“Oh, the springtime it brings on the shearing,
And it’s then that you’ll see them in droves,
To the racetrack they are all a steering,
A seeking a bob off the coves.”

Or so it goes – the punter’s bastardised version of the traditional Australian folk song. The crowds are picking up, and the tracks are drying out. The Valley was posted a Slow 7, but it was obvious after the first two races that it was a genuine Dead. Bettable. And a lot of horses have been shorn or have lost their winter coats. There are still a few shaggy ones, and quite a few clipped. I don’t pay much attention to coat condition, but Whobe looked pretty good, nice and shiny with a good poverty line. And my favourite horse Zipping and Rundle have both been one third clipped with hairy backs and legs and clean unders. Can horses have Brazilians?

I had my first look at the boom horse Hay List. He’s built like a tank with a backside as big as a barn door. He was a clear standout in the race and was showing $1.50 the place with 2 minutes to go. But I knew it would be crunched with the bookies offering $1.20 and Betfair $1.36. So no bet on a dead-set winner. But I did have one bet for the day, as I ease myself into spring. Sussuro in the third came from last to first at $4.10 the place. So I’m sitting on a 100% strike rate for the new season.

I’ve celebrated by having a haircut.

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