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Flemington 16 January 2010

January 18th, 2010 1 comment

Isn’t it disgusting, the number of  young people you see these days Araldited to their iPhones? Texting, Twittering, Facebooking, emailing, flicking paper balls into waste baskets, even making phone calls. And how incredible is the technology? That you can have mobile internet in the palm of your hand? You’d think they could do it in the privacy of their homes rather than flaunting it so. But I digress.

I’m home again, at headquarters. And thank goodness, some relief from the heat – a mere 33.1 compared with 40.4 last week in Adelaide. A significant saving of some 7.3 degrees. And there are heaps more horses sweating because it’s so humid – 81% at 9 am, compared with 7% at Morphettville, when the stinking hot air just sucked all moisture out of horses and humans.

Oh, and by the way, have you seen my iPhone? Strictly for betting purposes of course. If you look very carefully you will see the Betfair icon, just where my right thumb can reach it. How cool is that. And how sexy is the iPhone? I’m still learning how to use it, being mostly a left thumb sort of person.

My first chance is Morfontaine in the second. He was kicking in the stall, a serious disadvantage in my book (minus 26%). He turns up in the mounting yard flipping his bottom lip, which is actually quite positive, but he’s going so fast that the strapper needs two hands to control him, another serious negative. And he’s gaping with the tongue tie, so I’m pretty convinced he’s not happy with the bit, either. So it’s a lay. I duck into the Island Bar and pull out the iPhone, and right thumb the icon. Two minutes to the jump. The phone has a spasm and says I’ve entered the wrong name and password. How can that be? I know my own name and I know my Mother’s maiden name? Second try. Still something wrong with my Mother, can’t be me. Third try…….and they’ve jumped. I’m slowly learning. It’s not so easy laying horses. And of course Morfontaine finished second last.

My next chance is Diamondsontheinside in the fourth. He’s weaving in his stall. Well not proper weaving, but rhythmically tossing his head up and down. He should know better as a seven year old gelding. And in the parade ring the strapper is smoking and talking on her iPhone!  

I mean, I mean, there’s a horse here that needs some attention. In the mounting yard the horse is all flared nostrils, teeth, and grinding on the bit. And he strikes himself several times. I always get spooked when I hear that. So another lay. Into the Island Bar and thank goodness, I remember my name and my Mother’s maiden name. I decide to lay him for the place. He’s showing 2.00 on the tote and 2.20 with the books, but the best I can do is 2.42. I’m set, bet matched, 30 seconds to go. Diamondson theinside never looks likely, although running on reasonably for fourth. A win! But play money only until I can sort out this name business.

Not much other action. A quiet day with plenty of longshots getting up. I did notice Brad Star was hobbled in his stall, which is an extremely rare sight. I guess if he’s hobbled and tied up the strapper can be pretty sure he’s not going anywhere. And he sported a red nose roll in the mounting yard – a definite lay, but his odds are a bit too long to risk. I have two conventional place bets. Miss O’Brien in the first. How I love 3YO fillies races with six or seven runners. If you can pick the second horse the dividend is often exceptional. $2.70 on the tote. And my other bet? Danzylum. Beautiful and relaxed, head down, lobbing around the mounting yard, sweating slightly. $4.40 the place. So two out of two for the day. Three out of three if you count Diamondsontheinside. I’m going to count it.

One Response to “ Flemington 16 January 2010 ”

  1. Laurie says:

    Just wanted to be first to comment LOL.

    No, really wanted to say thanks for the blog Geiffrey. It’s an interesting read.

    You must really pare all those negatives horses down. I’ve been looking at one of your “bad” indicators for a while but laying them would be a bad move. From what you’ve put here you need to be looking for multiple indicators and you really need to be oncourse.

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