Peter Snowden wants the Big Wet to stick around in Brisbane...He is keen on securing a wet track for mudlark Purple for Sat's Grp 1 2400m Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm. PS says: 'I'll be devastated if it's a good track...She certainly does like wet tracks and her last run was great; she sat wide for most of the race and had to make a long run but she found plenty.'

Queensland Oaks betting was rocked on Sunday with news that Miss Darcey and Saint Minerva, which were at the top of betting with Purple and Ekstreme, are not running in the classic. Miss Darcey's trainer Anthony Cummings will rely on stablemate Nothin' Leica Cat. Cummings reports that Miss Darcey is now 'in the paddock'. He says: 'Glen Boss jumped off Miss Darcey the other day and said she was tired.'

TAB Sportsbet's Glenn Munsie reckons there's still a bit of class depth in the Qld Oaks. He says: 'The weather is going to have a major bearing on who starts favorite...The new kids on the block are Think Money and Nothin' Leica Cat...Think Money, although a maiden, was placed in the AJC Oaks and finished just behind the placings in the VRC Oaks so she'll have no worries with the 2400m...If the wet weather continues I'm confident Purple will start favorite...She was never on the track in the Doomben Roses and she is outstanding on wet tracks.'

The Port Macquarie race meeting scheduled for Monday has been postponed due to the state of the track.

After his huge run for 3rd in the Doomben 10,000, All Silent has hit favoritism at $4.50 (7/2) for the Stradbroke Hdcp 1400m next month. TAB Sportsbet has Ortensia on the second line at $6.00,followed by 10,000 runner-up Black Piranha and Bank Robber at $7.00. Danleigh, a 10,000 flop, is on the next limne at $9.00. Apache Cat, a doubtful runner, is at $11.00 followed by Sniper's Bullet, Duporth and El Cambio at $13.00.

Doomben 10,000 placers Black Piranha and All Silent turned in great Stradbroke trials. BP steamed home from the rear at the 400m to run Apache Cat to a head and would have won in another stride. Jockey Tye Angland says: 'I thought we were going to get the winner but we didn't quite get there...It's the third time I've been beaten in a Group 1 and it's getting frustrating...It was a great trial for the Stradbroke where he drops four kilos.' Trainer Grahame Begg was thrilled by the performance of All Silent who came from what seemed an impossible spot on the home turn to charge down the outside rail. GB says:'I couldn't see him in the television picture and I thought he must have broken down...What a run, it was unbelievable.'

The Stradbroke's off the menu for top sprinter Apache Cat despite his game win in the Doomben 10,000. Trainer Greg Eurell says Apache Cat is badly handicapped in the Stradbroke with 60kgs and his plan is to send the tough rising 7YO for a spell before mapping out a spring campaign. He says: 'His form is as good if not better than last year because I think the competition is a lot stronger than last year...Unfortunately the Stradbroke is out of the equation for us because of the weight factor...He'll have a nice rest now and then we'll work out what to do with him in the spring.' Apache Cat drew clear from the 10,000 field at the 300m mark and looked as if he'd win easily but he was forced to draw on all his reserves to beat off a spirited finale from Black Piranha, with All Silent coming right down the outside for 3rd.

1st 1. Apache Cat DAMIEN OLIVER GREG EURELL 59.0 $3.50
6G Lion Cavern (USA) - Tennessee Blaze (AUS)
2nd 8. Black Piranha TYE ANGLAND CON KARAKATSANIS 59.0 $11.00
5G Clang (AUS) - Jazztrack (AUS)
3rd 6. All Silent CRAIG WILLIAMS GRAHAME BEGG 59.0 $15.00
5G Belong To Me (USA) - Lisheenowen (AUS)
4th 4. Sniper's Bullet MICHAEL CAHILL TRACEY BARTLEY 59.0 $19.00
5th 10. Danleigh COREY BROWN CHRIS WALLER 59.0 $6.50
6th 3. Marasco SHANE SCRIVEN FRED KERSLEY 59.0 $41.00
7th 11. Something Anything JIM CASSIDY GARY PORTELLI 59.0 $18.00
8th 2. Sir Slick CRAIG GRYLLS G NICHOLSON 59.0 $51.00
9th 12. Bank Robber NASH RAWILLER MS G WATERHOUSE 59.0 $8.00
10th 13. Jungle Ruler MARK FLAHERTY PETER WHITE 59.0 $51.00
11th 15. Duporth LUKE NOLEN ANTHONY CUMMINGS 57.0 $15.00
12th 17. Over The Wicket LARRY CASSIDY GARY PORTELLI 57.0 $51.00
13th 7. Light Fantastic CRAIG NEWITT MICK PRICE 59.0 $17.00
14th 16. Absolut Glam MICHAEL RODD DANNY O'BRIEN 57.0 $12.00
15th 5. Court Command ZAC PURTON LIAM BIRCHLEY 59.0 $19.00
16th 14. Mr Slick DARREN GAUCI LEON MORTON 59.0 $61.00
scr 9. Empires Choice 59.0 scr

Chris Munce has copped a suspension...Stewards at Randwick found Munce guilty of careless riding and suspended him for six meetings which will see him sidelined from May 31 until June 10 when he returns to the saddle at Canterbury.

