Greg Hoopers Tips 7th January

Greg Hooper | Metropolitan Racing | Sat 7 January, 2012

RACE 1 WESTSPEED PLATE 1000m

No. 2 FUDDLE DEE DUDDLE. We start the day with a two-year-old event and a host of first starters. I?m sticking with the class filly, (2) Fuddle Dee Duddle. She will just need a little luck from an awkward gate and she should handle these. (3) Antoccino put in a solid debut, coming from off the speed and finishing nicely. With natural improvement he has good each way claims. I thought the most impressive trial of the first starters was handed in by (14) Society Mak who won under double wraps over 600m. (1) El Rijes was a very good debut winner but raced flatly second up; if he was to find the form he showed on debut he would have very good claims.
Numbers  2, 3, 14, 1

RACE 2  WESTSPEED HANDICAP 1000m

No. 1 STACKS ON. There looks to be a number of winning chances in this three-year-old sprint so it?s without a great deal of confidence that I?m going for (1) Stacks On to make it a winning hat-trick. She has come back a treat this preparation, winning both of her two starts over this trip. She?ll get back in running but will be thundering home. (2) Screaming Plum won well first up and last start, parked wide for the last 600m but still battled on gamely to run a placing. Paul Harvey goes on and he looks a major chance. (3) Right Time has good claims, dropping back to 1000m. He should sit right over the speed and give a big kick in the straight.
Numbers  1, 2, 3, 4

RACE 3  EJR REILLY HANDICAP 1100m

No.1 CAVALLO PAZZO. The class galloper of this race is (1) Cavallo Pazzo and I think he will be very hard to beat. He produced his best last start, pulling to the middle of the track and exploding over his rivals late in the piece. Last preparation, he showed that once he finds his form, he usually holds it. (2) Mantango has a perfect fresh card and both of the wins have been dominant. From barrier 1, he should get all the favours and looks to be the one that (1) Cavallo Pazzo will need to run down. (6) Zester resumes from a spell and he also goes really well fresh. Last campaign, off a similar break, he was able to sit wide and still win. ( Miss Condition broke a long run of outs last start and she is a mare with plenty of ability so it would be no surprise to see her string a few wins together.
Numbers 1, 2, 6, 8

RACE 4  FRED GANGEMI BIRTHDAY HANDICAP 1200m

No. 4 METALMAN. Im more than happy to stick with (4) Metalman who I think is a four-year-old on the rise. He could quite easily be undefeated this preparation, as he was powering home in both of his defeats. He will get back from his wide gate and while there looks to be a lack of genuine speed in the event, hopefully he can park three wide with cover and outsprint his rivals in the straight. (7) Proud Hero has been a fairly costly animal to the punters over the journey but going by his recent trial win, he should be ready to run a big race first up. (13) Strawberry Beau is still a maiden but is a galloper with plenty of promise. He put in some really eye catching efforts in his first campaign so don?t be surprised to see him storming home over the concluding stages.
Numbers 4, 7, 13, 11

RACE 5  playeronline.com.au HANDICAP 1800m

No. 12 TAQWAA. There is a bit of depth to this restricted grade, 1800m race, with some promising types engaged. I?m more than happy to stick with (12) Taqwaa who looks to be another very promising horse for the Simon Miller team. His two wins this preparation have been effortless and although this is his acid test, I think he can take the next step and make it three from three. I do have an opinion of (13) Variety Fair and I think she?ll certainly appreciate the step up to 1800m. (3) Goose has found his form and he should park right over the speed and kick home strongly. (6) The Underworld has been a little flat at his last couple of starts but this race appears to have some genuine speed which he will appreciate.
Numbers  12, 13, 3, 6

RACE 6  ozbet.com.au HANDICAP 1800m

No. 9 MAC IT IS. Unlike the other 1800m event on the card, this race appears to lack depth and for that reason, I?m happy to be on (9) Mac It Is, on an each way basis. He settled too far back at his last couple of starts but still found the line solidly over the concluding stages. From barrier 1, he should settle much closer and if he gets the breaks in the straight, I think he will take a lot of holding out. (3) Bontiara has been racing in all of the ?a-grade? fillies and mares? events so she will appreciate the drop back to this type of class. If she could reproduce her effort from two starts back in the Starstruck Classic, then she would be very hard to beat in this. (4) Ambers Kingdom finally broke his maiden tag last weekend. The concern is the drop back to 1800m, as he might find it hard to beat a few of these with a superior turn of foot. (7) Rose Of May will make her own luck from the front and looks a solid top four chance.
Numbers 9, 3, 4, 7

RACE 7  perthracing.com.au HANDICAP 1200m

No. 12 DURRAHMOORE. This looks like a good, competitive mares race with a number of genuine winning chances. I?ve been impressed with all of (12) Durrahmoore?s efforts this preparation and I think she will get her chance at winning in Saturday company. From her middle gate, I expect her to roll forward and settle in the first four or five and from there she is the one to beat. (13) Festival Star is a promising mare. She was slightly disappointing first up at Pinjarra but it was a race dominated by the leaders and she was working home solidly over the concluding stages. I think she could be the one steaming home late. It has been a long time between drinks for (3) Pearlesque but she does look very close to an overdue win. Her last few efforts have all been good. ( Miss Dandy is in terrific form; she will go forward, make her own luck and kick home strongly.
Numbers 12, 13, 3, 8

RACE 8  PERTH RACING ON FACEBOOK HANDICAP 1500m

No. 4 BIG ATTITUDE. Hopefully we are saving the best for last! (4) Big Attitude is a lightly raced five-year-old who has plenty of upside. His first up effort, when a fast finishing second behind Miss Condition over 1200m, was a real eye catcher. He should really appreciate the step up to 1500m and, provided horses sitting off the speed are winning throughout the day, he should be very hard to hold out. The clear second pick in the race for me is (11) Kimberley Cowboy. He?s run second at his last three starts and is bursting to win a race. From barrier 1, he will either lead or box seat, both of which scenarios suit and he should be in the finish. (5) Private O?Dea is ticking over nicely; he?ll settle right over the speed and looks a solid top four chance. (2) Ultimate Fighter will have to lump 58.5kg, but with the right run, he?s in the mix.
Numbers  4, 11, 5, 2