Easter Saturday

Popped out to Ellerslie.

Put a few in the blackbook.

Walkonby's a promising sprinter and should become Strategic Image's second stakeswinner next season. He was game behind the tough Geeza after been posted 3 wide throughout. A nice physical type who throws to the good ones from the family such as Kosha and Crooked Stick.

Haya Riva can win at short notice. I had a few $ e/w at 70's and if he d got any run he should have been in the money. A big relaxed type who is just coming to it and should win a couple next season.

Horses don't get made any better than Align to Infinity. He's probably a miler rather than a 2000m horse. Connections will have some fun with him next year. In the same race Cape Le Paul was still a bit fat and can win midweek.

Showcause was a nice win against the older horses and was one of the few to make ground down the outside all afternoon. He's only a pony but apparently Frank Ritchie has a fair bit of time for him. An slightly extravagent high action he'll probably handle off tracks. A friend at the races mentioned the dam that very good mare Showella had died recently.

On the intertrack I thought Guthrum who won the second at Riverton will win again shortly and Hell Yeah's finishing burst at Trentham was indicative of her talent.

The 2 year-old at Wellington didn't beat much I thought.

At Caulfield, First Command looks a sprinter we'll see this spring in some nice races. Sectionals at the provincials had been out of top drawer and Lee Freedman has a smart one here by the under rated Commands. And the way Bellabachi stuck on in the 3 year old stayers race suggests the VRC St Leger distance will be right up her alley in a fortnight.

I can't go without dipping my hat to Bart Cummings. Genius is an oversubscribed word these days but the title struggles to do him justice. And what can you say about Jimmy Cassidy. He's had more ups and downs than the Fijian political system but he keeps getting up. Good on ya pumper, you and Bart are great for the game.

And the Bakers I thought didn't loose much in comparison. Harris Tweed should be twice the horse next season after 2 months in the paddock.

And what a season that Sneetch/Sellou family has had. Black Mamba in the States, Can't Keeper Down runs second in the Oaks and now Roman Emperor.

The fields for Ellerslie tomorrow are okay. I see Attackum is in. Apparently you d need a crowbar to get Jame's McDonald off him. Could be a litmus test tomorrow, few showers around here today and backing up quickly.