You can't spell Rockhampton without HAM, and that's what we're here to win today - the Christmas Ham. It's a balmy day in the Beef Capital, but there's seven winners to be found for that Chrissy fill up!
Race 1: Maiden Handicap (1500m)
There's not a whole lot of talent in the opener, so Unlikely Hero should be pretty hard to beat if he can repeat his last start effort. Staying out though.
Race 2: 3YO Maiden Handicap (1200m)
I've really liked the trial and jump outs of DESERT KOBY who makes his debut here. He scored comfortably in his only trial, before matching motors with open sprinter Dollar Dollar in a jump out earlier in the month, with those two putting about 15L on the third horse, albeit a horse with no race or trial experience. He should jump well from the wide draw under Bubba Tilley and put himself right in the race early on, which should see him prove hard to gun down. I'm also going to have something on SLASHER who trialled well leading into this too.
Race 3: Class 6 Plate (1050m)
I think there's only two chances here; Ocean Emperor & Just Super. While Janean is shooting for six straight, she's surely going to get found out in a race like this, especially when the weight swing favours Ocean Emperor in a big way. He should end up one-out, one-back, giving Justin Huxtable a pretty comfortable steer. Third-up, peaking in fitness - this is his race.
Race 4: Ratings 0-55 Handicap (1050m)
Barrier 14 is death for Airit, but he should win. No bet.
Race 5: Magic Millions Country Cup Qualifier Open Handicap (1200m)
This is one strange old race, with plenty of horses not suited by the distance. Media Empire looks a good thing though, despite the tricky gate. He gets 7.5kg off Art By Concorde who's coming back to 1200m from the mile, Letmeletgo will struggle to pick his feet up over 1200m and the less said about Cochrane the better. Media Empire never runs a bad race at Rocky and brings Chinny Boom form, so I expect he firms and jumps close to favourite.
Race 6: Class 6 (1200m)
Scratchings mean Street Glory is a moral. No bet.
Race 7: Class 3 Plate (1400m)
Top Spy is just a good thing here. He started a well-backed favourite first-up but was left with too much to do over a trip short of his best, but he closed off well. Now second-up, out to 1400m and coming out of a race where the form has already been franked with Track Tale winning on Saturday, I expect that he'll just have panels on them.
Living Breathing - Race 7 #14 Top Spy
Selections:
Race 1: NO BET
Race 2: DESERT KOBY
Race 3: OCEAN EMPEROR
Race 4: NO BET
Race 5: MEDIA EMPIRE
Race 6: NO BET
Race 7: TOP SPY
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