Goulburn trainer Danny Williams has been fined $7500 by Racing NSW stewards after an inquiry into Schmoo returning a positive swab to prohibited substance promazine sulphoxide after it won at Warwick Farm on March 25. Williams pleaded guilty to a charge of taking the horse to the races with a banned substance in its system. In handing down the penalty, stewards took into account Williams's early plea and good record. Schmoo was automatically disqualified and Our Corey declared the winner.

At last, someone's had a go at those BIG fields at the tricky Doomben track. Trainer Peter Moody believes there are too many runners in most races and that owners are currently wasting their time starting horses at the track...He says: 'The Doomben fields are far too big for the size of the track...Doomben should have fields of between 12 and 14 runners at most but instead it continually has fields of 16 and 18...I'll be telling my owners not to worry about Doomben anymore...You need too much luck to win there...My owners would be better off running their horses at Eagle Farm where the track is a lot bigger and can handle bigger fields.'

Looks like Bob 'Beltem' Bentley of the Australian Racing Board is spoiling for a fight with anyone who disagrees with him, and at the moment that's any bookmaker in sight, as well as Betfair. But the Betfair lads are not taking Bentley's blasts lying down. Aussie Betfair boss Andrew Twaits says: 'It looks like we're back to square one with the ARB, which is disappointing given the progress we've made in building solid relationships in other States...For instance, in addition to paying product fees in Victoria and South Australia, Betfair is sponsoring 15 race clubs in those states...Betfair is not racing's enemy...We're proud of our association with racing and we want to see the sport prosper...The real danger to racing's future is the other products that offer punters a cheaper, simpler and more attractive alternative to betting on racing...The real question that racing industry stakeholders should be asking the sport's administrators is what plans they have to address the massive losses of market share the sport has experienced over the past 25 years.

Amazing...Brisbane's weather has cleared up so well that Doomben officals are now talking about the possibility of a SLOW-7 rating for Sat's Doomben 10,000 meeting. Racecourse manager Warren Williams says: 'We upgraded it to a heavy (9) yesterday afternoon and we'll have another look at 3pm ...I wouldn't be surprised if the rating goes to a heavy (8) today because there is blue sky everywhere I can see...If the fine weather continues then there will be no reason why we won't go up a slow (7) tomorrow.'

Good news for the spring...Champion Singapore sprinter Rocket Man is being set for a big Melbourne spring campaign. He'll run in 2 major races. Trainer Patrick Shaw says his superstar will chase the Grp 2 Schweppervescence Stakes 1000m at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate day and the Grp 1 Age Classic 1200m on the final day of the Flemington carnival. Rocket Man will race in Hong Kong after his Aussue outings. Shaw is desperate to win the Grp 1 HK International Sprint at Sha Tin in December.

Good news for Saturday...Despite some 300mm (12 inches) of rain soaking the Doomben track since Monday night, Queensland racing officials are predicting the Doomben 10,000 meeting will go ahead...Queensland Racing's chief steward Wade Birch and Doomben facility manager Warren Williams inspected the track yesterday morning. They rated it Heavy-10 but they noted a sharp improvement from the previous day. On Friday morning, Brisbane was again bathed in sunshine. There was hardly a cloud in the sky.

TAB Sportsbet has released its first markets on Saturday week's Queensland Oaks 2400m. Four runners dominate the betting. Ekstreme, Miss Darcey, Purple and Saint Minerva are all at $5 for the Grp 1 event and hold a narrow advantage over the Cummings pair of Nothin Leica Cat and Think Money. Ekstreme and Purple were placegetters in last Sat'sDoomben Roses with Think Money running 5th. They finished behind the Graeme Rogerson trained Awesome Planet, who has been listed as a $9 chance for the Oaks. Miss Darcey is coming off a good 5th in the Grp 1 Doomben Cup against the older horses while local hope Saint Minerva has created a huge impression with wins at 2 of her last 3 starts, the last being an easy 5L win at Ipswich in restricted company.

