Horse racing is surely in decline. Do you remember when the Labour Day long weekend was a double header, with the Newmarket on Saturday and the Australian Cup on the Monday? Now it’s all compressed into one day, so-called Super Saturday, with Monday being relegated to a mid-week meeting at the Valley. And the VRC knows where its bread is buttered. The whole car park has been turned over to sound stages for a rock concert on Sunday. I get a glimpse of the new world when I’m handed a warning card as I go through the turnstiles:
“All vehicles parked within the Flemington Members Unreserved Car Park must be cleared by 7.30 pm. Any vehicles remaining after 7.30 pm will be towed to VRC Head Office at owner’s risk”.
Not a welcoming welcome to the best day of racing in the autumn! What if I’m still celebrating at 7.30 pm? Members love moaning about what’s happening to racing today. So, moan, moan.
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- Montsegur
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- Bulbula
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- Fine Diamond
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- Car park
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- Warning
The tea leaves aren’t looking good and so it proves. In the first both the favourites Montsegur and Bulbula have excrement on their hindlegs, which is a very bad look And the sway-backed Fine Diamond looks to be a very uncomfortable ride, not that the jock will be doing much sitting down. I cross them all out except for Diva Dee. A standout. I double my bet. Bulbula and Montsegur settle down to fight it out with Diva Dee steaming home when it’s all over for third. Such a shame they don’t pay out for third with seven horses.
I claw some back on the Cup favourite Puissance De Lune, but the $1.70 place divvy is a bit skinny, especially when my minimum is now $1.80. But I give more back on Alzora, fourth in the fifth, and Mourayan, nowhere in the Australian Cup. Centennial Park, the winner of the last, improved my mood, but it was still a losing day. My first in yonks.
And I’m given another warning as I leave the car park. No booze and no wheelchairs. Cripes! What’s happening to racing today.