Crio’s Question: Nominate your Racing Rendesvous?

It’s Caulfield Cup week and even those with only a passing interest tend to succumb to the media blitz as racing gets it’s annual time in the spotlight.

Whilst for the big players it is serious business, for others the races offer an excuse to enjoy “off (footy) season” company and sport in a different environment.

The tips I’m looking for here aren’t quaddy numbers or trackwatchers’ gossip.

I’m looking for some feedback on how and where readers might be able to experience some of what racing can offer….for some it is Flemington finery, but for most it is a “must do” country meeting (Avoca this week) or a really good pubtab (the Emerald always gets a nod).

My calendar is clogged but I’m sure that others, as horseracing enters their consciousness, are just beginning to formulate plans on meeting up and enjoying a day’s socialising and staking.

Suggestions please!

(…and each week the Almanac posts an overview of the upcoming meeting and invites tips, comments, questions. Absolutely everyone encouraged to contribute.)

Comments

  1. cowshedend says

    Crio,after about 20 derby’s, started avoiding it and headed down to Traralgon, hardly a soul there cheap cans, and a view of the track not obstructed with marquee’s.
    Kyneton on the Wed. after the cup is a beautiful day, and of course the stunning Dunkeld on Sandown Cup day is amazing.
    Still reckon that one of the most amazing things in sport is that roar that builds form the school for the Cox, like some vocal mexican wave that starts at the North Hill and thunders down the straight. Melbourne Cups can fade to just names of winners, whilst classic Cox Plates are etched in the memory for a lifetime..Kingston Town can’t win…Bonecrusher, racing into equine immortality.. Sunline and Northerly..Might and Power…and i still salivate over the 92 classic,where every punter was on a different champion and every one of them had an excuse

  2. I’m going to Yarra Glen on Cox Plate day this year. Should be interesting. Why they charge $25 is beyond me.
    Kyneton is a beautiful track but their Cup Day is madness.

  3. cowshedend says

    When was the last time you missed a Cox Crio? lovely track Yarra Glen,but reckon when the heat comes out there are flys as big as your fist

  4. Clare races on Oaks Day was a great day out in the 70’s. A slow wander the 2 hours north of Adelaide. Lunch and a Riesling in Watervale. Drop into the Sevenhill Monastery for a quick prayer of “oh God whose will divines our way, give us winners here today.”
    In those days Clare raced at Easter as an alternative to Oakbank, and on Oaks Day. Track was a beautiful view across the vineyards. Shaped a bit like Strathalbyn with an uphill run to the turn, and then a very short straight.
    I am guessing that there are city races in Adelaide on Oaks Day now, but it was a treat back then.
    Last year I was deliberating whether to watch the Cup at the Community Centre where I work. The doctors got a young drug addict on the bus, and asked me to have a chat to him. Heaven sent. The race was 20 minutes over when I said goodbye to him, so I did not have to join in the collective madness.

  5. Spot on re Avoca Crio; we’ll be there Saturday. Of course there’s Berrigan Cup on Derby Day, which we’ve attended before, so it’s a possibility again in 2014. Corowas has two more meetings to round out the year and Yea has at least one, if not two, prior to Xmas. These are my good picks, not to say i might also find a roughie i like. Never been to Dederang, might need to check my moves on that race day !

    Glen !

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