QLD OAKS

MISS DARCEY 5.00
EKSTREME 5.00
SAINT MINERVA 5.00
PURPLE 5.00
NOTHIN LEICA CAT 7.00
THINK MONEY 7.00
AWESOME PLANET 9.00
JESSICABEEL 12.00
CANT KEEPER DOWN 13.00
PRIX DU SANG 15.00
REVOKE 18.00
MINE GAME 21.00
REZYANA 26.00
LACADA SIREN 26.00
DUBAI MISS 26.00
JUICE 35.00
RETURNTOSENDER 35.00
Others from 51.00

DOOMBEN 10,000 LATEST: Best backed today Light Fantastic $3000 e/w @ $21 and $3000 place only @$6, Jungle Ruler $81 - $51 backed to win $100,000 (TAB Sportsbet).

Wet weather in Northern NSW and Queensland has claimed Friday's Grafton and Gold Coast meetings. Some 100mm of rain was recorded at the Grafton track in the past 24 hours. Stewards ruled the track was unsafe for racing and postponed the meeting. The Gold Coast program was abandoned.

Apache Cat is a firm fav at $4.00 (3/1) for Sat's Doomben 10,000. A confirmed mudder, Apache Cat is three points clear of Danleigh and Bank Robber at $7.00 (6/1) and then Black Piranha at $10.00. The final field with latest Betstar prices (main chances highlighted in bold).

1 APACHE CAT Greg Eurell Damien Oliver 7 59...$4.00
2 SIR SLICK (NZ) Graeme Nicholson Craig Grylls (a) 4 59...$51.00
3 MARASCO Fred Kersley Shane Scriven 2 59...$21.00
4 SNIPER'S BULLET Tracey Bartley Michael Cahill 6 59...$21.00
5 COURT COMMAND Liam Birchley Zac Purton 10 59...$15.00
6 ALL SILENT Grahame Begg Craig Williams 12 59...$15.00
7 LIGHT FANTASTIC Mick Price Craig Newitt 14 59...$17.00
8 BLACK PIRANHA Con Karakatsanis Tye Angland 15 59...$10.00
9 EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) Bart Cummings Brad Rawiller 17 59...$101.00
10 DANLEIGH Chris Waller Corey Brown 3 59...$7.00
11 SOMETHING ANYTHING Gary Portelli Jim Cassidy 16 59...$21.00
12 BANK ROBBER Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 1 59...$7.00
13 JUNGLE RULER Peter White Mark Flaherty 8 59...$67.00
14 MR SLICK (NZ) Leon Morton Darren Gauci 11 59...$51.00
15 DUPORTH Anthony Cummings Luke Nolen 9 57...$$17.00
16 ABSOLUT GLAM Danny O'Brien Michael Rodd 13 57...$11.00
17 OVER THE WICKET Gary Portelli Larry Cassidy 5 57...$41.00

Brisbane was bathed in sunshine on Thursday morning following 2 days of torrential rain, and the return of the good weather may mean that Sat's Doomben 10,000 meeting will go ahead. But the sunshine will need to stick around to enable the track to dry out enough for racing. 'This track has a remarkable capacity to disperse surface water and has improved dramatically since my inspection yesterday afternoon,' says Queensland Racing chief steward Wade Birch. 'The long-term outlook has improved since yesterday and it is highly probable that the Doomben facility will only receive minimal showers from now up until Saturday...Brisbane is basking in beautiful sunshine at present and I feel comfortable that we could race on this surface this afternoon.'

Doomben 10,000 runners Apache Cat, Danleigh and Bank Robber have all drawn well in Sat's big Grp 1 clash. Apache Cat remains favorite after drawing #7 while Bank Robber and Danleigh remain well in commission after being allotted gates #1 and #3 respectively. The Bart Cummings-trained Empires Choice drew the widest barrier in the 17-horse field.

The news is not good for Brisbane's Doomben 10,000 meeting on Saturday. The rain-sodden track is currently 'beyond heavy-10' and at 6pm steady rain was continuing to fall across the city. Officials will make a track inspection at 7am on Thursday.

