Who Is Going To Win The Melbourne Cup?

One of the best ways to pick a winner, any winner – and it’s a tried and tested method is by one of the following means:-

• Toss a Coin
• By Silk Colours
• By Favourite Jockey

And most importantly …

By Horse name.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ……………….

Someone once asked me how I do my form and I replied with great trepidation. I now had to give away my secret formula of reading the form and I cant pass this information on in detail now otherwise I will have to shoot you.

The Melbourne Cup as you will all know has always been a favourite betting race for all Australians – however this year with there being so many overseas horses with information unknown there will be many snakes and ladders – so punters do take care.

I guess the most important issue I feel is to know is that the horse can actually run the distance. If your horse runs out of gas at the 2500m mark – its all over and he’ll be home with the cab-catchers!! 

Another important factor to me is the jockey – no one knows the nuances of Flemington like the local grown lads. Ok, so you have picked your horse, he has some unknown overseas gentleman riding the horse for the first time at Flemington and more than likely will be sitting 5-wide for the whole trip! Goodbye money!

Barriers. Always, always a contentious issue. You know, if you were running your horse in a maiden at Doomben and you drew Barrier 24 – you would scratch him without a moment’s notice. But, this is the Melbourne Cup, so, if you happen to have drawn 24 in the Melbourne Cup – good luck!! Mind you, Brew did it…

Barriers are a big thing… ask yourself the question… will the jock go forward and use up the much needed gas needed for the sprint home?? Or will he or she go back and slot in? Horses drawn the inside barriers will be taking it easy having a snooze while those from the outside will be whisked like scrambling eggs trying to find a position.

Ok, now looking at the horses themselves…. Will they be wearing any different gear to get them through the 3200m? An example of this would be Americain who will now be sporting Concussion Plates instead of normal racing plates. He might have a jarring up problem… not that they are going to tell us!!

Over to the Overseas Contenders – in fact they all are really with the exception of Older Than Time, Niwot and The Verminator. 

With the overseas contenders one issue to contemplate is, have they been out in the Victorian sunshine competing in races? Statistics show that overseas horses that have done the quarantine thing and are competing in races during the carnival do better than those who haven’t raced in Australia – they’ve settled in, their eating, their racing and can be competitive.

The yard stick to measure the overseas horses seem to be Jukebox Jury, Americain, Dunaden and Drunken Sailor who have spent the last couple of months competing against each other overseas.

Jukebox Jury has beaten all of these horses during this time. However, in saying that, the question still remains, has Jukebox Jury settled in and acclimatised?? How do we know as he hasn’t raced since arriving in Australia?

One thing that sticks out like the proverbial is that Niwot can run and win at the distance. He has a strong local jock to steer, has a half way decent barrier and is being trained by Team Hawkes – who takes no prisoners ( remember Malucky Day who ran 2^nd last year in the Cup after winning the Lexus – and coincidentally just like Niwot).

Ok, the 64,000 question …. Who is going TOWIN??

Whatever you want TOWIN, I hope it does go on TOWIN for you.

Mmmmm…. now, where is that coin??

On a Special Afternoon...

I got to witness Mother Nature at her best.  Really, words don't seem to describe it.

Traditions, Memories and Fairytales - The Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup has always been a tradition in my house.  I remember growing up during my school years and making sure that I was always home,  to be around for that time of the afternoon when the “Race That Stopped a Nation” ran – I am wondering how the teachers never cottoned-on to that as every year, on the first Tuesday of November, I would be home and sick!  Or, at worst come home at half day because of a sudden onset of  migraine that needed me to go home to my bed.

This was an event that my mum and I shared together:  Every Sunday prior to the race we would be scouring the papers, getting all the latest mail and advice from the columnists so that we could make our informed choices then mum would make her way down to the local TAB so that she could put on our bets – which for my mum was a huge event as she would walk in and throw herself on the mercy of one of the tab locals to find out how to fill in the cards.

On her return from the TAB, back in front of the tv armed with all sorts of goodies to watch the flamboyance and glitz, we would sit patiently waiting for the parade of champions.

Think Big, Van der Hum, Gold & Black, Arwon, Hyperno, Subzero, Jeune, Saintly, Might & Power and Jezabeel – to name a few…we stood up and cheered them all home…willing each one on to victory. Not forgetting of course the year that the Goondiwindi Grey ran third carrying a massive 60kg.  These moments were certainly a highlight of my childhood and they are memories that I will always have and cherish.

And the rich stories that have come to light from the journeys of these horses to actually get to the race. In fact, the magical stories that come from the Melbourne Cup are probably more important than the Cup itself.

In conversation with a friend the other day I was shocked to hear myself talking the great race down… and further I wondered how I had become so cynical of the actual thoroughbred industry itself.

This year the Melbourne Cup is a totally different race.  No longer is it the reachable dream of the battler owner-trainer who has a horse that "goes-good". Remember Snowy Lupton & Kiwi, Les Bridge & Kensei, George Hanlon & Arwon or even the fairy tale inaugural Melbourne Cup winner Archer - who walked from Nowra to Melbourne to take his place in the race.

