Scotia after his travels

Good morning to the Clan and hope you are well, its been a long week and glad to be getting back to normal and only one more sleep to the weekend

My trip to Umhalanga/Durban was great.

Was taken by Clyde (a very knowledgeable horsey man) for a tour of the Hollywood facilities and a very well run busy concern.
32 shops in the group with the best curries in Durban?
Friendly staff and almost a full house of punters at 9.30 in the morning!


"Hollywood group very impressive"

As promised to Mrs S no racing over the weekend, but we(me) could not resist a trip to Clairwood on the Sunday on the way back to the airport, pity they have moved the airport, but must say its has a lovely atmosphere.

We did manage a few good meals Sea Rescue Club? is a must, its on the beach front a few hundred yards from Oyster Box has magic fresh seafood at rock bottom prices R10 an Oyster and Haute Cabriere at R89 per bottle, not a fancy place shorts and flips and you are over dressed but by far the best place to go.
A few hundred yards up the road a Mauritius restaurant rather classy but half a duck and rack of lamb at R150 per plate and the same wine R140 and you are still hungry after the designer size portions.
The bad news was that Cotton Fields had closed but the good news is that its been replaced by "Hooters" very friendly staff and if you fancy a bit jazz/rock in the evening try the new place Mohemian Lounge just a few yards from Hooters.


"R10 each"

Also managed to pop into the casino at Sibaya and a quick 29 by the neighbours paid for the meals.

We stayed in the Garden Court as part of the package deal and must say also impressive and the staff were excellent, but 2 mins from the Sea? (only by Concorde)

I then went onto Botswana and must say a vast country with a small population about 1.8 Million, people very friendly, almost no serious crime, it is poor in places but no begging, the Government look after the unemployed with good schools and uniforms/shoes paid for by the state. Hotel was 5 star at reasonable rates. Its almost impossible to become a citizen.The average life expectancy is 40 due to "Aids" and the currency is "Pula" so would suggest if visiting safer to "Pula your Plonker".
The productivity levels are good and the workforce have a good attitude, Unions do exist but also get the impression its ok to strike providing its on a Sat or Sunday.
Next big project is a railway running from Namibia, Botswana to Mozambique transferring coal

Just a word on the Chinese, massive investments in Africa and to protect their "investments" they are basically setting up numerous military bases which could be cause for concern over the next few years but I will leave that to the politicians.

Back to racing I did manage to find a bookies to watch Frankel destroy the field and looking at the ante post markets on www.sportingbet.com I was surprised to see 11/8 on offer for the 2000gns, was sure it would have gone money on?



The other markets have So You Think at 5/10 for the Cox Plate, its as short as 9/2 for the Cup.

Moving on to the Breeders Cup meeting Midday evens for the Fillies and Mares, Goldikova 5/4 for the Mile and Workforce 2/1 for the Turf and Zenyatta 7/2 to make it 20 from 20 in the Classic plus would it not be appropriate if Starspangledbanner won the sprint at 10/1.

I am delighted the way the site is running at present and thank you all again for the wonderful contributions.

The RA have also come on board to try and reply to some of the Clan concerns and I see this as a positive move for the future of racing.

Racing Association

Jackpot Rule Change

False Starts

I will be playing a less active role in the site as other business commitments have become a priority, but the site will continue to function as normal and be assured its in good hands.

Will still be doing the occasional scotia posts and with a bit luck will not get banned.

Have a great weekend and may your God be with you

good punting!

scotia

Dave

It was a pleasure to meet with you and the wife in person at Clairwood on Sunday. Don't forget my offer the next time you are in Durban.
I was also at the course on Wednesday when Miss D ran a cracker for 3rd. Hope you will be down the next time she runs so you can lead her in to the number 1 box.

Cheers Mate and all the Best

Anthony G

Look forward to the next trip Anthony and remember the vindaloo "hot" no bones.

