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.
When it comes to racetrack performances there are wins and there are wins. Those punters who’d hammered Shadows Of Love into favouritism in Saturday’s Midway groaned in unison…
“He’s one of the slowest learners I’ve ever had anything to do with,” said Danny Williams of Saturday’s TAB Highway winner Bandi’s Boy. “He hasn’t yet learned to finish the job.”
Joe Pride rarely goes out on Saturday nights. A week of absurdly early rises and the grind of running a fifty horse operation takes its toll. He made a rare exception on Saturday night…
There have been few more consistent performers on the TAB Highway merry go round than the genuine Taree mare Chase My Crown. Ten of her twelve city runs have been in TAB Highway races in which she’s posted two wins, one second, two thirds and no less than four fourths.
Tommy Berry’s post race interview on Sky Thoroughbred Central after Saturday’s Gimcrack Stakes tugged many a heartstring. The popular jockey had just won the Gr 3 two year old race on Manaal
Peace Officer’s stylish win in Saturday’s Rosehill Midway completed a week of high elation for Warwick Farm trainer Clarry Conners. Only a few days earlier it was confirmed that the multiple Gr 1 winning horseman will be among this year’s inductees into the Australian Racing Hall Of Fame.
There was a ripple of excitement in the big Dubbo crowd on Sunday when course broadcaster Col Hodges announced that Sizzle Minizzle would appear in an exhibition gallop between races five and six.
“What was the name of that chestnut horse from Bathurst, the one with the big white blaze who won the Cox Plate a few years ago,” was a question asked by a veteran racing fan at a recent function.
Many race watchers were surprised when broadcaster David Fowler mentioned Spaceboy’s prize money tally immediately after the gelding cruised home in Saturday’s open sprint at Doomben.
Sally Taylor has only twelve horses in work at Coffs Harbour, but managed to win four races during the month of August. Egotistic (Jon Grisedale) got the ball rolling on August 15th with a Ballina maiden win.
Mark Minervini’s love affair with Randwick racecourse began when he was a race mad teenager growing up in Adelaide. He knew everything there was to know about local horses, but was also a regular listener to racing in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
I enjoyed an afternoon with a host of former jockeys in the Marscay Room at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The stories and reminiscences flowed freely throughout the day, and in the manner of a good fishing yarn a few exaggerations emerged.
Todd Howlett ’s ability to find the right races for his horses paid off handsomely in the month of July. He travelled far and wide to land seven winners for the month beginning with the promising Tanglewood at Grafton on July 9th with Aaron Bullock in the saddle.
“I can always tell when he’s ready to run a big race,” said trainer Sara Ryan of Friday’s Coffs Harbour Gold Cup winner Attractable. “When he’s at the top of his game he’s a nightmare as he comes off the training track at Kulnura.
Some jockeys do nothing more than politely raise their whips or doff their caps as they return to scale on a Group 1 winner. Others look likely to execute a double somersault at any moment.