1- CARLTON DRAUGHT DOOMBEN 10,000 WEIGHT FOR AGE 1350 M
Of $650000 and $6600 trophy. 1st $416000 and trophy of $6600, 2nd $130000, 3rd $65000, 4th $26000, 5th $13000.Standard Weight for Age. (GROUP 1).No Allowances for apprentices. Field Limit: 19 + 5 EM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No. Horse Trainer Jockey Barr Wgt Pen RTG
1 APACHE CAT Greg Eurell Damien Oliver 59
2 SIR SLICK (NZ) Graeme Nicholson 59
3 MARASCO Fred Kersley Shane Scriven 59
4 SNIPER'S BULLET Tracey Bartley Michael Cahill 59
5 COURT COMMAND Liam Birchley Zac Purton 59
6 ALL SILENT Grahame Begg Craig Williams 59
7 LIGHT FANTASTIC Mick Price Craig Newitt 59
8 BLACK PIRANHA Con Karakatsanis Tye Angland 59
9 EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) Bart Cummings Brad Rawiller 59
10 DANLEIGH Chris Waller Corey Brown 59
11 SOMETHING ANYTHING Gary Portelli Jim Cassidy 59
12 BANK ROBBER Gai Waterhouse Nash Rawiller 59
13 JUNGLE RULER Peter White 59
14 MR SLICK (NZ) Leon Morton Darren Gauci 59
15 DUPORTH Anthony Cummings Luke Nolen 57
16 ABSOLUT GLAM Danny O'Brien Michael Rodd 57
17 OVER THE WICKET Gary Portelli 57

WA sprinter Scenic Blast is the new fav at 6/1 for the Golden Jubilee sprint at Ascot next month following the withdrawal of Hungarian superstar Overdose. He's been ruled out because a foot injury is taking longer than expected to heal. The unbeaten 4YO, nicknamed the 'Budapest Bullet', has an inflammation which has spread from his left foreleg to the right. He has no chance of running at Royal Ascot.

Connections of mudlarks are licking their lips as Brisbane's Big Wet goes on and on...One of them is Mornington trainer Peter White, who is keen for the Doomben 10,000 meeting to go ahead on a heavy track for his talented sprinter Jungle Ruler. He says: 'He loves a heavy track...The last time he was on a heavy track was last winter and he won by about four lengths...He's not getting any wet weather down in Melbourne and on his day in the right circumstances he can run some sort of race in the wet.'

Absolut Glam and Youthful Jack have both come in for support for the 10,000 because of their good wet weather form. 'Absolut Glam is $21 to $12 with us today and they are still coming,' says Sportingbet's Michael Sullivan. 'We have taken bets like $2000 at the $21 and $1000 each-way at $14.' At Luxbet, Youthful Jack is $25 to $19 following strongsupport on Tuesday.

LATEST WEATHER UPDATE: At 12.45pm in Brisbane the heavy rain was continuing with no sign of stopping.

Doomben 10,000 prospect Apache Cat may be helped by Brisbane's waterlogged week...With Doomben rated heavy and with constant rain continuing on Wednesday morning, form analysts are saying that Apache Cat must be favored to continue his unbeaten heavy track record, win his 8th Grp 1 race and become the second Australian sprinter behind Takeover Target to exceed $4 million in prizemoney. Trainer Greg Eurell says Apache Cat is thriving on an interval training regime and will be at his peak for the $500,000 race.He says:'He has a fairly good record in the wet...I'm really happy with him and the speed in the race should be ideal for him.'

Will the Doomben 10,000 meeting go ahead? Heavy rain may force officials to abandon the big-race card. They are to hold an urgent teleconference today to discuss contingency plans should heavy rain continue to fall in SE Qld...The big wet is causing havoc for trainers.Top Doomben 10,000 horses were denied access to the course proper at rain-saturated Doomben and Gold Coast on Tuesday...Chief steward Wade Birch will inspect Doomben on Wednesday morning and chat with track manager Warren Williams, who last night had the surface rated a Heavy-9. On Wednesday at 5am, the rain was still falling.

Well-fancied All Silent may miss Sat's Doomben 10,000. Connections are not keen to run him on a badly rain-affected track, and that's how it's likely to be unless Brisbane's current rainy weather suddenly dries up. On Tuesday night, it was still pouring. Trainer Grahame Begg says: 'The rain has thrown our plans into chaos...We were unable to work him this morning and he really needed the gallop because he hasn't done a great deal since working on the course proper at Randwick last Wednesday...Hopefully we may get the chance to work him at Eagle Farm tomorrow but they are forecasting more rain tonight and a thunderstorm so it could go either way.' The options? All Silent can line up in Saturday week's Grp 2 QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm before backing up seven days later in the Grp 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

Brisbane's heavy rain -- still pelting down at 11pm on Tuesday -- is also likely to put an early end to trainer Tony Noonan's hopes of running exciting Victorian filly Ortensia in the Doomben 10,000.

