Pestwac, as we know, spent a lot of time on the punt where he came into contact with any number of colourful characters. Today it’s Dickie, a man of military bearing – although he probably wasn’t!
Sal’s preview – Round 3 and Australian Cup Preview: Like Guilty Feet, Footy Season’s got no Rhythm!
March 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Sal says that ‘the Opening Round experiment prioritises novelty over cohesion and, in doing so, disrupts the flow that has long been central to the competition’. Hard to argue against. Read more here. Then there are the big meets at Flemington and Rosehill this weekend to consider.
Sal’s Preview 2026 – Round 2: Cheeky Devils – Glowing this Autumn
March 19, 2026 by 1 Comment
Sal is ranking the Matildas as the biggest game around this weekend but he’s still keen to pass on his thoughts about the AFL’s Round 2 as well as the major racing programmes at Caulfield and Rosehill.
Sal’s Preview 2026: Opening Round Preview – A bit misty optically
March 5, 2026 by Leave a Comment
What’s a footy season at t Almanac without Sal’s Preview? Sal returns with his take on Opening Round, track tips for Flemington and marks of respect on the recent passing of several sporting legends. (Welcome back, Sal! – Ed.)
Almanac Horse Racing – Fun with Numbers and things on course
March 4, 2026 by Leave a Comment
There are betting systems, there are educated algorithms, and then there is Pestwac! Work your way through Tony Moffat’s latest contribution to the science of picking a winner.
Almanac Horseracing: Black Caviar Lightning Stakes Day – Saturday 14 February
February 13, 2026 by 1 Comment
Group 1 Racing commences for 2026 at Flemington on Saturday 14 February. Dandy Andy previews and selects his tips.
‘Kitch’ and Higgins – bookmaking in the 60s
February 9, 2026 by 2 Comments
Pestwac (Tony Moffat) returns with more tales from the betting ring in days gone by. ‘Kitch’ had a thing about horses ridden by Roy Higgins.
Tulloch Done This: SP bookmaking in a country town
February 2, 2026 by 2 Comments
Pestwac (Tony Moffat) gets into a reminiscing mood and meanders along with some colourful memories from an old bush-town Australia.
Almanac Horseracing (Tales): The Gambler’s Ghost
January 29, 2026 by Leave a Comment
Wayne Peake shares his story ‘The Gambler’s Ghost’, the account of a tragic punter’s redemption, from his eBook ‘The Gambler’s Ghost and Other Racing Oddities’.
Almanac Horseracing: ‘The Longshot Plan’ – a Horseracing System from the 50s
January 12, 2026 by 3 Comments
Tony Moffat talks us through a 1950s betting system known as “The Longshot Plan”.
Almanac Literary: – ‘The Marvellous Cup’: a story told in ‘Touchstone’, a biography of Samuel Griffiths.
January 6, 2026 by Leave a Comment
In this third extract from ‘Touchstone’ Murray Bird and Richard Griffiths, ‘The Marvellous Cup’ looks at the world of racing in Australia in 1890, and in particular the Melbourne Cup.
Almanac Literary: ‘The Bribe’ – a story told in ‘Touchstone’, a biography of Samuel Griffiths.
January 2, 2026 by Leave a Comment
In this second extract from ‘Touchstone’ Murray Bird and Richard Griffiths show that Samuel Griffiths was a man of great integrity.
Almanac Horseracing: Dunkeld Cup Day – Saturday, 15 November
November 14, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Dandy Andy presents his thoughts and tips for the Western District time honoured Dunkeld Cup running on Saturday 15 November.
Sal’s Preview 2025: Orr Stakes Day Preview – The FIXture is in – and it makes me wild!
November 14, 2025 by Leave a Comment
In his final preview for the year Sal Ciardulli takes us to Caulfield for Orr Stakes Day. Sal also comments on the AFL’s Wildcard Round. [Thank you Sal for the considerable time and effort you have taken throughout the year presenting your racing and footy tips, it has been very much appreciated. – ED]
Sal’s Preview 2025: Champions Day Preview – Going into the Last Quarter: a Stayer’s Test!
November 7, 2025 by Leave a Comment
It’s Champions Day at Flemington on Saturday, with unsettled weather forescast, punters may be wise to considering backing stayers suggests Sal Ciardulli in preview and tips.
Almanac (Irish) Life: My day at Páirc MacUílín, Ballycastle
November 7, 2025 by 20 Comments
Murray Bird recently had a couple of weeks in Ireland. He was so taken and moved by the people, their sport and their music, their friendliness and their likability, that he just had to get his thoughts on the page. This is an Almanac classic. It’s travel, observation and understated commentary. It’s wholehearted participation and engagement. Please, pour yourself a Guinness or a whisky, and immerse yourself in a superb account of a hurling game and what happened along the way in getting there. This is the story of a grand people and their rich history and culture.
Sal’s Preview 2025: Oaks Day Preview – I’ve Got a Good Feeling!
November 5, 2025 by Leave a Comment
It will be another fabulous day of Spring Carnival horseracing with the Oaks Day meeting. Sal Ciardulli presents his thoughts and tips for the meeting.
Melbourne Cup: The Almanac sweep and trifecta
November 4, 2025 by 5 Comments
Here’s what the mugs at the Footy Almanac came up with.
Almanac Horseracing – Cup Day Preview: can Valiant King drive us home?
November 4, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Sal’s back with a fine-toothed comb run over the field for the Melbourne Cup today.
Almanac Fiction: Harry calls a winner
Wayne Peake has written a cracking fictional turf story about Harold Trump renowned race caller until sacked for calling the wrong winner, a bank robbery witnessed by Harold, the apprehension of the bandits at a race meeting, and in a twist, a reward from the man who sacked him.