raiders. She is set to back up this weekend on ‘Super Saturday’ at Eagle Farm in the $500,000 Group One Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m). She is $7 in Fixed Odds markets, with Brambles the $3.20 favourite despite drawing barrier 13.

Classy youngster Sea Siren has accepted and will more than likely take her place in the $1 Million Aami Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) despite being asked to set a weight carrying record. She is the $4.20 top pick in betting ahead of Tiger Tees at $7, then Buffering and Wealth Princess at $8. The value could be with Mid Summer Music, who is at $26.

The other major of the afternoon is the $500,000 Patinack Farm T.J Smith (1600m) for the babies. Sizzling is the dominant favourite at $1.90 after a superb win last Saturday. His two main threats will be Boban, who is at $5, and Kabayan from the Waterhouse yard, who is at $10.

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Race One: Ambassador Lancaster Stakes 1200m Form Guide
Back Me: With all due respect to James McDonald, he hasn’t ridden Hoss Amor well in her two runs back from a spell. Jimmy Cassidy is on top now. Although I will say she probably had her chance last start behind Boban. I think that form is very good and the drop back to 1200m and a soft track makes her the top pick.
Don’t Back Me: Sookie is a really nice filly that will win her fair share of races, but from barrier 17, this won’t be one of them.
Big Danger: Tinszelda was ultra impressive during the Scone Carnival when spanking a quality field. Biggest test to date for her, but she has plenty of promise and winning form is the best form to have.
Roughie: Caliente stuck to her task gamely for fourth in the same race the top tip contested behind Boban. She also drops back in journey and has drawn beautifully. The $21 is big overs.

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Race Two: XXXX Gold Strawberry Road Handicap 1600m Form Guide
Back Me: I think St Germaine is working up to another win. She was gallant last Saturday behind Pepperwood and her best runs in Queensland have been at Eagle Farm. I think she’ll prove hard to hold out provided the track isn’t too bad.
Don’t Back Me: Solzhenitsyn is a big risk for mine. Weight, wide barrier and the fact he has performed poorly in two runs in the wet suggests to me that he should be steered clear of by punters.
Big Danger: Skyerush looks superbly placed here by Guy Walter given she is only carrying 59kg against this lot and that she is a swimmer. Forget she went around last start. She pulled hard in the run and the track was firm that day. Big threat here.
Roughie: I’d include Absent Friends in exotics. Probably wasn’t given a good ride last start behind Shezahotshot after settling near last. She did well to finish as close as she did. Leaps in grade here, but Dwayne Dunn takes over and he has been in cracking form of late.

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Race Three: Best Security Daybreak Lover Stakes 1600m Form Guide
Back Me: A classic McEvoy ride cost Mental a win in the Queensland Guineas and a start in the Aami Stradbroke last week. He got a mile back and had no chance. However, he didn’t really appreciate the bog track. 1600m looks nice, as does the prospect of a firmer track. $1.60 is about right.
Don’t Back Me: Ametsis ran the race of her short career in the Dane Ripper last week when finishing fourth, less than a length behind Red Tracer. The extreme outside barrier and the fact she is inconsistent makes it hard for her to be considered a chance.
Big Danger: Biggles was due to run in the Guineas last week but was scratched due to the wet going. If the track does dry up a bit by Saturday, then this bloke is a chance. Talented galloper on his best form and he has striked a nice race.
Roughie: Shanghai Bund was ultra impressive in a benchmark race at Doomben when sitting deep early before going forward to lead and giving his rivals a towelling. Class will carry him a long way.

$250 Mental Free Bet

Race Four: David Jones Lightning Handicap 1000m Form Guide
Back Me: $9.50 for Seek And Find is superb value. Toughed it out to win first up in the Doomben Dash before toughing it out again for a strong second Excellantes in the Chief De Beers a fortnight ago. He should speed across and sit behind Adebisi before overpowering that horse given he probably isn’t strong at the end of 1000m.
Don’t Back Me: Excellantes has a wonderful record at the track (8:3-4-1), but anything worse than dead and he may struggle.
Big Danger: This is the easiest race Facile Tigre has contested in six months. Loads of class on these, drawn perfectly, handles all conditions and he should get the pace on to charge late.
Roughie: Royal Bender was impressive in winning at Sandown when settling well back and swooping on them down the centre of the track for a very comfortable win. She has performed well in blacktype races before and she deserves another crack.

