THE FORECAST: MORE THAN A GAME

How bloody good were video games in the 1980s?

Mario Brothers, Legend of Zelda, Dig Dug, Punch Out, the list goes on. Wonder Boy fits snuggly into this category, and while there are some dubious story lines across the field, Wonder Boy was particularly thin.

The premise (for those under 35) is that Wonder Boy – a blonde-haired kid in a grass skirt – must roam the world looking for his kidnapped girlfriend Tina – who was rolling with a flower bikini to match her green hair – held hostage by the Evil King.

There are monsters – even a monster land – and all sorts of rad stuff on his road to victory; Sega almost clocked gaming when they launched this number

Trainer Jerome Hunter launched his own WONDER BOY at Flemington back in early June and my word, the son of Cosmic Force made some sort of impact.

This is a real colt, and he will be winning the Vain Stakes at Caulfield.

The Regal Roller Stakes isn’t exactly a spring highlight but it’s a winnable race for ARKANSAW KID. Did you know the official bird of Arkansas (same same, Google it) is the Northern Mockingbird? Let me friend Barry The Bald Eagle fill you in.

MUNHAMEK or GENTLEMAN ROY will win the PB Lawrence Stakes – I’m siding with the former. I don’t know what Munhamek means so here is a video of the original keyboard playing cat.

At Rosehill the good horses are on the horizon and the Listed Rosebud is a prelude to the Group 1 Golden Rose in a month.

Can’t believe that SHANGRI LA EXPRESS is near $8 – surely he’s a better horse than that, acknowledging though that Waller’s GATSBYS might be very good. Guineas horse?

BEST: Caulfield R5 No. 4 WONDER BOY

BEST EACH-WAY: Rosehill R8 No. 11 CHORLTON LANE

BEST ROUGHIE: Caulfield R2 No. 5 SIR DAVY