Is the conviction and jailing of the Pakistani cricketers a positive or a negative? Is it a confident statement of intent or confirmation of rampant corruption? There’s been months of Moody scuttlebutt on the grapevine, for example, with the disclaimer that “they can’t rub him out because it would cripple the Industry.” How’s a bloke [Read more]
Crio drops his guard
November 4, 2011 by 4 Comments
Tomorrow’s $1m. Gr1 Sprint (MR5, 1200m, WFA) has been hyped for months and whilst it has not attracted the International challengers initially mooted the presence of Black Caviar will ensure a record Final Day crowd flocks to a sun-drenched Flemington. This should add some zest to the Carnival. I hope so. Since Derby Day I’ve [Read more]
Crio’s Q: A nice meal with some friends
October 30, 2011 by 3 Comments
Cup Eve..time for another established Almanac tradition. The lunch. I must admit to not being a big “liunch” attender. Either working or wary! But lunches and sportsman’s nights tend to develop a notoriety that probably includes some recounts from our worldly readership. Anyone game to break the “what happens at the function [Read more]
Crio’s pre-Derby Day deliberations
October 25, 2011 by 22 Comments
by Chris Riordan It’s Tuesday night. Incredibly, this time next week the Melbourne Cup will have been decided and I’ll have my feet up on the couch during what is half time of the Flemington Carnival. There are so many great stories waiting to unfold and I’m looking forward to being a part of [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Common Trivia
October 24, 2011 by 70 Comments
There are seasonal trivia questions which to insiders are general knowledge. Last week a racing panellist said he never goes to a trivia night that doesn’t ask: “What ran third to Bonecrusher and Our Waverley Star? (The Filbert) We all know the type: “Who’d Jezza mark over?” (Jerker) As Charlie Dixon slotted [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Cox Plate 2011
October 20, 2011 by 15 Comments
It’s the week between the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate. Racing’s hype machine is in top gear. We’re the main game in town for a couple of weeks. Inevitably, talk is of last week’s combatants and their path to Flemington and of the upcoming “WFA Championship of Australasia”. But this year there’s another level. [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Over-hyped events
October 17, 2011 by 20 Comments
Sporting events which I could not possibly have cared less about…actively avoided… Cathy Freeman’s gold NZ World Cup Union tournament Your thoughts?
Crio’s Racing: Caulfield Cup 2011
October 14, 2011 by 11 Comments
Caulfield Cup Day is an institution, primarily in Melbourne’s south-eastern burbs but, more broadly, it has a recognition factor beyond race fans and it traditionally coincides with a spate of iconic meetings around the country. In fact, if I weren’t swinging the bag on course I’d be more likely to be found in the more [Read more]
So called experts
October 11, 2011 by 6 Comments
by Chris Riordan “That bloody David King”, began a typically irate SEN caller, “has no idea. He obviously hates Geelong. He never picked ‘em. He can’t be called an expert.” Who can? Another “King”, Tony “The King” Bourke, had plenty of disciples in his heyday as Chief Racing scribe at The Age. I once, [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Caulfield Guineas Day 2011
October 7, 2011 by 7 Comments
Welcome to any novices as well as the regular readers of this racing section of our site as the gallops finally get their turn in the local sporting spotlight. Feel free to ask questions, add ideas and, of course, justify some tips. You’ve chosen a great weekend to tune in as the Spring has spluttered [Read more]
Crio’s Q: being right might not be enough
October 3, 2011 by 12 Comments
Kevin Na, previously courting infamy for an extraordinary 16 on a Par4 at the PGA Texas Open earlier this year, may now be shadowed by a darker load after his uncounted “airy” en route to his first PGA tour victory at his 211th try! http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/devil_ball_golf Whole careers can be remembered for a moment’s madness. Floyd [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: GF Weekend 2011
September 29, 2011 by 12 Comments
Punters prepared to weave through a fixturing maze will be rewarded with a festival of G1 races. Footy, The Show and now wild weather have wrought havoc on this great racing weekend- but there’s a dazzling meeting to kick off Friday Nights at the Valley, Randwick’s classic Epsom Day follows and then HQ’s Turnbull “brunch” [Read more]
Crio’s Q: List Management
September 26, 2011 by 13 Comments
“List management” We all know what it means. And most of us understand that you have to give to get. Who do you want for your side and what are you prepared to pay?
Crio’s Racing: It’s Show Time!
September 23, 2011 by 8 Comments
Caulfield gets an “extra” meeting this year and I’ve finally realised that the Rupert Clarke Stakes is in fact the modern incarnation of the Invitation/Show Day/Marlboro/EatWellLiveWell etc that was for some time run on the public holiday we have subsequently lost. It has always been a good race – and, yes, the Show starts this [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Timing Your Departure
September 19, 2011 by 9 Comments
Way to go! It seems Darren Lockyer has been blessed with a fairytale farewell up in Broncoland. Others, however, have not left with such grace and glory. How to call time? Fortune has not always looked fairly upon those making a “last stand”. Who’s had the luck or judgement to finish “on song” – or [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Underwood 2011
September 16, 2011 by 7 Comments
Though it is far from a vintage Underwood Stakes card, the MRC deserve a big crowd in response to their various initiatives – most prominently free admission – for the Spring Carnival Prelude day on Saturday. With no AFL games, hopefully balmy weather and a ripper Rosehill meeting on the TVs, we’re anticipating plenty of [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Time and Place
September 13, 2011 by 24 Comments
Without belittling the significance of 9/11 – “when the world changed” – its commemoration has stirred reminiscences…. “I remember where I was when…” We do link notable news with moments in our life. Sports nuts will know what I mean. My clearest recollection of walking in to Vatican Square in 1986 is seeing an [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: John H. Dato Day
September 9, 2011 by 3 Comments
Whilst I stop short of insisting anyone has a bet, this week or in the future, it’s fair to say that if you intend to get involved with Spring features then, at the very least, carefully watch the replays from this Saturday’s meetings at Rosehill and Moonee Valley. The season’s first Group One, the million [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Memorable beginnings
September 5, 2011 by 26 Comments
NicNat passed the 50 game milestone and then prepared for his first finals appearance with a customarily flamboyant performance – some question his four quarter contribution, but no one contests that each week he provides at least one memorable grab for the highlights reel. It puts him in a “special” realm. Who else could match the big Eagle’s [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Craiglee Stakes
September 2, 2011 by 17 Comments
Craiglee Stakes was always a day to get to Flemington, scour the doubles charts and focus on the weeks ahead. Traditionally the minor round was over and so the rhythm of the footy season was broken. Footy and Netball clubs flirted on the lawns on end of season trips and the sun occasionally made an [Read more]
Recent Comments