Prior to March, Buffet Buster was a rather anonymous 3-year-old gelding in Australia, with 1 win in 15 starts.

Buffet Buster had a higher profile after March, albeit in lesser races. Buffet Buster won three consecutive minor races at three different venues with different riders at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to slightly more than seven furlongs.

With each win, Buffet Buster faced tougher competition. His next test occurs in a seven-furlong handicap at Tamworth Racecourse where he is part of a field of 14.

Circle of Life was the champion 2-year-old filly of 2021 in Japan, a status that she may find difficult to retain in the 3-year-old division this year.

Circle of Life was third to Namur in the Grade 2 Tulip Sho at a mile at Hanshin Racecourse on March 5 in her first start of the year and must face that rival again in Sunday’s Grade 1 Japanese 1000 Guineas at a mile at Hanshin.

Angel Rock was overmatched when she finished third in an allowance race at Moonee Valley Racecourse in Australia on March 19.

Angel Rock was beaten five lengths by the undefeated Yonce, who was scheduled to start in a Group 1 for fillies and mares at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Saturday.

Angel Rock has been given a more reasonable goal in Sunday’s Terang Cup at 1 5/16 miles at Terang Racecourse.

Relentless recent rain could lead to the postponement of a program with four Group 1 races at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday.

More than five inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period ending on Thursday with more forecast before Saturday.

If racing is held, conditions will be testing for what has the making of an excellent program.

The future-book bets started to appear in the final days of March on a seemingly unlikely candidate for Saturday’s $1.3 million Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree Racecourse in England.

The 10-year-old mare Snow Leopardess, who delivered a foal three years ago, was 14-1 as recently as 10 days ago for the Grand National, run at 4 5/16 miles over 30 fences. By Monday, Snow Leopardess was the 7-1 favorite with bookmakers, a position she held on Thursday.

SHA TIN SELECTIONS
(Sunday, April 10, 2022) 

Shameonus will start at 1 5/16 miles for the first time in the Orange Gold Cup at Orange Racecourse in Australia on Friday, a distance that may work for the 5-year-old gelding.

Shameonus has a good record at Orange, with a win in his second appearance at the countryside track in the one-mile Orange Gold Cup Prelude on March 20. Shameonus was never far from the front and pulled clear to win by nearly 2 1/2 lengths for his third win in 12 starts.

Shameonus, who will be ridden by Ashley Morgan, is likely to race near the front.

For the time being, the Australian gelding Different Strokes has been relieved of tough race assignments.

After finishing 17th in a field of 18 as the 2-1 favorite in the $526,400 Four Pillars Stakes last October, and eighth of 14 in a regional stakes qualifier at Newcastle on March 26 in his first start of 2022, Different Strokes will take a significant drop in class in a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse on Thursday.

Paul Lally:

R1: 4-1-2-5
R2: 2-3-6-4
R3: 11-7-3-2
R4: 2-3-7-1
R5: 5-11-9-3
R6: 3-9-7-5
R7: 8-2-3-6
R8: 2-10-9-7
R9: 4-3-6-11

Best Bet R5 - 5 Noble One
Longshot R6 - 3 Prime Minister
Play R6 QQP 3-7-9

Mark McNamara:

R1 – 4.2.5.1
R2 – 2.4.3.6
R3 – 7.5.11.6
R4 – 2.3.1.5
R5 – 5.8.11.7
R6 – 9.5.7.8
R7 – 2.8.6.11
R8 – 12.9.2.1
R9 – 4.3.6.10

Money Catcher, fresh off two surprisingly good performances at Sha Tin in the 4-year-old classic series, tries his luck Wednesday at Happy Valley.

Money Catcher is among seven entrants in race 4, a Class 2 handicap for horses rated 100-80 carded at 1,800 meters (about 1 1/8 miles). This is a small field by Hong Kong standards but it’s a solid group and the race has some substance.