Zipping the early favourite for Sandown Classic
Brad Waters
Thursday, 13 November 2008



Yalumba Stakes winner Douro Valley will take his place in the field in Saturday's Sandown Classic - photo by Steve Hart


Zipping has opened up as a $2,60 favourite to win back-to-back GII Sandown Classics on TAB Sportsbet’s opening markets.

The John Sadler-trained galloper comes off exactly the same lead-in races as last year, running a decent race in the Melbourne Cup before tackling the Sandown Classic.

The weight-for-age scale is in Zipping’s favour as he does not rise in weight from last year’s win and the weight swings to his Melbourne Cup rivals, Boundless and Red Lord are not really enough for them to turn the tables on the son of Danehill.

A major factor that is not present in this year’s edition of the Sandown Classic is a stablemate racing on the pace with Extend not being in this year’s Sandown Classic.

Realistically, Zipping’s form is more than good enough for a Sandown Classic and the weight-for-age scale does suit and is a worthy favourite for the Sandown Classic.

The TAB Sportsbet market currently stands around the 130% mark.


RACE 7 SANDOWN - HILLSIDE (MR) SANDOWN CLASSIC (GROUP 2 SWFA)
START: 14:10 [15/11/2008] DISTANCE: 2400m TIPS:
WEATHER: UNKNOWN TRACK: UNKNOWN PAYING: 1,2,3
Win $0 Place $0 Quinella $0 Exacta $0 Trifecta $0 Quartet $0 Double $0

No. Name Win div Place div Rider Bar Hcp
1 ZIPPING 0.00 0.00 M RODD 10 59
2 DOURO VALLEY 0.00 0.00 J WINKS 8 59
3 BAUGHURST 0.00 0.00 S KING 2 59
4 RED LORD 0.00 0.00 P ROBL 7 59
5 LIGHT VISION 0.00 0.00 B MELHAM 6 59
6 CAPECOVER 0.00 0.00 C WILLIAMS 1 59
7 RED RULER 0.00 0.00 K MCEVOY 5 58
8 ROAD TO ROCK 0.00 0.00 M ZAHRA 3 58
9 REGGIE 0.00 0.00 J BENBOW 4 57
10 BOUNDLESS 0.00 0.00 G CHILDS 9 56

Placing Number Name Rider Win Place
1st 1 ZIPPING M RODD 2.00 1.20
2nd 2 DOURO VALLEY J WINKS 2.90
3rd 7 RED RULER K MCEVOY 1.90
4th 8 ROAD TO ROCK M ZAHRA

Betting Pool: WIN $902,184; PLACE $434,372; QUINELLA $7,986; EXACTA $4,060; TRIFECTA $345,406; QUARTET $15,228; DOUBLE $3,226; QUADDIE $1,858,375
Quaddie Subs: 3 CAYMANS Won, 1 ZIPPING Won, Not Entered, Not Entered
Scratched: 10, BOUNDLESS
Protest - PROTEST PENDING - 5TH H5 V 4TH H8

Novelty Pools

QUINELLA 1-2 11.10
EXACTA 1-2 15.20
TRIFECTA 1-2-7 66.70
QUARTET 1-2-7-8 567.60
DOUBLE(6,7) 3-1 6.00

This used to be called the Sandown Cup. Why they change the names of all these races who knows.

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Hussler, I appreciate very much what you mean with regard to the name changes of feature races. At least in this case it is still an appropriate traditionalist sort of name, that is, it sounds like a horse race of some note. Am I wrong that the Hotham Handicap which has most recently been called the Saab Quality, was at one time changed to the Sorbent Handicap. I know I read this but it is not impossible that it was just a journalist 'slinging off' at the time about such name changes. Maybe it was the Harpic. The Hotham/Saab Quality of course is one of the traditional lead up races for the Melbourne Cup. It is part of the Vic Derby day program. I can assure members that there is more than one Sorbent Handicap held in Australia each year. There was one at Rosehill in March of this year and another at Mooney Valley. However, there is no getting away from the necessity for sponsorship in racing and for that matter in virtually every sport. If Sorbent wants to sponsor some dog races in a big way then bring it on. In fact, there are probably some dogs around with names that would make them omen bets. I will stay away from this one otherwise I might get kicked of the site which I have only just joined.

No your right mate. Its not just sponsorship though, there's plenty of other races which they have now just named after people, like the Andrew Ramsden (formerly Duke of Norfolk.)
Have they just not heard about being traditional or something. Sponsorship of races I'm OK with, I mean not that I like them but the industry needs them and the sponsorship of races brings in good money, but they just go and completely name the race after a sponsor - that I can't stand.
And your right that at least they've maintained some sort of a decent name for the Sandown Cup but even still, why change the name?

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All so just on the same issue. I'm sure everyones heard the controversy surrounding the issue that the MRC have sold the naming rights of the Sandown Racecourse to Betfair (so that it will now be called Betfair Park) and I don't see the problem - call me old fashioned but I'll just be still calling it Sandown.

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Yeah i heard about this a few days ago, i wonder what betfair paid to get the naming rights? i think they also get a saturday race everyweek named betfair cup or something which was included in the deal.

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I think next time I get a real healthy trifecta dividend I'll put the money towards naming a race the 'still call it sandown handicap' or something :P

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I did not know that about the Sandown course name change proposal. It's all a bit sad. With regard to the names of races, I do however, have to admit to a little smile when I hear them refer to the "Drink Drive Bloody Idiot 3 YO Pace" or whatever. However, I do not want to hear a race of any note, in any code, given that name.