Wednesday evening and the chill is invading. Quite rightly. Winter is officially starting, the footy season is halfway gone and the Melbourne metro meeting is a jumps feature double on a Heavy track at Sandown. Off peak? Don’t believe it.
Crio’s racing: Royalty or roustabout, racing has something to pique your interest this weekend.
May 31, 2012 by 12 Comments
Crio’s racing: Early tips for Doomben
May 24, 2012 by 33 Comments
Someone’s going to have to provide “colour” for the Brissie Carnival. Remarkably, I’ve never made it to the races in Queensland, an omission that always strikes me at this time of the year as the “Winter Carnival” hits top gear with the running of the time-honoured Doomben 10,000.
Crio’s Racing: Crystal Web worth a look
May 17, 2012 by 49 Comments
At this time of year I search for exotic locations of meetings around the country and dream of being there rather than in the wind tunnel that is the (mostly uncovered) main betting ring at Flemington…. Headquarters indeed! A fortnight ago, a couple of blokes collected and I suggested they escape the wet and cold [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: 21 – the key to the city
May 10, 2012 by 6 Comments
I went to lots of 21st parties in my “Adelaide days” – in fact, I turned 21 there before heading to brighter lights and different challenges overseas. But it was all pretty low key. With considerably more fanfare, Black Caviar bestrides Morphettville on Saturday for her 21st – The time honoured Goodwood Handicap – as [Read more]
Sat’dy’s races
May 4, 2012 by 36 Comments
It won’t be easy backing up tomorrow on the bag. That, on face value, seems ludicrous, given that I’m stepping from Provincial races to the Rails at HQ (Flemington). But this has been no ordinary week. It is May. It is wet. Winter is closing in. I’ve been, like so many kindred souls, to the [Read more]
crio’s racing
April 26, 2012 by 30 Comments
I’m really excited about the week ahead. This, I must add, is not always the state of affairs as the footy seasons take grip. Admittedly the Caulfield meet, where I’ll be “on the bag”, is fairly typical for this stage of the calendar, but there’ll be fantastic interest around the country on runners at Morphettville [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Doncaster Day
April 19, 2012 by 4 Comments
Heavy rain and a resultant heavy track has put a dampener on what looked likely to be a vintage Doncaster Day this Saturday, with Gai preening her beloved More Joyous for a fabulous final fling. Randwick patrons should flock back after the momentous meeting last weekend. Highlights abounded. Pat Carey and Rhys McLeod won the [Read more]
Small steps in an industry built on four legs
April 18, 2012 by 6 Comments
On Saturday afternoon, I – as unassumingly as I could – entered the age-old ambiance of the TAB Sportsbar at a local pub. This is neither a first-time practice for me but nor is it a regular one. This is about family! With six minutes left before they jumped out of the barrier at Hamilton for [Read more]
Crio’s Racing
April 12, 2012 by 12 Comments
Racing returns to Randwick this Saturday for a star-studded meeting. It’s the time-honoured Derby Day though the 3 yr olds’ big day has to be shared with the mouth-watering return of Atlantic Jewel in the Sapphire Stakes, All Too Hard’s battle with Slipper winner Pierro in the Sires’ Produce and the anticipated Rain Affair/Foxwedge showdown [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: the Easter schedule
April 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Easter schedule has certainly changed in NSW and tomorrow (Saturday) we see the Slipper being run at Rosehill. Tinkler’s scratching of All Too Hard and some tough draws for challengers have made it look very much like Samaready’s year. I was taken with the effort of the maiden Narcissus and must respect all of [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: The Hard Sell
March 30, 2012 by 7 Comments
Starting now it becomes a hard sell. Ask anyone involved in “other” sports in Melbourne between March and October. But, for racing, it needn’t be a matter of giving up. Here’s where committed “horse players” need to get organized and develop a resilient punting habit to withstand footy’s destructive tsunami! I’m certainly not advocating that [Read more]
racing…baton change
March 23, 2012 by 5 Comments
It’s the “Interstate Interchange”. Moonee Valley farewells Friday Nights with this week’s cracker William Reid Stakes meeting and then Rosehill picks up the baton on Saturday as Sydney’s Carnival formally begins with a challenging Coolmore Classic card. As is so often the case, weather will impact strongly on crowds and formlines. Valley Nights work with [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Back to Randwick
March 16, 2012 by 8 Comments
It’s an unconventional fixture confronting form analysts this weekend. Racing returns to Randwick for a black-type Guineas meeting that conclusively transfers the Autumn spotlight to Sydney. Perhaps in acknowledgement of this, both Victoria and South Australia stage their Saturday metros “off-Broadway”, possibly a portent for future post-Carnival “venue diversification”.
Crio’s Racing: Labour Day weekend 2012
March 9, 2012 by 22 Comments
There’s always plenty of racing over the Labour Day weekend. I ran in to picnic bookie Lee Walker out at Sandown yesterday and checked his schedule for the weekend. “Alexandra Saturday and Balnarring Monday.” Great meetings both. Others are heading up to Echuca, reassured by messages that the track and environs are unaffected by the [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: 2012 Australian Guineas Day
March 2, 2012 by 32 Comments
Warning. Seems I might be tempted to “declare one”. What’s that TV disclaimer?…”LOOK AWAY NOW”! For weeks I’ve been clicking away on RVL’s site awaiting the resumption of Jim Conlen’s 2yo Rhandara and finally he is presenting….MR1 No8. Seems I’m not alone in my anticipation with a Wednesday fluc of 3.50 in to 3.10 indicating [Read more]
Autumn Group Racing at The Heath
February 23, 2012 by 12 Comments
The Oakleigh Plate. The Futurity Stakes. The Blue Diamond. All etched in to the Autumn “mindtables” of Australian racing people. Gratifyingly – despite a distance tinkering for a time with the Futurity – they’ve even managed to maintain their traditional titles as befits Gr Ones[1]. The honour boards boast great champions and vivid memories for [Read more]
The Great Mare and the Beast
February 20, 2012 by 13 Comments
Saturday brims with options for the musically inclined, the sporting minded and the thirsty. At nightfall and no doubt coinciding with a sizeable drop in temperature, Rockin Rod will rock the Rock. Nothing syrupy appears on the impressive play list as Rockin Rod plans to tap into the era of the Faces. Alas, I [Read more]
Crio’s Racing: Lightning Stakes 2012
February 17, 2012 by 16 Comments
It seems like Spring. Not only because we’ve had a heat wave and a flood in the last hour, but also because that further creases my brow regarding Saturday’s track conditions for the fantastic meeting at Headquarters – and I’m even contemplating grabbing a Winning Post to whet my appetite. Yep. Racing is getting great [Read more]
Caviar for two
February 14, 2012 by 13 Comments
Caviar for two It’s Saturday morning and there’s but one thing on my mind: Black Caviar. I don’t buy into the baloney about her being the greatest racehorse of all time. Seventeen emphatic wins in a row is impressive; very impressive. But they have all been sprints! If someone were to say to me, “Usain [Read more]
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