Start looking for the wet trackers for the Doomben 10,000 meeting! Torrential rain hit Brisbane on Monday night and contined right through the morning. The forecast is for lots more rain before Saturday. Doomben racecourse manager Warren Williams says: 'In the 12 hours overnight we had 75mm of rain and I'm estimating we've had about another 10mm since 7am.' The Doomben track is already rated heavy.

Top country trainer Danny Williams will front a Racing NSW stewards' inquiry on Friday over an analyst's findings into a urine sample taken from the Williams-trained Schmoo after its win in the Manning Handicap at Warwick Farm on Mar 25.

Looks like Ron Maund (65) may call it quits on his training career after copping a year's ban over a positive swab. Toowoomba-based RM pleaded guilty at a Queensland Racing stewards' inquiry. The inquiry wastold that Hydrocortisone was found in a sample taken from Pelltro at a Sunshine Coast meeting on Mar 1.

Lots of positive reaction to the decision to retain jumps racing in Victoria, but trainer Fran Houlahan rightly points out that the game needs at least 3 years of committed support. She says: 'I was very pleased to hear the decision and I'm glad Racing Victoria was able to listen to both sides objectively...However, I think we need to give the sport at least three years support so the people involved can plan for the future..It can take that long to develop a top-class jumper and owners need the confidence to invest in that type of horse...We need new trainers and jockeys who want to be a part of jumps racing and it's not ideal if we keep reviewing the future of the sport all the time.'

No worries, mate...Despite his defeat in Singapore, veteran star Takeover Target is off to England...Trainer Joe Janiak says TT is booked on a plane from Singapore on Saturday. He says: 'All's good with the horse today...That track didn't suit him all that much and they went very quick and he just didn't really stretch out at any stageThey'd been forecasting rain before the race and so I don't think they watered the track and it got pretty hard.'

One of England's top bookmakers, William Hill, responded to Takeover Target's worst placing since his 10th in the 2005 Stradbroke Handicap, by easing him out to $11 for the Grp 1 Golden Jubilee at Ascot on June 18...Hungarian sprinter Overdose, who is unbeaten in 12 runs in four countries, is the $3.75 early fav ahead of Marchand D'or and Australia's Scenic Blast at $9.

Good to hear some fighting words from Racing Victoria chief Michael Duffy as he announced that jumps racing will not be axed (not at the moment, anyway). Duffy appeared to fire a broadside at Victorian Racing Minister Rob Hulls. He says he's not concerned about the reaction to the decision by the Minister (a fierce anti-jumps campaigner). Duffy told the press conference: 'The minister thinks what the minister thinks...He is entitled to express his opinion like anyone else....We won't be told by the government what to think on this or any other issue...When the RVL board can't operate and make decisions independently, we might as well give the game away.'

It could be that Racing Minister Rob Hulls was gritting his teeth when he came out and supported racing Victoria's 'independent' decision to keep jumps racing in Victoria. But he couldn't help himself. 'I think the onus now is on trainers and jockeys to be even more vigilant in relation to the welfare of horses in the jumps racing industry.' Looks like the Minister will be keeping an eagle-eye on what happens in the jumps game....ready to pounce when the time is right?

Apache Cat is now a clear-cut favorite for Saturday's big Doomben 10,000 at Doomben. Betstar has the baldy-faced speedster at $3.50 (5/2), three points ahead of boom filly Ortensia $6.50 (11/2). Bank Robber is on the third line at $7.50 (13/2). The market on Monday night:

Apache Cat 3.50
Ortensia 6.50
Bank Robber 7.50
Danleigh 9.00
All Silent 11.00
Black Piranha 13.00
Court 13.00
Court Command 15.00
Duporth 15.00
Light Fantastic 15.00
Absolut Glam 17.00
Forensics 17.00
Rightfully Yours 21.00
Snipers Bullet 21.00
Swiss Ace 21.00

Jumps racing will continue in Victoria. This decision was announced by Racing Victoria on Monday afternoon. Certain new conditions will be imposed in a bid to make the jumps safer for horses and riders. Some of the measures include trialling of a strand start, imposing requirements for horses to school before stewards prior to jumps trials, qualifying for feature jumps races, the removal of the final jumps in all races, heart rate checks following schooling and programming more jumps races as lead-ups to feature races.

While RV's decision looks a good one, there's a serpent lurking below...Apparently, jumps racing will be monitored on a race by race basis which more or less gives RV a guillotine to hang over the heads of the industry. The problem will be -- how many people will want to invest in jumps racing if there is no long-term guarantees it will continue? Racing Victoria has made a mickey-mouse decision. It wants to have it both ways. Or, as some would say, it hasn't got the guts to emphatically decide, JUMPS RACING WILL STAY!