Saturday best with Ken Callander

HOOKED can hook onto his own piece of fame by winning Saturday’s Frank Packer Plate, 2000m, at Randwick.

Hooked (left), with Blake Shinn on board, finishes a fast third behind Criterion and Tupa

HOOKED, who wasn’t too far off causing the upset of the Autumn when third in the Derby a fortnight ago, can hook onto his own piece of fame by winning today’s Frank Packer Plate, 2000m, at Randwick.

The best Packer Plate win of the past 20 years was turned in by Might And Power in 1997, who overcame an unlucky run at big odds in the Derby to absolutely blitz his rivals in the 2000m race. Hooked is no Might And Power, but neither are his rivals and he is on an upward spiral with a good future.

In the two Group One races, the Champagne Stakes and the All Aged Stakes, bookies have come up with two short price favourites, Peggy Jean at $2.80 in the two-year-old classic and Rebel Dane at $2.50 in the 1400m weight-for-age event, but I don’t think either race is clear cut and I think there are a lot of chances.

Race 1 (12.30)

Betting: $2.60 Haussman, $5 Keith’s Legacy, $5.50 Cameo, $7 Kaypers, $7.50 Said Com

Comment: The advantage for Haussman is there is not much speed in the race with his stablemate Cameo the only likely challenger for early supremacy. All of Kapers’ recent runs have been tip top and he is dropping in class. Centennial Park, Keith’s Legacy and Said Com are beautifully placed on their best, but is that behind them?

Bet: 8 Kaypers

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Centennial Park, 4 Said Com, 6 Haussman, 8 Kaypers

Race 2 (1.05)

Betting: $2.50 Knoydart, $3.60 Hot Snitzel, $4.60 That’s A Good Idea, $5.50 Emblems

Comment: That’s A Good Idea should run them along with Emblems handy, Hot Snitzel getting a beaut run on the rails and Knoydart off the speed ready to pounce. On the strength of his placings in the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket I am a Knoydart fan, but think Hot Snitzel will be hard to topple. If the pace is overdone up front See The World can flash home.

Bet: 3 Knoydart

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Hot Snitzel, 2 See The World, 3 Knoydart

Race 3 (1.40)

Betting: $5 Nothing Like Luca, $6 Green Beret, $7.50 Single Style, $8.50 Taxmeifyoucan, Coins, You’ll Never

Comment: Nothing Like Luca has had two trials to ready him, but a 45 week lay-off is against him. He is smart when right. I think there are a lot of chances and Casino Swoop could swoop to the lead from the inside and take a lot of running down. Mount Nebo is another at odds suited in this grade and Taxmeifyoucan, Single Style, Green Beret, Boss Lane and You’ll Never are all in the mix.

Bet: 9 Casino Swoop

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Taxmeifyoucan, 4 Nothing Like Luca, 5 Mount Nebo, 9 Casino Swoop

Race 4 (2.15)

Betting: $3 Arabian Gold, $3.40 Hooked, $5 Pheidon, $8.50 Malice, $10 Equator

Comment: The Waterhouse pair, Pheidon and Equator, look to be the pacemakers. If Hooked runs up to his Derby third, and there is no reason he shouldn’t, he is going to take a lot of beating. Arabian Gold went well in fillies class in winning the Adrian Knox and Friday’s rain will help her. Malice’s last run, after a tough run, was good and Show The World could surprise.

Bet: 1 Hooked

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Hooked, 4 Show The World, 7 Malice, 9 Arabian Gold

Race 5 (2.50)

Betting: $2.80 Peggy Jean, $3.20 Veuvelicious, $4.50 Bachman, $6 Go Indy Go

Comment: Hard to find speed and I expect Veuvelicious to go the front and be hard to get past. She looked good last week. Peggy Jean was impressive in winning G1 Sires, but her alley won’t help in this. Her stablemate, Bachman, is on the up and a great chance and Scratch Me Lucky’s last two runs have been good. Go Indy Go, $11 to $6, looked terrific in Adelaide and is from a top stable.

Bet: 8 Veuvelicious

Exotics: Box trifecta 3 Bachman, 6 Peggy Jean, 8 Veuvelicious, 9 Go Indy Go

Race 6 (3.25)

Betting: $2.50 Rebel Dane, $5.50 Steps In Time, $6 Weary, $9 Tiger Tees, $10 Shamexpress

Comment: Steps In Time flies solo and attempts an all the way win and it could depend on the runs her rivals get with Rebel Dane and Weary drawn on the outside. Rebel Dane is a 1400m G1 winner and I am hoping he can get a good enough run. Weary is a big improver and the Japanese mare Hana’s Goal can surprise. Tiger Tees and Shamexpress could struggle at 1400m.

Bet: 1 Rebel Dane

Exotics: Box trifecta 1 Rebel Dane, 4 Weary, 6 Steps In Time, 7 Hana’s Goal

Race 7 (4.05)

Betting: $4.60 Northern Glory, Miniature, $5 Calming Influence, $7 Engagement, $9.50 Hera

Comment: Tricky race and will some of the recent heavy track form hold up on a better surface? A fair bit of speed and Northern Glory should get good run from (1) box. Calming Influence is well placed and will improve on her first-up run in the heavy. Miniature’s last run was OK and Engagement is very honest. Hera, good over longer journeys in NZ, is a big query.

Bet: 6 Northern Glory

Box trifecta: 1 Hera, 6 Northern Glory, 7 Calming Influence, 8 Engagement

Race 8 (4.45)

Betting: $4.40 I’m Imposing, $5.50 Slow Pace, $8.50 Tres Blue, $9 Strawberry Boy, $10 Danchai

Comment: Strawberry Boy, with the blinkers back on, looks the pacemaker, but I’m Imposing, great third first-up behind Weary and Leebaz, is the horse to beat. He won the Summer Cup second-up in December. Two of his stablemates, the imports Diametric and Danchai, are big queries, Slow Pace, another import, has form to recommend and Maluckyday cannot be left out of the hopes.

Bet: 8 I’m Imposing

Exotics: Box trifecta 3 Slow Pace, 4 Strawberry Boy, 6 Malucky Day, 8 I’m Imposing

BEST BET: Hooked

VALUE: Casino Swoop

WHO’S HOT

Adelaide youngster Go Indy Go has been a big go in the G1 Champagne Stakes and has firmed from $11 to $6 on TAB Fixed Odds.

WHO’S NOT

Gerald Ryan’s Peggy Jean is a top notch filly, but the outside barrier won’t help her in the Champagne and she looks unders at $2.80.

DROP A HINT

Snitzerland was scratched from Randwick to run in a G2 WFA race at Eagle Farm (R7). She’ll be hard to hold out.

EYE CATCHER

Shamal Wind, from the Robert Smerdon stables, turned in a terrific eye catcher to win at Flemington last run. She can win the Sangster Stakes in Adelaide.