So You Think out to join the greats in Cox Plate

Moonee Valley: Tatts Cox Plate (Group 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo+

LAST year's winner So You Think (Bart Cummings/Steven Arnold) is odds-on to join the greats of Australian racing by completing back-to-back successes in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in Melbourne on Saturday.

The Aus$3million (£1.68m) event is regarded as Australasia's weight-for-age championship - and it features a clash of the nation's Group 1 heavyweights as Gai Waterhouse saddles glamour filly More Joyous in a bid to dethrone Bart Cummings' superstar So You Think.


It won't be easy for the pretender, though, for So You Think hasn't put a foot wrong this season en route to defending the title he claimed in such brilliant front-running style as a three-year-old in 2009.

The son of High Chaparral has racked up a hat-trick, including a pair of commanding victories in Group 1 company at Caulfield, where victims have included Saturday's rivals Whobegotyouand Shoot Out.

In his famously laconic way, Cummings sounds more than hopeful. "If it was Mr Ed he'd talk to me but, I can only go on what I see and he looks just as good as he has been in the last three months," said the 82-year-old, speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Thursday.

"No one's over the line in this game. If it was, the bookies would be all broke, as you know," he added. "It's not as easy as it appears, but being the champion he is, I think he'll probably be able to handle it. He's a bit better than the rest. He's a big powerful horse, great constitution, a good action and he's got a great will to win."

Glen Boss rode So You Think to victory 12 months ago but this time Steven Arnold takes over.

Arnold, well known in Britain after riding Scenic Blast to win the 2009 King's Stand Stakes, reckons a Cox Plate win will surpass anything he has achieved before.

"To go to Royal Ascot and win the race was a great life experience and a great racing experience," Arnold said.

"But, to win the Cox Plate would no doubt be my greatest moment.

"If he happens to win on Saturday it will be his second Cox Plate in ten starts, so if he can do that he's pretty special," he added. "He's an awesome horse to ride," he said. "You get some good horses that feel amazing but he's a real quality animal to ride.

The possibility of soft ground is one imponderable for Australian racing's newest superstar, trading at 1-2 at home, but at least he is favourably drawn in gate five. "He's an on-speed horse so the draw is ideal," said Arnold.

Chief rival in a ten-runner field is the glamour filly More Joyous (Gai Waterhouse/Nash Rawiller) who arrives from Sydney on the back of a succession of Group-race victories. But none of her eight Group-race victories has come at beyond 1m - and here she steps up to 1m2f.

"I think this mare is very good and she is probably still a little underestimated," said jockey Nash Rawiller.

"This is the big test and she's got to prove it but she doesn't have to prove anything to me. I ride her a lot and she's proven it to me, butbasically she gets her chance on Saturday to come out and prove it to everyone else. She is as good as she can possibly be - she has just blossomed down here."

Corey Brown gets a late call-up in tragic circumstances to ride AJC Australian Derby winner Shoot Out (John Wallace) after the sudden death of his friend Stathi Katsidis, the colt's regular partner, in Brisbane on Tuesday.

"I'm still in shock," Brown told Sydney's Sky Sports Radio. "But someone does have to ride the horse and I'm privileged to be on him."

Wall Street (Jeff Lynds/Michael Coleman) is bidding to become the 12th New Zealand-trained winner of the Cox Plate and the first since the mighty mare Sunline completed back-to-back successes in 1999-2000.

"His greatest quality is his turn of foot - it's quite amazing when he lets down," said trainer Jeff Lynds of the multiple Group 1-winning son of Montjeu.

"A good Montjeu can take on a High Chaparral - that's what we're here for," he added.

"The Cox Plate is about getting the best horses from Australasia and letting them have a crack at each other. You learn to take the good with the bad in racing but it's good to be here to suck in the atmosphere - and he's improved dramatically this trip and has settled in and got going like a real racehorse should."

Others in the field include last year's beaten favourite, the MooneeValley specialist Whobegotyou (Mark Kavanagh/Michael Rodd), Epsom Handicap one-two Captain Sonador (Roger Milne/Glen Boss) and Trusting (John Thompson/Jim Cassidy), plus Macau visitor Luen Yat Forever (Pou Choi/Dwayne Dunn).

