Melbourne has been miserable and cold and wet. But at last, spring has sprung. All the good horses and all the desperate punters have been flooded out of their spelling paddocks. Flemington is rated an optimistic Slow 7 but is clearly Heavy and is eventually downgraded to a Heavy 8. A no bet day if ever there was one and normally I wouldn’t even bother to attend. But I’m keen to have a hit out and get my eye in, especially on the Cups horses. And I suppose it would be fair to say that I am carrying a bit of extra condition.

Team Williams has Linton, Alandi, C’est La Guerre and Mourayan running. I don’t make it on course until the fifth race so I miss seeing Linton. The stocky Alandi looks very bulky and the lighter framed Mourayan only slightly better. Shocking looks good, but not fined down.

I like looking for fitness from the rear, in the region of the croup and tail head, with the horse walking away. I don’t place a lot of emphasis on fitness because horses can still win half-fit, as Shocking duly demonstrated. But by way of comparison cast an eye over Harris Tweed. A lightly framed horse, but as Roy The Boy would say, carrying no surplus.

After only half a card and five races I pull up a bit short and breathless. Like Alandi, I’m going to need a few more runs yet.

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