Belmont Tips with Greg Hooper 7th Sept.

Greg Hooper | Metropolitan Racing | Wed 7 September, 2011

RACE 1 - WESTSPEED 3YO MAIDEN

No.10 CONI BAY. We start the day with a very thin three-year-old maiden. With the scratching of Palmdale I am more than happy to be on CONI BAY. She has started twice over 1200m and on both occasions she has found the line nicely late, suggesting the 1400m will be ideal. From barrier 1 she gets the perfect run in transit and with the cutaway being in use Brad Parnham won't have issues getting a run. It's hard to put a finger on the main dangers. CHERRY CHA CHA'S debut was solid but her chances appear to have nosed dived with her barrier draw. LOUISIANA BLUES can improve second up from a lacklustre first up effort.
Numbers 10, 12, 11

Suggested Bet - Coni Bay win

RACE 2 - racingjobs.com.au HANDICAP

No. 2 RETURN TO RIO. This is a small field but there is speed to burn with the likes of CARBINE STREET, SOVIET BANKER and RETURN TO RIO. I suspect that CARBINE STREET might have the speed to cross and lead, especially the Hayley Diener being engaged. That being the case RETURN TO RIO will have to take a sit but I don't envisage that to be a major problem, if anything it might assist him to race more tractably. This is a step up in grade from his last win but he looks a horse on the way up and is a big chance at making it three from three. The clear second pick for me is UNION CITY. He won on debut but has had a very frustrating run of out since. He is still racing well though and he looks the obvious danger. If CARBINE STREET found his best form he'd be chance as well
Numbers 3, 4, 1, 2

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 3 - WESTSPEED 3YO HANDICAP

No. 2 ANGEL BY ME. This looks a nice little race for the fillies with a few winning chances. ANGEL BY ME was a dominant winner in maiden company at her recent outing. She was taken straight to the front controlled the tempo and never looked in any danger. I see no reason why she can't take the next step in midweek city class. From barrier 1 she can either lead or settle on INTERNATIONALIST'S back and from both scenarios she is the one to beat. The Bel Esprit filly SWING resumes from a spell. Her debut back in May in Saturday company was more than encouraging. She settled midfield on the fence, loomed large at the 100m but peaked late to run a close up second. She clearly has big claims. INTERNATIONALIST resumes from a spell. As we know this filly has some toe and I expect her to be in the race for a long way. BEAR RIO ran second to ANGEL BY ME on debut, hard to see her turning the tables but she will be around the mark. TWIKKEY ran well last week but I suspect she is looking for further. MOUNT MARION went very average last start, maybe she can improve with the drop back to 1200m.
Numbers 2, 4, 1, 5

Suggested Bet - Angel By Me win and Swing save if odds allow

RACE 4 - WESTSPEED 3YO HANDICAP

No. 2 EXCLUSIVE HONOUR. Like the fillies event this appears to be a good little race. The pace should be strong with SCREAMING PLUM, ARISTEUS and SCIDO all likely to hunt and look for the lead. I was really taken by the debut of EXCLUSIVE HONOUR back in April of this year. He settled near the tail but once the field straightened up he found the line like a talented horse. He resumes without a trial but this is common practice with this stable and with some tempo on upfront I think he can finish all over these. The blinkers went on SCREAMING PLUM last week and he was able to lead, dictate and breakthrough. He's always shown ability and he can definitely go on with it now. SCIDO has won two trials in great fashion in anticipation for his return. He looks a nice type and I expect him to settle right on top of the speed and be in this for a long way. SONAZEE'S trials have been good and I expect a bold showing from his first up. ARISTEUS went back to the trials after his first up failure and he won but really only scrambled home. He led by about 10 lengths when they straightened up but appeared to be tiring late.
Numbers 2, 1, 10, 7

