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Flemington Community Raceday

April 16th, 2011 0 comments

I’m a bit nervous as the track has been posted a Slow 6 after heavy rain in Melbourne during the week. I’m hopeless in the wet. Horses can look stunning in the yard but it doesn’t help them extract their feet from the slush. It looks like a look on day. My fears are confirmed by the time for the first race of 58.99, which is a Slow track time. In the second they run 1-37.49 for the 1600 which is a Dead/Slow time. Maybe the sun and the strong south-westerly are drying things out a bit.

Down the back it’s virtually impossible to see the horses in the stalls because of the height of the blooming roses. The recent drenching rains have caused them to reach for the sky and I didn’t bring my secateurs. Seeing as though I can’t bet and I can’t see the horses I amuse myself with some rose photography and miss the third race all together.

I’m seriously considering going home when I notice the third race time of 1-04.74, which suggests the track is a genuine Dead. I’ll stay one more. I’ve just about sorted my selections for the fourth, well there’s no hurry is there, when they jump. My should’ve, would’ve was You I Find who ran second at $5 for the place. The time again is a genuine Dead. And the track has been upgraded to an official Dead 5. A bettable track. Maybe I’ll stay.

In the fifth Niblick has the usual two strappers and looks the goods. I go for it and I am quite pleased when he streets them and the tote returns $3.40 for the place compared with the books $3. In the sixth I like Azkar of course but the tote shows $1.10 for the place which is a trifle short. The horse gets third and I’m surprised to see it pays $1.60. Nearly a bet! In the next I take a set against one of my favourite horses, Testa My Patience, who I’ve backed a couple of times. Today he looks too unsettled, a fast gait around the yard, dumping, the strapper using two hands. Flat Chat looks heaps better. I’m very pleased that my lay bet is matched at $1.50, but not so happy when Testa holds on for second to a strong Flat Chat. It’s some consolation that the tote paid $1.70 for the place, but it’s hard to live on consolation. I give the last a miss.

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