Regular readers will note I am not Adam Blencowe, and therefore shouldn't expect witty, bordering on egotistical asides about famous poets or punters.

What they hopefully can expect, is a couple of long priced selections in the two Group Ones that make up this new-look day.

The Thousand Guineas has had a bit of an identity crisis in recent years, moved around a lot, but I quite like it here at the back of the carnival and the field is certainly up to scratch compared to recent years.

Skybird narrowly holds the call from Coeur Volante and I think they do deserve to be at the head of the market, but if you like Skybird, and many clearly do, I think you have to give plenty of respect to Quickster.

They met at Moonee Valley last time and as impressive as Skybird was, coming from back in the field to get up late, she did save all the ground along the rails and had a fairly uninterrupted run through, just having to take a gap late.

Quickster on the other hand, tried to come wider and was badly held up around the turn, copping a bump and then not really seeing clear air until the 150m mark. She charged into fourth late and her last 100m was very good.

She was 1200-1600m there and while she'll have to defy history to win this at just her third start, as a maiden, she should be much better for that run at a mile and I think she can make her presence felt.

In the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, there are plenty of chances, it being a Group One handicap, and our weight-adjusted ratings show that two horses share the highest last start rating in the field.

One of them is the favourite Magic Time, excellent off a tough run in The Invitation, and the other is Crosshaven . He was fantastic first up in the time honoured Racing And Sports Rising Fast Stakes, splitting Spacewalk and Najem Suhail and perhaps even a touch unlucky not to win.

That is his issue however- winning. Once a very promising three-year-old, he's only managed one win post his three-year-old season. The good news is, it came at the Caulfield 1400m when running to 112 with Timeform- the same number he ran to first up at Flemington.

He should get every chance just behind the speed here with 52.5kg and the $19 on offer with bet365 seems a good gamble.
 