Suggested Bet - Exclusive Honour eachway

RACE 5 - ozbet.com.au HANDICAP

No. 8 RUBITAWNY. I'm pretty confident that RUBITAWNY should be able to make the step from her maiden win to midweek fillies and mares company. She probably should have won on debut, she ducked in badly at the 150m, losing all her momentum but picked up again late to hold down second. She was taken to Northam for an "easy kill" and that is exactly what it turned out to be. She parked just behind the speed and won by 2 and ¾ lengths under a throttle hold. From barrier 3 I expect her to settle just behind the speed and be too good. Plenty of chances for the minors. MELODY LADY was luckless at her recent outing, you can forget she went round after she was held up badly behind a tiring runner. RUBITROVE always finds the line hard and should be included in multiples. LONE PRINCESS should lead and give them something to catch.
Numbers 8, 4, 5, 3

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 6 - PERTH RACING MEMBERS HANDICAP

No. 7 LEE RANI. On paper this does looks a very tough start to the quaddie, I think there are host of chances. LEE RANI resumes from a spell without a trial but when last in work she showed more than her fair share of ability. She led and won her first couple of starts and then ran a career best effort on Perth Cup day when she again led but was rundown late by the very smart, Luckygray. That race did produce plenty of future winners. I think she will zoom over from her wide gate, take up the early running and give them all something to catch. There are a host of other chances. PRINCESS GRANDERA always has claims in this grade. She ran well last start in Saturday company. GRACEFUL CHARLI finds it hard to win but from her good draw she should get all the favours, especially with W Pike aboard. YAMUNOTRI drops back to midweek grade and to 1000m, clearly she is more suited here than last start. OUR MOSCATO and SUMMER SWALLOW can both improve from their lacklustre first up performances without surprising. LIKE WILDFIRE and KENMARETTE obviously have ability and although 1000m is well short of their pet distances I expect them to be closing off nicely late. A race of plenty of question marks for me. Good luck with your quaddie numbers!!
Numbers 7, 8, 6, 11

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 7 - tabtouch.mobi HANDICAP

No. 3 DON'T SAY BOO. Obviously the scratching of WHALAH has changed the complexion of this race substantially. DON'T SAY BOO is crying out for the 1700m. He settled near enough to last at Northam over 1300m and found the line nicely to run into a minor placing. He should be able to peel to the outside in this race and be very hard to hold out. SHOT OF GLORY is another who will appreciate the step up in distance. His first up win over the 1400m was good, he never got going last week. HENRY THE PHARAOH is a serial get back run on horse. He'll be in the finish somewhere.
Numbers 3, 6, 2, 5

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 8 - CALL TAB TO BET 132 369 HANDICAP

No. 15 SPIRIT OF SANDRA. No other way to put it, this race appears close to impossible. If you are getting involved value is the key. Without any confidence going for the horse right down the bottom, SPIRIT OF SANDRA. I thought her debut was more than satisfactory when she led, gave a kick but tired over the final 100m. Outside her there doesn't appear to a great deal of speed in the race and I expect her to hop straight to the front and give them something to catch. BOXO'CHOCOLATES was sound first up. She sat wide in a fast run race but battled on well. The 1200m will be more to her liking and I think she will be close to the mark. The Brett Pope pair of LADY LADETTE and MARGARET STREET clearly have claims. The latter probably being the most intriguing runner of the race. She is first up off about an 11 month absence but has shown ability previously. Then you have the likes of AMELIA'S REASON RIVALE BOY, ST PIERRE and COSTLY CALL who can always bob up at this level. A very tricky race.
Numbers 15, 12, 3, 7

Suggested Bet - None recommended

RACE 9 - playeronline.com.au HANDICAP

No. 8 DICKENS. There appears decent speed in this with SOUTH BOULDER BOY and HAY STREET HERO both likely to press forward and run along. Hopefully it will set it up nicely for DICKENS who should get the lovely run about midfield on the fence and finish off hard. He resumes from a spell for new trainers Ross and Clint Price and has had the benefit of two barrier trials, his last trial effort was particularly nice viewing. It has been 12 months since his last win but I suspect he is set for a good campaign and I think he has a class edge on this field. It's fairly hard to narrow down the main dangers. SOUTH BOULDER BOY led and won well at Northam at his recent outing. He should be in the race for a long way. MAYAN SKY is resuming from a spell but I expect him to finishing strongly over the 1400m. FINALLY CHINA pushed Dare to Doubt to a head last start and a repeat performance sees him around the mark.
Numbers 8, 4, 9, 12

Suggested Bet - Dickens eachway if odds allow