Rather now, the Cup is a race of the internationally bred high-dollar flyers who also come with their own overseas-grown jockey. Interestingly enough, the actual timing of the race itself is also geared towards overseas betting markets.

It really goes deeper than that:  Australians no longer breed stayers because the race clubs are no longer scheduling staying races.  Which means when it comes time for the Melbourne Cup, the cupboard is bare.

The racing industry these days is now geared towards early 2YO sprint racing with the State bonus schemes also encouraging with enormous winning bonuses. 

I have never been an advocate of early 2YO racing when clearly most horses are not mentally capable or physically mature enough to handle the whole business of racing. Hand in hand with 2YO racing are the yearling sales that encourages  a yearling horse to be grown artificially to the size of a 3YO.

Is horse racing now all about those who have the most money to spend on a horse, a service fee or yearling?

Is it about growing them quickly and not realizing their full potential so that they can win the bonus scheme money?

Or is it about rearing a foal with love and nurturing it through its first few years until it’s mentally and physically ready to be broken in?

Yes I will be watching the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday and I will be thinking of the fond times that I spent with my mum, however, there will be no fairy tale finish in 2011.

After all these years I still hold the dream of breeding a stayer; a Macdougal, or a Gold and Black – I guess you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Matilda ... 13 Years Young

What I'm Reading..

The Synopsis:

Ellen O'Farrell is an expert when it comes to human frailties. She's a hypnotherapist who helps her clients deal with everything from addictions to life-long phobias. So when she falls in love with a man who is being stalked by his ex-girlfriend she's more intrigued than frightened. What makes a supposedly smart, professional woman behave this way? She'd love to meet her!

What she doesn't know is that she already has. Saskia has been masquerading as a client, and their lives are set to collide in ways Ellen could never have predicted.

This wonderfully perceptive new novel from Liane Moriarty is about the lines we'll cross for love. It's about the murky areas between right and wrong, and the complexities of modern relationships.

As Ellen is about to discover, we're all a little crazy – even her.

What I Think...

To be perfectly honest, Im not sure... its taking me forever to get motivated to settle down and read it... but when I do settle down to it ... it seems ok.  MMMmmmm...I just think that with the seriousness of having a stalker you would think that the main character would be a little more ... um, er dynamic?  Am I too tough on it? Im not even half way... I'll keep going and see what happens...  I like it but ....

Ok I Do Have a Secret…

I am addicted to the show, Brothers and Sisters.  I don’t know how it happened, and its way after the free-to-air showing – it just sort of happened accidentally, as do most vices.  So, I have been seen popping into Big W to pick up the next season instalment so that I can keep feeding my addiction – much to Evan’s annoyance … he says its crap. Lol

So I walk into Big W last week itching with anticipation of picking up Season 3 only to see that the store is already geared-up for Christmas!  AAArgh!   

I stop suddenly where Iam standing and unfortunately the lady with the pram and the 3 kids who are trailing up behind me come to a screaming halt as well – much to the mum’s disgust.  All I can see are aisles and aisles of trees, decorations, cards, wrapping paper – you name it, they have it. 

Surely it’s not that time already?  I have a momentary panic … surely its not… and I check my Blackberry and its 20 October  … I raise my eyebrows in mild annoyance at the fact that the big “Do” at the end of the year is approaching – and quickly – quicker than Black Caviar over the last 200m at Moonee Valley. 

But what is it about Christmas that turns normally rational, sane people into  gift-buying fanatics that turn a Shopping Mall into a place only for the very brave?  Forget about Christmas Cheer lol, as every carpark is turned into a battlezone and it’s survival of the fittest, the fastest and the biggest 4WD.  My little Pulsar doesn’t stand a chance of getting out alive!! 

Once you finally get a parking spot after a good 50 minutes of stalking around the lanes, watching the comings and goings of all the people, waiting to snatch that 1 parking space then its up into the shopping mall with all the other crazies who have been sitting on their bums thinking about Christmas for the last 3 months. 

5 hours later you have found 1 gift after walking around and around and around going in and out of stores.  Its all starting to get to you, your level of patience is 0. Your stomach is beating out a wild SOS trying to get your attention; your eyes are tired from all the air conditioning and your feet are screaming with tiredness and its as much as you can do to put one foot in front of the other back to the car park only to find that you didn’t park your car on Level3 – C …  

Breathe Helen, breath…aargh!!  Im hyperventilating just thinking about it.   

And then there are the Christmas Cards that have to be out in plenty of time … so that you can respond to any that come in that you weren’t expecting.  I won’t even go near the family newsletters that seem to be very popular at this time of year. 

*Sigh* I have had to grab hold of Ruby to get some canine therapy to soothe my savaged nerves. 

I do have a plan this year though.  It involves a cup of Merlo plunger coffee, something sweet .. my laptop, my debit card - and my lounge chair.

