Punt Drunk: Rodd wins at Ipswich in Queensland return
It’s here, punters! Saturday, the best day of the week! The day where we put all responsibilities aside, get the form guide out, send some ridiculous tips in the group chat and made sure those cold beers are well stocked and raring to go like Black Caviar down the Flemington straight.
It’s Kingston Town Classic Day, and considering it’s the last Group 1 of the year, plenty of punters will be hoping the old “Pikey in the last” mantra rings true when the Wizard of the West pairs up with Inspirational Girl the $2.10 favourite in the featured event.
There are 14 local gallops meetings, so there’s plenty of winners to be found to help build up the Christmas fund!
Weights to go back up in January 2021
Jockey weights are set to return to pre-COVID levels from January 2 next year, when the 2kg weight allowance will be rescinded. It means that the top weight will be set at 60kg and the minimum at 54kg, so plenty of jockeys can throw away the lettuce leaves and add in a steak to their diet more often. Boy, doesn’t that sound like a better alternative!
Rodd back doing what he does best
What do the jockeys think of superstar jockey Michael Rodd returning to QLD?✨? #bneraces #ItsWhereWellBe @MichaelRodd2 pic.twitter.com/l2r9zyTEQT
— Brisbane Racing Club (@BrisRacingClub) December 3, 2020
Michael Rodd had two rides for his first day back at the races in Queensland and made full use of that by steering home La Ready Rosa over the 800m dash at Ipswich. With plenty of competition in the jockey ranks in Victoria, Rodd opted to make a move back to Queensland and his first ride back in the pigskin saw him back in the winner’s circle for his old boss Tony Gollan. Rodd has a book of four rides at Doomben on Saturday and will be hoping he can build on his return throughout the coming weeks in the lead up to the Magic Millions.
A fired-up Avdulla and the stewards walk into a room…
She does it again!! That's four for @RachelK11 as she snags another winner aboard Invictus Salute in the Starlight Stakes for @mark_mnracing
An impressive training performance ?
Invictus Salute is in foal to I Am Invincible and what a win to add to her CV before going to stud pic.twitter.com/jZtLCvynCQ
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 28, 2020
No, it’s not the start to a terrible dad joke, we promise, but it has potential! However, Brenton Avdulla last weekend was pulled into the stewards’ room after they raised eyebrows for his ride on Joe Pride’s Passage Of Time in last weekend’s Rosehill Stakes. Avdulla clearly disagreed with the stewards’ thoughts and pretty much told them to stick it where the sun didn’t shine before storming out of the room. The hearing got back underway on Friday at Randwick where Avdulla was eventually found not to have a case to answer. See the ride above.