Almanac Horseracing: Dunkeld Cup Day – Saturday, 15 November

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!

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]

Almanac Books: Books in my life – A reluctance to read

Barry Nicholls was invited to speak to The Friends of the State Library of South Australia to talk about influential books in his life. Here is the speech he gave on Tuesday November 4 at the Hetzel Lecture Theatre.

RITV Summer Series – Book Review: ‘Bare Knuckles’ by Michael Blucher and John Connolly

John ‘Knuckles’ Connolly was one of the great rugby union coaches both here in Australia and internationally. RITV reviews his biography of ‘Bare Knuckles’ written by Michael Blucher and John Connolly.

‘A century of stars at Merriwa Park…’ by KB Hill

Anyone for tennis? KB Hill set himself the task of choosing the Top 20 male and female tennis players in the history of Wangaratta’s Merriwa Park. In Part 1 today, KB covers Nos. 20-10.

Almanac Life: A quiet fade – a friend’s quiet battle with dementia and how exercise can help

Allan Barden witnesses the journey an old mate is taking after the early on-set of dementia was recently diagnosed.

Sal’s Preview 2025: Champions Day Preview – Going into the Last Quarter: a Stayer’s Test!

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

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!

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.

Almanac Poetry: ‘The Race That Stopped A Nation’ by Patrick Smith

Today is the running of one of the world’s greatest horse races, The Melbourne Cup. Patrick Smith recalls in verse the circumstances surrounding Damien Oliver’s win on Media Puzzle in 2002, ‘The Race That Stopped A Nation’.

Sal’s Preview 2025: Derby Day – What will Racing Santa Bring Us?

It’s Derby Day at Flemington on Saturday and Sal Ciardulli presents his thoughts and tips for the meeting.

Almanac Wrestling: A review of ‘Dark Side of the Ring – Owen Hart’

Callum Quirk looks back at the tragic death of Canadian wrestler Owen Hart.

Almanac memories: Arthur Ashe’s Autograph

Ian Wilson recalls the time he obtained tennis great Arthur Ashe’s autograph.

Almanac Books: An Extract – ‘Touchstone: Racing, Racing Men and Racehorses’ by RM Griffiths & MG Bird

Samuel Griffiths witnessed his first Melbourne Cup in 1877 at the tender age of nearly 12 years. His great grandson Richard Griffiths co wrote a rollicking yarn with Murray Bird about Samuel’s life in ‘Touchstone: Racing, Racing Men and Racehorses The life and times of Samuel Griffiths 1865-1937’. The Footy Almanac presents an extract from the book.

RITV Summer Series – Athletics: Gout Gout’s last races for Ipswich Grammar School

Russel Hansen will tune in to the live stream of tomorrow’s Brisbane GPS track and field championships to watch Gout Gout run for his school, Ipswich Grammar School, for the last time. The occasion will also remind RITV of some of the best years of his life involved in this special sports environment.

Almanac Basketball: Action-thriller Bullitt speeds off with Not Bad Thanks world records

Graeme Willingham follows up his report on Not Bad Thanks Basketball Club playing its 2,000th game with a story about the club claiming new world records.

Sal’s Preview 2025: Caulfield Cup Preview – Plus a draft review of course

Sal Ciardulli presents his thoughts and tips for the Caulfield Cup on Saturday. Sal also discusses the washup of the AFL Trade period.

Almanac Baseball: Woomera and Australian Baseball

Courtesy of his friend Allan Barden, David ‘Dick’ Turpin returns to The Footy Almanac to share his memories of baseball in Woomera.

Almanac Life: A Malarkey moment in Morocco

Graeme Willingham as he was stopped in his tracks by a ‘Tigers’ sign on a wall in a Fez laneway in Morocco. This stimulated much footy discussion within the travelling group at the time.

Almanac Books: Is sports publishing in Australia in a death spiral?

Main stream publishers have ‘dropped the ball’ when it comes to publishing sporting books argues Barry Nicholls in his thought provoking piece.