Winter is coming. There is hardly a soul at Flemington and just four bookies in the main ring. I suppose they are all online these days. Out the back it is deserted apart from a few owners and trainers. There are two zones but thankfully both have access to the horse stalls.
Winter is coming
The weather seems unaware that winter is coming. It is a balmy 20 degrees with cloudless blue skies. And even better is that the programme is agreeable with the two-year-olds letting me sleep in and not jumping till 12.55 pm. I was quite taken by Deprivation, head down and chewing gently on the bit. It’s the omen bet too – I’ve been in deprivation for over a year! I was in the process of taking $4.40 fixed for the place when the odds were immediately wound back. Don’t you hate that? So I had to accept $4.20! The horse jumps out to a strong lead, which is a bit of a worry for a baby having its first go at 1400 m. Deprivation is swamped at the post, but manages to hold on for second. That’s a good start!
The next is a small field of eight stayers. I take a set against Wyclif the second favourite, mainly because the horse was sporting a humungous black nose roll for the first time, but also because it was unsettled with its head up and a fast, changing gait. So I laid it at $1.50 the place and with hindsight it was probably a brave bet in a small field. The horse drifted back to third last and then the jockey became anxious about 1000 m out. Wyclif then dropped out of the field and finished stone motherless last. I loved it when Matt Hill the race caller said Wyclif wasn’t travelling a long way from home. Obviously it didn’t like the nose roll.
I hung around for the main race the Straight Six and was half tempted by a relaxed Dexelation but in the end it was too hard and no surprise to see a 100/1 winner. So I’m out of here now. Into hibernation. Hopefully if my battery doesn’t go flat I’ll be back in the spring for the Caulfield Guineas.
Have a good hibernation Geoffrey! Are you off to The Gold Coast? Keep up the blog. I always look forward to reading it. I hope things get back to whatever the new normal (becoming an over used term) is.
All the best, Trevor
Hello Geoffrey
Did you manage to get to the Melbourne Cup meeting or is Melbourne still under lockdown measures?
Here in the UK a booster vaccination programme is being rolled out. Racing carries on. Racegoers are allowed back onto racecourses (not sure whether this is a good thing or not at the bigger meetings). I’ve not been to a race meeting since the pandemic started. It’s late autumn here so the flat turf season has ended. There is still flat racing on the all-weather tracks although not necessarily of the highest quality.
Hope you are keeping well,
Regards
Trevor
Not a peep this season. Hope health issues have not blocked race visits
Well I didn’t get to The Cup, mainly because I would have had to jump through too many hoops. I watched it on TV and backed the favourite Incentivise for a place at $2.00. My only bet and quite happy with second. Incentivise is a beautiful, calm horse and thank goodness Pete didn’t put a nose roll on it!
Health issues are still and issue, especially while I am still sheltering at home away from omicron! I’m triple vaxxed and am hoping to get back soon, maybe the All Star Mile.
Didn’t even think of COVID, DOH. Thanks for replying and glad to hear all is sorta OK.
Hope to see you at the track soon Geoff. Sandown midweek is a good place to be if you want to avoid other humans.