Most bookies reported losses from Derby Day…all would have lost their temper. We were positioned adjacent to the Beaver at the end of the main ring and had a terrible day dealing with total dickheads. No security or police were in evidence at any stage of the day. Beaver reckons it is time for a [Read more]
Framing the bets
November 2, 2009 by 2 Comments
by John Kingsmill My new Adelaide Review editor only gave me 250 words on the Melbourne Cup this year. I filed this last week when there were still 39 hats in the ring: Alcopop took SA country form to Melbourne, won the JRA and Herbert Power and went straight to the Cup. Skip the premarket [Read more]
A quality day at the Derby
November 1, 2009 by 2 Comments
by Mark “Makybe” Freeman Just a pleasure seeing the quality go around today, punters. How good is Typhoon Tracy? Sat three-wide early, but ran away with such authority. Managed to keep out of Hot Danish, having seen her soundly thrashed by Tracy at Caulfield. And Faint Perfume is also proving a gun. She was nice [Read more]
Crio’s tip: to win more, put more on Onemorenomore
October 30, 2009 by 28 Comments
After the fiasco at Caulfield, my faith in the betting ring as central to a day’s racing was restored at Moonee Valley where a massive crowd bet ferociously on what was the busiest day I’ve had on the bag in memory. Despite the early shorties arriving, the value was good, you could lay plenty of [Read more]
Makybe joins the Rockferry crew
October 29, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Mark Makybe Freeman Clambering to the summit of the racing season, punters, ready to drive our flagpole into the peak… er… to enjoy the best racing has to offer. Our oxygen (cash supply) is running low, but we’re alive and kicking. Always a fascinating program, Derby Day, all group races, including four group 1s. [Read more]
Melbourne Cup tip – take a cardigan
October 28, 2009 by 1 Comment
by Brett Dutschke The early tip for the Melbourne Cup is for brisk winds and a high of about 20 degrees, according to weatherzone.com.au, so it will be worth taking a jacket or cardigan. Almanac Admin
A day at the Cox Plate
October 28, 2009 by 1 Comment
by David Hyland Firstly I have to say that Saturday was my virginal live Cox Plate experience. I had always wanted to attend having been to the course many times for different events and thought that packed to the rafters it would provide magnificent atmosphere and excitement. I went with my wife and another two [Read more]
How it feels to be Barted
October 24, 2009 by 11 Comments
by Mark Makybe Freeman Savage bashing. Pilloried on the punt. Barted, Barted, Barted again (thanks P. Flynn for the handy new verb). Got the Plate completely wrong. The 3-year-olds I labelled ‘mediocre’ quinellaed the event. Whobe, Heart not good enough. Not even big El. Utter wipeout. Freeza
Looking for a change of fortune
October 23, 2009 by Leave a Comment
by Chris Riordan I keep running in to punters lauding over last week’s riches. No good for me. I’m still backing Bookies’ chances and we got belted. It was an awful day all round at Caulfield. Punters just kept getting it right and the occasion was tarnished by horrible, drunken, unpleasant behaviour. A classic Connex [Read more]
Like Moonee Valley’s turf, the Cox Plate is cut and dried
October 23, 2009 by 4 Comments
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]
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]
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 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]
Racing: Melbourne punters need to note tricky track traits
October 5, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Chris Riordan Despite the relatively fine weather, cracking fixture and healthy attendance, it was pretty much business as usual in the main betting ring at Flemington on Saturday. For bookies it was predominantly a winning day after a tough start. The Turnbull Stakes and Gilgai Stakes put the ledger in their favour, although the [Read more]
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