Punt Drunk: All eyes are on QLD

[Wandering Eyes]

Winter is fast approaching and the team at Punt Drunk outright despise the cold weather.

It’s cold and miserable in Melbourne, we have a bunch of BM78’s in NSW and racing in South Australia is seemingly in the mud. So, for the next few weeks we are heading to Queensland.

In this week’s edition of Punt Drunk, we’ll have a look at the two Group 1 events at Eagle Farm on Saturday as well as an elite call from Dan Milecki at the Ballarat trots.

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Is Kovalica a moral in the Queensland Derby?

Kovalica winning the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m). Photo: Grant Peters

It is usually a punting curse declaring a horse a moral, but how do they beat Kovalica in the Group 1 Queensland Derby?

The Chris Waller-trained three-year-old is on the quick back-up having finished third in last week’s Doomben Cup at weight-for-age level.

This is his first crack at 2400m, but everything he has done so far in his career suggests he will just simply eat it up.

The bloke looked like he’d win the Doomben Cup last week if there was another 100m or so and this is easily a simpler task for the youngster.

He needs to overcome the likes of SA Derby runner-up Promises Kept and VRC Derby place-getter Aberfeldie Boy, but Kovalica looks to be something special.

The Chris Waller/James McDonald combination in a Group 1? Yes please.

In our eyes, Kovalica is a living breathing certainty, and is much better than bank interest.

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Group 1 glory up for grabs in Kingsford Smith Cup

The Queensland Derby may be a fait accompli, but the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup is far from it.

Joe Pride’s progressive sprinter Think About It heads the market with online bookmakers at $5, with A Case Of You, Rothfire, Vilana and King Of Sparta all at a single figure quote for the 1300m sprint.

Throw in the likes of Eduardo and Paulele, who are both genuine Group 1 performers and we’ve got a four legged raffle on hour hands.

If there are two more scratchings in the event, the Tony Gollan’s Artino brings a bit of “x-factor” in to the race.

We get plenty of “dart board” jobs when it comes to Group 1 weight-for-age sprints and the 2023 Kingsford Smith Cup is one of those races.

Give us the $14 about Eduardo back on a firmer deck with Nash Rawiller on board!

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Dan Milecki – Simply The Best

Dan Milecki has called Melbourne Cups, countless harness racing meets and in general a heap of races throughout his career.

His performance in Race 1 of the Ballarat trots on Thursday night will go down as one of his most creative.

The entertainment world was shocked with the passing of Tina Turner and Milecki saw it as a chance to honour the rock icon.

Nutbush City Limits
Let’s Stay Together
… Another Hero
You’re Simply The Best
Big Wheels Keep On Turning
Dan Mielicki paid tribute to the late, great #TinaTurner through race 1 at the @bdtc150 #trots tonight, when Sugoi Alto saluted. pic.twitter.com/sSMq4NHMBW

— The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) May 25, 2023

The legendary caller threw in some of her best hits throughout his call, in a truly unique way of honouring Turner.

On these shores, in a sporting sense, she is obviously most fondly remembered by this NRL promo back in the 1990’s.

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About Punt Drunk

Welcome to Punt Drunk – our daily column covering all the latest horse racing and punting controversies, dramas and headline news. Have a story or gripe or issue that just grinds your gears? Just hit us up in the comments or contact us page and our jaded, punt hardened Punt Drunk staff will give it the Punt Drunk treatment it deserves. Don’t expect pleasantries or typical racing media fanboy gloss from Punt Drunk – we’re on the punt and we don’t have time to bullshit; the next is about to jump…

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