The veteran nine-year-old Zipping (Robert Hickmott/Nicholas Hall) beat Melbourne Cup winner Shockingand Shoot Out last time out in the Group 1 Turnbull at Flemington.

Keep thinking them oysters are a nest full of chicks for some reason X(

Disturbing to hear that the Chinese are setting up camp. They are getting in all over the world. The previous UK Government sold its soul to China. The Chinese will take over the world, in financial terms within 10 years. They have now overtaken the US in the consumption of oil and they are the biggest exporters of toys and cheap garments. But their human rights still stink. A woman has just been forced to have an abortion becasue the authorities were informed that in fact she was pregnant with her second child. The pregancy was terminated at 8 months. Sicking yet the Western Governments still support China. Money,money,money

So You Think lands second Cox Plate

Report: Australia, Saturday

Moonee Valley: Tatts WS Cox Plate (Group 1) 1m2f, turf, 3yo+

SO YOU THINK (Bart Cummings/Steven Arnold) joined the greats of Australian racing when he completed back-to-back victories in the Cox Plate on Saturday.

Sent off a 1-2 shot, the four-year-old son of High Chaparral was the shortest-priced favourite for 40 years in Australasia's premier weight-for-age race.

His supporters never really had a moment's concern. So You Think was always lobbing along just off the pace set by second favourite More Joyous -winner of her last eight for Gai Waterhouse - before being eased into the lead three furlongs out.

After entering the short Moonee Valley straight three lengths clear, he comfortably held Zipping and Whobegotyou, who closed from the rear in the Aus$3million (#1.68m) event.

So You Think joins thelikes of three-time winner Kingston Town, Phar Lap, Tobin Bronze, Sunline and Northerly as a multiple winner of the Cox Plate.

Not for nothing is So You Think's legendary trainer Bart Cummings known as the ‘Cups King' - he is now considering stepping the horse up six furlongs for a crack at the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday week.

"It looks like he will," said Cummings. "He's got a lot of ability and he seems to handle it sexily!"

Jockey Steven Arnold, who partnered Scenic Blast to win the 2009 King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, admitted it was a relief to have landed the biggest success of his career.

"He was such a hot favourite," said the jockey. "I just wanted to let him show his best and not make any errors.

"It's an unbelievable thrill. I was very calm, wasn't nervous at all but knew there was a lot of expectation on him - he's just a great horse."

Well after the weekend So You Think another great win in the Cox has gone 4/1 for the Cup
Workforce is going for the treble Derby/Arc and now the Breeders Cup Turf and is now as short as 15/10
Zenyatta has a good workout and has gone 7/2 for the Classic
Cue Card have a bet for the Supreme Novice 13/2 to pay for a Cheltenham trip?

Good punting!

Cox Plate Replay

Exciting Frankel in line for 2,000 Guineas trial

FRANKEL, ante-post favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas, could take in a Classic trial before attempting to provide trainer Henry Cecil with his first win in the Newmarket Group 1 since Wollow's success in 1976.

The Khalid Abdullah-owned son of Galileo, who crowned his impressive juvenile campaign with victory in the Dubai Dewhurst Stakes this month, is 4-5 with William Hill, but as big as 6-4 with Sportingbet for the 2,000 Guineas.

Gitano and Starspangled bypass Breeders' Cup

GITANO HERNANDO and Starspangledbanner will not be representing Europe at the Breeders' Cup, their trainers revealed to the Racing Post on Monday.

Midday was the cut-off point on Monday and, as entry deadlines were met around the world for the two-day meeting at Churchill Downs on November 5 and 6, the top-flight winners are no longer in the mix.

FREDDIE HEAD issued demoralising news for the opponents of Goldikova in the TVG Breeders' Cup Mile next month when he said that his superstar has had the perfect preparation for her bid to win the race for a historic third time.

Will u be having a wee strike Bob?