Straight Flush: Roso's picks on the Whanganui Straight Track
Mark Rosanowski • February 10th, 2026 10:36 AM • 4 min read
4 Positive Penny
Produced another big finish to push 3 Small Town Boy at Hatrick on Friday. Unknown on this track but if she takes to it she should mow right past them. 3 Small Town Boy has the straight track grass experience edge however.
Selections: 4-3-5-6
7 Cebu Blue
Doesn't win often but he has been racing well enough in standard c1 fields to rate highly in a special conditions race for older dogs. 4 Miss Issues was good mid-race before peaking on her run in a stronger line-up last Tuesday. 6 Reckless Eric picked her up late. Might need the top four to advance past the first leg of the quadrella.
Selections: 7-4-6-3
3 Big Time Tricky
Followed up her big odds second down the straight with an easy win at Hatrick. 4 Big Time Slim & 2 Sister Shadow were solid placegetters in that order behind a good straight track exponent last week.
Selections: 3-4-2-7
2 Criminal Minds
Unbeaten in six starts here but he has never faced the irrepressible 5 Loveable Rogue. Probably need them both in the quaddie.
Selections: 2-5-7-6
8 Need An Uber
Matched 6 Star Boy Express for time a week ago despite some early contact & hooking out widest. Outside trap gives him the nod.
Selections: 8-6-2-7
5 Zeus's Magic
Unbeaten in two starts down the straight & would have been three from three but a win was wiped out by a race being declared void. Has focus issues but has shown his best here so far.
Selections: 5-2-4-6
2 Super League
Up in class after a big win down the straight seven days back & has since run a mighty second over 520m. Still a little risky at the start. 1 My Anxiety won well here last week only half-a-length slower than Super League. Forget his miss at Hatrick as he is at his best down the straight. Opened at surprisingly big odds.
Selections: 2-1-4-6
1 Big Time Ashton
Tailed off after a rocky run at Hatrick. Returns to a track where he has chased home Loveable Rogue a few times at the highest level. 5 Benny's Best Bet was impressive winning a c3 here & he isn't the same dog at Hatrick where he was fifth on Friday. Open field.
Selections: 1-5-7-8
4 Lulu's Dream
Is a standout in this field on class being assessed at c5 racing almost exclusively c3s other than 5 Hey Driver. She hasn't raced down the straight before however & it has caught out some fast dogs before. Hey Driver will relish the return to this track & a downgrade.
Selections: 4-5-7-8
7 Mailman's Coming
Was all over the place here last Tuesday & some late contact cost him momentum when clinging on to second after leading. Far from the finished product. 8 Cliff Top Cutie hasn't won in an age but only just missed beating the Mailman home seven days ago. Tempting place odds.
Selections: 7-8-6-3
5 Bumper Bill
Never in the hunt after a slow start at Hatrick but returns to the scene of his only success when winning on debut. Finds the right field.
Selections: 5-6-8-2
2 Stolen Sapphire
Has thrown a few races away in the past but she was supremely focussed when defeating 1 Big Time Gunnar on January 27 in this class. Same result likely with only 7 Forever A Fairy looking a threat to the same exacta.
Selections: 2-1-7-6
Best: Zeus's Magic
Next: Bumper Bill
Value: My Anxiety (r7)
