What a disaster. I hopped off the train at Caufield and proceeded some 200 metres towards the track when I realised that my hat was still sitting on the train to Frankston. Oh, no! Panic. I’m lost without my hat. What to do? Call for help! Ring The Missus! “Well Geoffrey, what you must do is go back to the station and advise the staff that your hat is on its way to Frankston and could they kindly retrieve it, please”. She’s always full of good advice, The Missus. So I trudge back to the station and report the missing hat and leave my phone number, in case of a miracle.
It is always hard to recover after such a poor start. And so it proves. But my first job is to apply sunscreen to all those parts of my head now exposed to daylight and not covered by the comb over. My second job is to look at the Cup horses. I check out the topweight Admire Ratki. Nice purple ear muffs, but he’s all over the shop. Hand held, restless, head shaking, rearing, pawing and occasionally having a kick. Not my sort of horse. I like my stayers to be calm and relaxed. This horse is clearly frustrated in the tie-up and keen to get on with it. I try to video him but only manage a short burst. I keep returning to his stall after every race and his behaviour doesn’t change.
I glance at my mobile and there’s a missed call. Hmm. I dial the number. “Caulfield?” “I was wondering if you have found a lost hat?” “Wait a minute, mate. Is it a scungy, daggy, greeny-grey canvas thing?” “That’s it. I’ll be there in ten minutes!” So back I go to the station. I can’t believe it. I shake everyone’s hand. Please pass on my congratulations to all the Metro boys at Frankston!
Back at the track in time to see the parade. Admire Ratki still has the earmuffs, but now a stallion chain as well. My final six relaxed horses for the Cup trifecta are Junoob, Moriarty, Lucia Valentina, Rising Romance, Brambles and Araldo. You know the rest. I had the trifecta all wrapped up at the 100 metre mark until that blooming stallion swamped them. Five of my six horses were in the first seven! You’d have to say Admire Ratki will be hard to hold out in The Big Cup.
On the train home I’m holding tightly onto my hat, a losing day, but I’m feeling like a winner. I’m lost without my hat.