These big race days make it hard to get to the mounting yard so I spend most of my time out the back around the stalls and parade ring. Even so they still rush them through the parade ring. The first cup horse to arrive was the winner Mer De Glace. I’m always suspicious of the Japanese horses. They are usually highly strung, flighty, with a team of attendants, and bandaged on all four. Mer De Glace was no different. Hand held in the stall, restless, is that two or three fussing strappers, and pacifiers. But fleecy travel boots. I like them – they are rather like my Ug boots!
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- Arrival
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- Restless
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- Nice fleecies
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- Ribby!
The horse doesn’t last long and is whipped out to the pre-parade ring. That’s what I would do. Settle it! Walk it! Two hours later it is still walking! And wow. Look at those ribs! Fit enough. I change my mind about Japanese horses. It is ready.
My final six for the trifecta in no particular order was 3, 6, 10, 14, 16, 18. I missed the third horse Mirage Dancer, probably because of the cross-over noseband. My only other bet was on Humma Humma in the mares race. The horse streeted them!
Great to see your first couple posts Geoffrey. Flat season coming to an end here, although I suspect some raiders from the British Isles will arrive soon to compete in the Melbourne Cup. There was a pre-occupation this season with whether Enable would win a third Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe but alas she finished second. Her owners intend bringing her back for another season.
I encountered the usual gripes i.e. horses not being paraded sufficiently and being brought into the mounting yard very late avoiding the parade ring. A more seasoned racegoer than I, who I bump into now and then, said the big trainers (with the best horses) were the main culprits. At one recent race meeting I was about to give up until the last race on the card when most of the horses appeared in the parade ring. It was a low grade handicap.
Hiding them from us makes it hard!
Geoffrey
Have you noticed any patterns/circumstances where racehorses are more likely to remain “hidden” e.g. courses, types of races etc. at the race meetings you attend?
Or is it more about the horse i.e. minimising it’s exposure to an anxious situation? So a horse might get brought in late to the mounting yard, to keep it calm, because it has a nervous disposition.
Yes, it’s more the trainer. George Hanlon was the world’s expert at it!