By Mark “Makybe” Freeman I can see clearly now, punters, the Plate has come…. it’s gonna be a deep, deep-pocket, fill-up day. After the raffle of last week’s Caulfield Cup, the 2009 Cox Plate is as cut-and-dried as they come. There are only three genuine top flight stakes-class performers – Whobegotyou, Heart of [Read more]
Crio’s Question: Which is the horse that holds a special place in your heart?
October 21, 2009 by 22 Comments
About ten years ago we were down at the old Flemington stalls on raceday looking at the horses, particularly (very) young Tom’s favourite, Sky Heights. To his shock and the amusement of on-lookers (including Trevor McKee tending to Sunline next door), Colin Alderson grabbed Tom from my arms and sat him atop the giant champ! [Read more]
The Silk Road to South Africa
October 21, 2009 by Leave a Comment
by Tony Wilson The Socceroos final round of World Cup qualifying began on the Silk Road in Tashkent, and they never really got off it. It is not meant to be this smooth. Nigeria has fallen short again. Powerhouses like Portugal and France are still sweating. After sixteen matches, Argentina is fifth in a South [Read more]
Old footballers don’t die, they play AFL Masters
October 21, 2009 by 3 Comments
By Andrew Nathan It’s another steamy night in Cairns. I’m in the Vic Metro team that is about to play its first match in the annual AFL Masters tournament. I’ve played in two previous carnivals, in Maroochydore in 2006 and Darwin in ’08, and I’m 43 years of age—but I still get nervous before pulling [Read more]
Cup Day has nothing to Show for it
October 21, 2009 by 564 Comments
by Josh Barnstable This is a question I have asked myself each year. The question is filled with answers, yet I never find one. Why is the Melbourne Cup day a public holiday? For years, I wondered why we got the day off in November to see a bunch of horses running around a track, [Read more]
The Rite of Spring
October 19, 2009 by 2 Comments
by Damian O’Donnell I love Spring. I love what it does to people. In June, July and August we go about our business. We watch our footy team battle through the long AFL season. We pay the mortgage, keep warm, and ask our kids what they did at school. The grass only grows in clumps, [Read more]
It’s “Bart! Bart! Bart” all the way to the post
October 18, 2009 by 4 Comments
by Mark “Makybe” Freeman Bart, Bart, Bart! When will we ever learn? Amazing, extraordinary, unbe-fuckin’-lievable … anyway, it’s all in the papers for you to read. Viewed did get an amazing passage through on the inside, while stablemate Roman Emperor worked harder for his second placing, so perhaps he might be the one to get [Read more]
AFL Club awards: Brown and Black lead Lions back into contention
October 17, 2009 by 1 Comment
Josh Barnstable reviews the Merrett-Murray Medal A big rejuvenated Lion outfit made a welcomed return to the finals since 2004 on the back of a great year spearheaded by the usual heads of Jonathan Brown, Simon Black and Daniel Bradshaw. After a stirring comeback in the first week of the finals against Carlton, ignited by [Read more]
Caulfield Cup: Tread carefully with the internationals
October 16, 2009 by 6 Comments
by Mark “Makybe” Freeman Amazingly wide Caulfield Cup this year, punters. With obvious favourite Speed Gifted missing and next in line Predatory Pricer (barrier 16, jump from 14) and Vigor (22, jump from 18) drawn poorly, the internationals are the default favourites. Despite racing in top quality races across the globe (in fact Cima De [Read more]
Racing: The Caulfield Cup is a raffle
October 15, 2009 by 27 Comments
by Chris Riordan I love having a beer over the Winning Post on Thursday night. There’s no rush and the possibilities are endless. Mind you, it’s stressful in a way as there’s 40 odd hours of indecision between now and disappointment. The greatest challenge of all, without doubt, is the old bugbear of track conditions [Read more]
Crio’s Question: Who are the money munchers?
October 13, 2009 by 22 Comments
There are at least two types. There’s the annoying nag who catches your eye early and fleeces you throughout the Carnival. You just know that as soon as you jump off it will salute at odds. Shocking is the yoke for me this time in and possibly the Hisser for Makybe soon?? But there are [Read more]
A wholly satisfying half-marathon
October 13, 2009 by 5 Comments
by Darren Dawson I will always be proud of the fact that I am a member of that small percentage of the population who has completed a marathon. In fact, I have competed in four of those 42.2 k runs, with a couple of half-marathons thrown in for good measure. And so it is with [Read more]
A change of Gears at the Caulfield Guineas
October 13, 2009 by 18 Comments
by Mark Makybe Freeman The mistake I made, punters, was to agree to frock up and take advantage of the corporate largesse on offer. Gears had lucked into some passes handed over by a buddy, and in we went under the assumed names. I’m still only coming good now – the reason for this “come [Read more]
Caulfield Guineas: Down down at The Heath
October 12, 2009 by 11 Comments
Saturday morning. For the first time in a couple of years, Clare and I are heading off to the track at the same time. (She called heads and got to attend the Derby Day car park last year and I spent my first eight hours straight as a single father, changing seven nappies, feeding four [Read more]
Princes Park Days: Blue Reflections
October 12, 2009 by 1 Comment
By John Butler Nostalgia is said to be a sure product of advancing age. It is equally sure that those of us old enough to remember the days of suburban footy grounds are susceptible to rose coloured remembrance. Like favourite songs forever linked to formative life experiences, each tribe has a repository of memories held [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Diary of a Top End Saint
October 12, 2009 by 1 Comment
By Joc Ledwidge A bonza ten days. Friday: Flew in lunchtime of Preliminary Final day. Picked up by West Melbourne-dwelling, Essendon-barracking mate, so hung around Puckle Street then Lygon Street and witnessed a few Saints scarves (a future theme as it turns out). Bought some additional winter warmers, in colours of course. Transport Bar pre-game. [Read more]
Racing: You want winners? Look no further than this site
October 11, 2009 by 17 Comments
By Chris Riordan Every Saturday and most public holidays I stand in the betting ring, bag around my neck, grabbing money from the dreamers and the greedy. Inevitably I am asked for a tip. “You must know?!” It bemuses me. I want to point out that I’m the one who is working during everyone else’s [Read more]
AFL Grand Final: Victory belongs to the people of Geelong
October 11, 2009 by 6 Comments
By Ramon Fowler If there is anyone out there who still doubts that the MCG is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the founding spirit of our game is alive in our time, who still questions the sheer magnificence of Australian football, then the 2009 AFL grand final is your [Read more]
AFL Semi-Finals: Bulldogs fire in my first finals match
October 11, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Callum O’Connor This year, I had expected to go to the finals. I would be there, urging on my Tigers with my uncle as they played their first final since 2001. Well, here I am. Going to the finals? Check. To watch a big cat team with a relative? Check. Pity it’s the wrong [Read more]
Racing: The Mug gets an early whack on The Beaver
October 11, 2009 by 8 Comments
It was set up to be a magnificent day’s racing at Caulfield yesterday, and it was. I have been extremely conscientious in fulfilling my duty to celebrate the premiership properly which has meant I have not paid much attention to the form guide. However there is nothing like a couple hours in an airport and [Read more]
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