Flemington’s been humdrum and bloody freezing these past few months. We’ve raced there at too many mediocre occasions with other courses unusable. And we front again this Saturday. Excitingly, the next visit down Racecourse Road will then be on September 8 when Spring taste buds will be whetted on the old Craiglee Stakes Day. It’s [Read more]
crio’s Q?
August 5, 2012 by 3 Comments
Fans don’t like their side losing. It always hurts. But after the Hawks had reeled in the Cats yet still lost, I wondered… would you prefer to get beaten by “lengths” rather than by a “nose”?
Crio’s racing
August 3, 2012 by 9 Comments
Mick Stumbles has a great Aussie name and is an NT icon. After coming to Darwin originally to train greyhounds, Stumbles found himself at the microphone at Fannie Bay and has been an integral part of the Racing Club and its Carnival since 1971. He announced recently that he will hang up the binoculars after [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Olympic armchair experts
July 30, 2012 by 5 Comments
Every four years armchair experts adopt a sport, its rules, its champions and its scoring nuances. Outside of the Olympics there is very little general interest in beach volleyball or diving or table tennis or women’s 400m running….. But, from under a rock we emerge to absorb and then challenge Drew Morphett, or Sandy, or [Read more]
Racing
July 26, 2012 by 18 Comments
There’s still room for sentiment in our multi-billion dollar “Industry” and sometimes it presents in the most humble of places – like at Pakenham on Tuesday , where the Grandson of Jim Moloney (Vain) rode his first winner and the Grand-daughter of Jim Houlihan achieved her maiden training success. The “new generation” will compete in [Read more]
crio’s Q: Worthy of the written word
July 23, 2012 by 8 Comments
I guess the market dictates if a book is worthwhile or not. Certainly I support any author’s right to have a tale printed. When Tom and I go to TiAmo in Lygon St for lunch, a stop at Readings is a non-negotiable. Seeking common ground we invariably meet at the small sports section. Last week [Read more]
Crio’s racing
July 20, 2012 by 5 Comments
After a surprisingly good meeting at The Heath last week – and a rare winning trip down Dandy Rd for bookies – it is back to HQ for a fairly typical winter card this Saturday, with competitive fields and hopefully an improving track. As has now been the case for several weeks, the Nolen/Newitt battle [Read more]
crio’s Q?….tools
July 16, 2012 by 8 Comments
John Steffensen (who??) managed one A-Qualifier this week. To a country questioning increased taxes and hardships, his faux American rapcrap about “mistreatment” was world-class. He is a tosser. Defending champ, “The Man”, valiantly tried to fight back. But, unlike in the ring, he may have found a serious contender. Nevertheless, with $US at stake, Mundine [Read more]
crio’s Q?…Like jagging a five-under on a big pontoon pool….wins that just land in your lap.
July 9, 2012 by 5 Comments
Aussie golf fans can easily fall for the “we woz robbed” syndrome, especially the many of us wounded by The Shark….all of those ones that got away. But watching Marc Leishman’s extraordinary debut PGA win the other week reminded me of swings and roundabouts. For those who missed it, one commentator referred to “Ambulances lined [Read more]
crio’s Racing
July 6, 2012 by 4 Comments
It’s Flemington Finals’ Day this weekend, seemingly a peculiar designation in the depths of winter, but the VRC hosts the culmination of a series of races which inject great prizemoney and opportunity in to the Victorian industry “off-season” – this Saturday alone, they race for $760,000 in stakes and $120k in bonuses! Naturally, then, the [Read more]
crio’s Q
July 3, 2012 by 1 Comment
It was probably the report of an Almanacker wearing a hoodie to a Lord’s Taverner’s dinner that has brought this matter to (ahem!) a head. Beau Brummel Flynn, having indulged sartorially in matching tie and scarf at The ‘Bool, was outraged. Hoodies, it must be said, are essential for all 15 year old boys or [Read more]
Crio’s racing
June 28, 2012 by 6 Comments
What an odd week! People at the coffee shop asking if you’d watched “The Race”. A remarkable level of interest in Black Caviar’s Ascot dramas. Luke Nolen returned to ride the first winner at a lowkey Caulfield on Wednesday and says he has moved on, but his ride last weekend has become the talking point. [Read more]
crio’s Q?
June 26, 2012 by 5 Comments
Last Wednesday marked the 37th (!!) anniversary of the first Cricket World Cup Final. I remember it. Mostly I remember being allowed to watch some of it on TV…a late night novelty. Clive Lloyd’s imperious ton and Viv’s deadly throws cannoned from Lord’s through my little black and white screen in the Adelaide ‘burbs. I [Read more]
racing “Royally”
June 21, 2012 by 12 Comments
We’re back to being a Colonial outpost this week as, undeniably and rightly, all racing eyes are fixed on the “Royal Meeting” at Ascot. The first race of the week will take some beating. Frankel’s 11 length win on Tuesday was breathtaking. What acceleration! As emphatic a performance as has been seen on this big [Read more]
crio’s Q?…scoreboard pressure
June 18, 2012 by 4 Comments
My son was skeptical when I told him last week that anyone would sign on for Even par after 3 rounds of the US Open Golf, knowing they’d be in the money. It’s that sort of tournament. As it happened, no one broke par. The nearest, obviously, was the victor – Webb Simpson (1 over). [Read more]
Crio’s racing: International success (without the nauseous Nationalism)
June 15, 2012 by 11 Comments
Before the media mayo drowns my positivism –Black Caviar will trigger hyperbolic headlines of a “British invasion” by “our swimmers/cyclists/brave Aussies” at the Olympics!-I’ll take this chance to give due acclaim to Australia’s proud place on racing’s International stage. No nauseous Nationalism required here. For all the historical rhetoric of our country growing on the [Read more]
crio’sQ?…budget buys!
June 12, 2012 by 1 Comment
Not a lot of people saw Tino Best make the highest score for a Number 11 in Test history. It’s a “dead rubber”. The first 2 days were total washouts. The Windies had limped through a gloomy 3rd day to finish at 8/280. And…general admission was over 40 quid! Cold. Gloomy. Irrelevant. What were they [Read more]
Right Royal Racing
June 7, 2012 by 24 Comments
It’s been a Right Royal Week wherever you look – even in the racing columns! Appropriately, then, I’ll follow the theme and look at Triple Crowns, at our Queen of Turf heading to The Diamond Jubilee Stakes and finally at Queensland’s best race day of the year, the Straddy/Derby/Cup extravaganza. The fabled AmericanTriple Crown deserves [Read more]
Vale Charlie Sutton (1924-2012)…Bulldog through and through
June 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
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