$250 Mental Free Bet

Race Five: Patinack Farm T.J Smith 1600m Form Guide
Back Me: Sizzling has the horses he beat last week covered. He is the best horse in the race, 1600m shouldn’t be a worry and he can perform on dry and wet ground, so I think the $1.90 on offer is generous.
Don’t Back Me: The horses that finished behind Sizzling last Saturday. They won’t turn the tables.
Big Danger: Kabayan is going to win good races in the future. He is classy. One of the better debut wins you’ll come across when this bloke won at Wyong before doing all the work and only got beat a half length by Destruction, a boom youngster from Patinack Farm. The quick rise to 1600m and a trip north maybe a touch too soon, but his two runs to date do warrant him to be a major threat. Boban is the other danger as well because his win the other day at Doomben was simply outstanding.
Roughie: Donna Cativa was big overs and well placed by trainer Danny O’Brien when she destroyed her rivals at Morphettville. She then went back home to Flemington and had absolutely no luck when caught behind tired horses. Wouldn’t surprise me if she figured in the finish.

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Race Six: Channel Seven Queensland Derby 2400m Form Guide
Back Me: Apart from maybe two or three horses, you could make a winning case for every other runner. I had something each-way on Westsouthwest last week at Sandown and he was very impressive at 1600m after sitting deep throughout yet was very determined in winning hence why the quick rise to 2400m shouldn’t pose a problem. Smerdon is in a purple patch of form, drawn well, handles the wet and has fresh legs.
Don’t Back Me: If the rain pelted down, then Vatuvei would nearly be top pick. But it seems like we’ll only get a slow track, and he was safely held by his stablemate Brambles last start.
Big Danger: It’s hard to fault Brambles. His two runs in the wet during his career were arguably the run of the day at those respective meetings. He has really blossomed in Queensland, with three starts for two superb wins and a luckless third. He led them up last start and just ran them ragged. Will those same tactics win another race for him again? Probably not given there is a Waterhouse runner lining up. Zabeelionaire has the form on the board, as does Quintessential. So both of those Classic winners should be respected.
Roughie: Tohunga wasn’t given the best ride at Canterbury last start when a heavily backed favourite. In saying that, the 2400m is no issue for him and he’ll grind away very strongly. I’ve been waiting for Reigning to do something, and I think his run behind Brambles was good enough to suggest he should be included in multiples. He was five and six deep throughout and actually fought on well.

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Race Seven: Aami Stradbroke Handicap 1400m Form Guide
Back Me: You won’t find a more consistent horse than Tiger Tees, and I’ve put him on top. He showed his fighting qualities when winning the Brc Sprint after leading and somewhat looking beat several times over the final furlong. Fitter and the wetter it is, the more confident I am he will win.
Don’t Back Me: Not sure why Wealth Princess is $8. I actually thought she was disappointing last week in the Dane Ripper after having the perfect run. She didn’t finish off the race as well as I would have liked heading into the best 1400m race in Australia.
Big Danger: All you can do is win and that is what Sea Siren has done since arriving in Queensland. She broke a major hoodoo in the Doomben 10,000 and will have to set a weight carrying record here, but she is one of the better three-year-old fillies in Australia, alongside Atlantic Jewel, Mosheen and Streama…She’s in very good company there.
Roughie: Dear me, where to begin…Varenna Miss produced a sparkling track gallop last week, Spirit Of Boom produced the best run behind the winner in the 10,000, Temple Of Boom sat three deep in that race and fought on for third and Nash takes over and Mid Summer Music gets back to handicap level, perfect barrier and swims.

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Race Eight:Timeform Brisbane Cup 2400m Form Guide
Back Me: Absolutely is ticking over nicely and is knocking on the door to win a nice race. Sat three deep throughout in the Premier’s Cup and finished only two lengths away from the winner. She should get a wet track for this and for a Group One winner, she looks so well weighted given she is only a half kilo over the minimum.
Don’t Back Me: Reuben Percival was off the bit a fair way out last week yet kept on keeping on to win right on the peg. Barrier 20 against this calibre of horse makes it near impossible.
Big Danger: The obvious threats are Mawingo and Lights Of Heaven. Mawingo won the Doomben Cup despite being protested against, which was wishful from the connections of Manighar. He is a classy import who has impressed since coming to Australia. He needs to run well here to be considered a genuine Cups contender for the Spring. Lights Of Heaven was very game in that race before slogging it out for a game win in the Eagle Farm Cup last week.
Roughie: Scenic Shot and The Verminator are the two knockout horses for me. The former has been racing so well at the moment but just bumps into one or two better horses on the day. The Verminator is getting back to his best form and should have won last week when nailed on the line by Reuben Percival. He got caught near the fence, which was a no-go zone, but that wasn’t Rawillers fault given he saved all the ground in the world. He rode a 12/10 race. What a cracking race to end the day.

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