Sister Olive was the third three year old filly to win the Melbourne Cup. She saluted in 1921, following Brisesis in 1876, and Auararia in 1895.
Sister Olive was bred and raised up in Yea, which is where this feature race meeting was held. Sister Olive won her Melbourne Cup, in a big field, with 24 horses trailling her. Well ridden by Teddy O’Sullivan, her winning margin was three quarters of a length. Despte carrying a slight weight she had not been a favourite with the bookies, running at 16-1. Nice odds if you can get them!
Off we headed to Yea, for their second meeting of the 2014-15 racing season. As members we want to get our money’s worth! Yea is a pleasant little town, heading into the Great Dividing Range. Nestled circa 100k’s north east of Melbourne, it is a busy litle tourist destination, with four picnic race meetings every year adding to the attraction.
They jumped for the first just after 1-15pm, 1-15 on a 24 hour clock. A four -horse maiden, over 1300 metres in which Grant Secombe saluted over the favourite Paul John.
The next race saw young Toby Lake ride his first winner, on Sudden Rush, a horse trained by his father Steven Lake.
The third saw a tight finish Conspicuous Star pipping the hot favourite Rawlings. A good ride by Rob Kirkpatrick who shared the riding honours at the previous Yea meeting.
Race four was a three horse race over 2100 metres, in which Clovelly Hill just ran down Cash Caddy, with Medal Day taking the third, and last placing.
The six race card’s feature event was race five, the Sister Olive Handicap run over 3000 metres. Sure, it is a furlong less tham ‘the race that stops the nation’, but who are we mug punters to quibble with a minor technicality of that nature?
In this my money was on Tassie Devil. When the nominations were announced I was interested in Masters Degree, a horse which had previously performed well at TAB meetings, including running a few strong races in town. As someone who has an MA it appealed to me, giving me an affinity with a horse of that name. However when the weights were announced it was given a whopping 73 kilos, too much for any horse to bear over this distance, actually any distance. As it turned out there were only four acceptances. This race saw the toppie, Bellesanta salute. The four horses finished in their numerical order; 1,2,3,4. The victory gave jockey Michael Kent a running double.
The last race on the card resulted in Christopher Brown wining on an outsider Mediano, paying $14-00. Cheerio to our friend ‘Al the Painter’ who placed $50-00 on the nose with Mediano. Your shout!
Good seeing leading picnic rider Adam Bodey back on track. Adam had a delayed start to the season, missing the Yea race in November, though he’d now returned, having ridden in Healseville last Saturday, 13/12. Adam had the one ride, being placed on Spinning Tune in the last.
At the November meeting riding at Yea, riding honours went to Courtney Pace, and Rob Kirkpatrick who both rode a double. Courtney Pace had a winless day here at this meeting with Rob Kirkpatrick saluting in the third. On this day Michael Kent took the honours with his double.
The TVN- Sky spat played out on course. Early in the day the TVs showed the Sky coverage, then would cross to TVN for the Melbourne and Sydney races. For the latter part of the day only TVN were screened meaning we could not see Adelaide or Brisbane. Frustrating!
Froehliche Weinachten, to my fellow Almanackers,
Prost,
Glen!
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