Warnambool Carnival: Crio gives us the latest scuttlebutt

by Chris Riordan

The rumour doing the rounds of the Warrnambool pubs last (Monday) night was that Dan Nikolic will beat the rap! Watch this space and see how the journos fare when they get accused of a witch hunt.
There’s certainly a nervous excitement around the town this morning. People love this week and will jealously guard it, yet there’s also a sense of being on death row. A stay of execution is hanging over the jumps and we start today with two maiden hurdles and, of course, the Brierly Steeple later. Everyone knows that without the jumping, this Carnival falls the way of other Victorian Country Cups and ends up as one big day for locals. I’m looking forward to just feeling “the vibe” today and then, tomorrow – Wangoom Day – they expect a record middle day crowd, which should then translate in to a bumper crowd at the ‘Bool Dogs that evening and then a massive Thursday for the Grand Annual.
Much can and will happen between now and then.
Dark clouds and a persistent drizzle pervade and all around me at the Caravan Park Quaddies are being selected with a first day optimism. The blokes opposite set off at 6am for nine holes pre-races. Those next door haven’t had many hours separating last and first drinks! I’m not falling for the mad early pace. I’m in for the long haul.

Comments

  1. Djarindjin Jerker says

    Crio,
    If you’re in for the long haul then you must experience everything that the Bool has to offer. The T’rang “cheats in seats” tonight is a nice little 3 stubby trip and if ya jump onto DD’s good thing in the last then you’ll be back to the Cally before closing time with a renewed sense of optimism. A couple of takeways and a Bojangles pizza before the leisurely walk back to the overpriced dodgy lodgings that hardly get used. A restless slumber before you do it all again on Day 2. Good luck….

  2. Skipping the “crims on rims” but Cally is after Vic on some roster. Royal and Dogs tomorrow night. Refuse Whaler’s nightclub.

  3. And just checked last night’s pizza box…Bojangles!
    Good native cunning Jerker.

  4. mark freeman says

    Yes Crio the ‘stay of execution’ business had me and Gears at the tote largely ignoring our punt and just barracking for them all to get over in the Brierly today. Loved hearing B. Markovic telling us on the trannie in the last that they were heading around the back ‘in driving rain’. The way it should be at the Bool! Can’t wait. See ya there.

  5. Peter Flynn says

    Brilliant Brierly today.

    Heading down Thursday morning.

    See you there.

  6. Craig Down says

    Crio,

    Good luck at the carnival. Disappointed that I won’t be making my third Bool trip this year. Keen on Eight Bills in the Wangoom (D Yendall, clever country jock aboard) and, of course, the mighty steed trained by our family’s dentist in the Cup, H Sid.

    Hope you have a win or three and that someone (preferrably a local) cracks it for the car.

    CD

  7. Its going to be an absolute bog today. I’m staying in a basic shipping container and all night the pelting rain sounded like an endless 70s Deep Purple drum solo! Bring sturdy boots because the lawns are cutting up badly. The betting shelter is surviving at present. Classic Guinness weather. The dishlickers will slide wildly tonight.

  8. Peter Flynn says

    Crio,

    Sounds normal to me.

  9. Bookies are absolutely “cast” here at the ‘Bool as, Stanzout’s Wangoom aside, punters had a vintage day at the track yesterday. From the moment Bossy arrogantly sooled Mr Molokai to canter in the first, to Rich Unicorn’s crowning glory for the dominant Smerdon stable in the last,the betting ring and bars had the confident buzz of punters on the march. The only recorded punting failures were Almanackers Freeza and Geary who managed no collects although they found a consolation divvy when we later got to the dishlickers.
    A huge and cashed up crowd will flock to the course today.Let’s hope that the jumping is clean and a great day is experienced at this amazing Carnival.
    My only tip for those punters…if you have a collect, get in the queue early!

  10. Rushing from Warrnambool to the MCG and having computer problems so will have to wait on updates of Peter Flynn’s flashpoint confrontation with security at a nightclub and frreza’a fateful abandonment of the Sid. I’ll be at Flemington tomorrow. Deer Valley wins on the Gold Coast.

  11. Phelan Ready beats Deer Valley

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