The bet365 Melbourne Mail

Backing: Race 7 #13 Quickster at $17/4.20

Also backing: Race 8 #15 Crosshaven at $19/5

FP	Silk	Horse, Age & Sex Sire & Dam	Jockey Trainer	SP WT
1st		6. JOLIESTAR (AUS) 3yo F ZOUSTAR (AUS) - JOLIE BAY (AUS)	JAMES MCDONALD CHRIS WALLER	$4.5 56kg
		B J Lindsay & Mrs J E A Lindsay
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2022 Australian Easter Yearling Sale (236) | Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Aust Pty Ltd, Scone | Cambridge Stud | AUD $ 950,000 2022 Australian Easter Yearling Sale (236)   Segenhoe Thoroughbreds Aust Pty Ltd, Scone  Cambridge Stud AUD $ 950,000
2nd		1. KIMOCHI (AUS) 3yo F BRAVE SMASH (JPN) - SUMMER FUN (AUS)	CRAIG WILLIAMS GARY PORTELLI	$9.5 56kg
		L To
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2021 Australian Weanling Sale (244) | Valiant Stud, Aberdeen | Hall Of Fame Bloodstock Pty Ltd | AUD $ 21,000 2021 Australian Weanling Sale (244)   Valiant Stud, Aberdeen  Hall Of Fame Bloodstock Pty Ltd AUD $ 21,000
3rd		3. SKYBIRD (AUS) 3yo F EXOSPHERE (AUS) - REAL DESIRE (AUS)	BEAU MERTENS MITCHELL FREEDMAN	$4.2 56kg
		M J Scalzo, D J Scalzo, Q Scalzo, C P Hayden, B J Hayden & C Bredbury
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2022 Classic Yearling Sale (709) | Hp Thoroughbreds, Hilldale | Mitch Freedman Racing | AUD $ 110,000 2022 Classic Yearling Sale (709)   Hp Thoroughbreds, Hilldale  Mitch Freedman Racing AUD $ 110,000
4th		2. COEUR VOLANTE (NZ) 3yo F PROISIR (AUS) - SHANINA (AUS)	BLAKE SHINN MICHAEL MORONEY	$3.75 56kg
	Sales Information  | NZB | 2022 Karaka - Book 1 (568) | Prima Park | Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables | NZD $ 90,000 2022 Karaka - Book 1 (568)   Prima Park  Paul Moroney Bloodstock / Ballymore Stables NZD $ 90,000
5th		4. ARCTIC GLAMOUR (AUS) 3yo F FROSTED (USA) - FARTOO FLASHY (AUS)	KERRIN MCEVOY G RYAN & S ALEXIOU	$14 56kg
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2022 Premier Yearling Sale (512) | Noorilim Park, Arcadia | Ryan & Alexiou Racing | AUD $ 185,000 2022 Premier Yearling Sale (512)   Noorilim Park, Arcadia  Ryan & Alexiou Racing AUD $ 185,000
6th		5. CARINA QUEEN (AUS) 3yo F FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - HOT AUGUSTA (NZ)	JAMIE KAH GRAHAME BEGG	$26 56kg
	Sales Information  | Magic Millions | 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale (120) | Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks, Nsw (As Agent) | Eden Wong & Anita Chu | AUD $ 450,000 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale (120)   Tyreel Stud, Agnes Banks, Nsw (As Agent)  Eden Wong & Anita Chu AUD $ 450,000
7th		13. QUICKSTER (AUS) 3yo F SHAMUS AWARD (AUS) - SPECIAL FAVOUR (AUS)	BILLY EGAN PETER G MOODY & KATHERINE COLEMAN	$16 56kg
8th		7. ZOURION (NZ) 3yo F ZOUSTAR (AUS) - IRION (NZ)	MICHAEL DEE MARK WALKER	$17 56kg
	Sales Information  | NZB | 2022 Karaka - Book 1 (325) | Pencarrow Stud | Mr Dc Ellis | NZD $ 475,000 2022 Karaka - Book 1 (325)   Pencarrow Stud  Mr Dc Ellis NZD $ 475,000
9th		8. VIVY AIR (AUS) 3yo F HELLBENT (AUS) - HEAD OVER HEELS (AUS)	DECLAN BATES ARCHIE ALEXANDER	$26 56kg
10th		12. VIBRANT SUN (AUS) 3yo F THE AUTUMN SUN (AUS) - VIBRANT ROUGE (AUS)	DAMIEN OLIVER MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR	$18 56kg
	Sales Information  | Magic Millions | 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale (667) | Canning Downs, Darling Downs, Qld | Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (Fbaa)/Mick Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd | AUD $ 260,000 2022 Gold Coast Yearling Sale (667)   Canning Downs, Darling Downs, Qld  Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (Fbaa)/Mick Price Racing & Breeding Pty Ltd AUD $ 260,000
11th		10. ENNA'S DREAM (AUS) 3yo F WINNING RUPERT (AUS) - LAYERCAKE (AUS)	JAKE NOONAN ALEXANDER RAE	$81 56kg
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2022 Gold Yearling Sale (111) | Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, Eddington | Agr Racing | AUD $ 22,000 2022 Gold Yearling Sale (111)   Stonehouse Thoroughbreds, Eddington  Agr Racing AUD $ 22,000  | Magic Millions | 2022 Perth Yearling Sale (157) | Willow Dale Farm, Waroona, WA (As Agent) | Psd. AUD $ 47,500 Res. AUD $ 50,000 2022 Perth Yearling Sale (157)   Willow Dale Farm, Waroona, WA (As Agent)  Psd. AUD $ 47,500 Res. AUD $ 50,000
12th		11. ERSA (AUS) 3yo F LONHRO (AUS) - ERATO (AUS)	MARK ZAHRA BEN, WILL & JD HAYES	$31 56kg
	Sales Information  | Inglis | 2022 Premier Yearling Sale (500) | Yulong, Nagambie | Robert Roulston Bloodstock Pty Ltd | AUD $ 200,000 2022 Premier Yearling Sale (500)   Yulong, Nagambie  Robert Roulston Bloodstock Pty Ltd AUD $ 200,000
13th		9. APACHE SONG (AUS) 3yo F SIOUX NATION (USA) - FOR A SONG (AUS)	ZAC SPAIN MICHAEL TROTTER	$201 56kg