There were 78,500 people at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day 1976. Those still living, hold indelible memories of their visit to the historic course on the day mother nature threw a tantrum.
Those who envisaged Gary Portelli celebrating Kimochi’s Randwick stakes win over a sumptuous dinner and a bottle of champagne, couldn’t have been more mistaken.
On the eve of his 27th birthday and blessed with the luxury of having no need for the sauna, Andrew Adkins has slipped into a comfortable niche among Sydney’s riding ranks.
Brett Bellamy’s six win haul on northern tracks brings him the Pryde’s monthly award. The Coffs Harbour trainer kicked off his winning sequence with a double at Grafton on July 7th.
Steve Hart has captured many magic moments during his long career as a Sydney race day photographer. Nowadays he’s making his mark as an interviewer of some of racing’s most interesting personalities.
“I started to get excited when he cruised up alongside the favourite In Flight at the top of the straight, but I still needed to see what I know he’s capable of,” said Brad Widdup
“That horse has been up longer than the Sydney Harbour Bridge,” quipped a Randwick punter, as One Destiny made it three from his last four in Saturday’s 1100m BM78.
Six winners in a month is a great achievement for any country stable. Dwayne Schmidt’s June sextet came about largely through his utter frustration with the endless wet weather in northern NSW.
Any jockey resuming after an injury enforced layoff prays for an early winner. Owners and trainers like to watch the comeback rider for a few weeks to ensure that his or her confidence hasn’t been affected by the trauma of a racing accident.
With rarely more than fifteen horses in work at his long-time Hawkesbury base, Terry Croft doesn’t expect to win premierships. He’s happy to simply identify the capabilities of every horse that comes his way, and leave no stone unturned in finding the right races for them.
Last week brought a gamut of emotion to emerging training talent Danielle Seib. Few people were aware of her innermost thoughts as she watched two year old filly Sweet Treats
When someone as eminently qualified as Gordon Spinks heaps praise on a new apprentice, you tend to take it on board. The former star Sydney jockey was on the phone last week to spread the word about a seventeen year old Gold Coast rookie called Jace McMurray.
Elson Boy’s effortless win in a Mudgee barrier trial on Sunday March 31st, gave veteran trainer Dar Lunn almost as big a thrill as an official race win.