Im Only Going to Speak About This Once…

And its one for the WPMO file…

It’s like a ritual, every morning Evan and I get up – Evan feeds and waters the horses and I get up and sort the dogs out… yeah, they are like my kids I guess – I turn on the tv to Sky News and see what horrific events have happened in the world overnight.

There is the odd murder, there may have been a disaster of cataclysmic proportions that we can view live as it happens, or there may have been a report of a scandal regarding a well known celebrity; but these days we seem to be suffering from “Ground Hog Day” when it comes to the political news on the tv and the management and governing of our country and to be quite frank, Im just over it!

Iam over that woman getting on the tv and instead of talking about progressive policy and legislation that she will be introducing with her minority government, she is playing school-yard tattle-tailing about the Opposition Leader about something that was said 3 weeks ago. And it’s not just a once-off, its endless and mindless and to be perfectly honest Im done listening to it.

Mind you, her opponent is not blameless either as Sky News gives equal viewing to both sides; I hope like mad that something has changed and he will put forward some future progressive policy and a reason to change the Goverment, however all I hear are his very scripted speeches about nothing in particular (with the words, NO and NOT always featuring prominently).

Ok, Porridge is eaten and it’s time to have some toast with my cup of tea before I get ready for work… by this time of the morning the news is done for the moment and it’s time for AM Agenda.

The format of the show if you don’t know it is for the host to bring on 2 pollies from either party – so that you can get 2 opposing views of the topic (mind you, most mornings the topics are the same: Newspaper Polls, Asylum Seekers or Carbon Tax – take your pick its usually one of these).

Both representatives are usually in 2 different studios, and it’s probably for the good reason that Sky News is frightened that they will end up in a huge all-in-brawl – the host will then ask each representative a question and the other representative gets the right of reply.

Seems like a winning format for a tv show doesn’t it? Informative, with lively discussion eminating from a strong host who can control both parties.

Problem is most days the show usually ends up as a brawling match with both pollies yelling and screaming over the top of each other trying to be heard and a very timid host trying but failing dismally to control them.

Perhaps this show should be renamed, “World Championship Verbal Bashing”?

I turned to Evan this morning (before he turned the sound off) and told him that this show was reminiscent of my school debating days, when the ability to shout and scream over your opponent while they were talking always gave you the upper hand. I cant repeat to you what he replied!

So what you have in essence is a prime time current affairs show, 2 over paid politicians constantly talking over each other with snide and sarcastic comments and a host who might as well not be there! Perhaps the pollies think that they are back in the House and don’t have to behave like an adult human being?

And here’s another thought, where is the media that should be keeping them accountable to the people they serve?

To me it seems that our federal politicians and our country leaders have lost the plot as to why they are in politics. Perhaps they could be there to serve us, the people?  Now there's a novel thought!! 

  

This morning I made an executive decision when AM Agenda came on. I turned it over to the Food Channel.

Food Glorious Food?

Eating.  One of my most favourite things to talk about!  I have been told by Evan that I expect too much from restaurants ...

Ok, I have to admit that I do have very high expectations when it comes to the flavour of the food that I eat. I know that most times I can usually taste the flavours before the food actually hits the roof of my mouth.

C’mon, you know what I mean… have you ever opened a packet of salt and vinegar chips and the split second while you are opening the packet your mouth is already juicing up experiencing the tangy taste sensation of the acidic vinegar mixed with the salt and you just cant wait to put the chip into your mouth and bite down and actually live the flavours that your mouth is dreaming of?

Same goes when you walk into a restaurant, hungry and anxious with expectation of a great meal out.  Your mouth begins to start watering with the anticipation of deliciously tasting food. Not only does it get the digestive juices dancing, but it puts you in a good mood and the endorphins start rushing around and you’re bursting with excitement at the prospect of enjoying some stimulating company, drinking some beautiful wine and ultimately filling your tummy with some beautiful flavours.  Well mostly!

Living on the Darling Downs of Queensland the choice of good eating establishments is limited (oh how I miss my favourite haunts in Balmain and Surry Hills!) so you can imagine how crabby I was after a recent experience at a local pub – where both Evan and I left feeling bloated, disappointed and wildly out of pocket for a meal that was not worth half the actual cost of it!

Perhaps I am unrealistic? But then again, why shouldn’t I get good food and service when I am paying for the privilege of it?

Ok, I wasn’t expecting the level of service and food as "Ampersand", but this was ridiculous! How hard can it be to deliver an edible Chicken Burger accompanied by hot, well seasoned fries?

Why should anyone have to suffer through a 13cm high  (get your ruler out and check out the size!!) Chicken Burger, filled with an over cooked oily chicken fillet and runny, warm coleslaw? Ok, there was some lettuce and tomato also present at the scene of the crime - and to add insult to injury there were also some mostly warm unseasoned fries on the side as well.

Do I mention that the meal was also accompanied with a paper napkin, a fork and a butter knife?  No serrated knife that might actually cut the burger was sighted in the restaurant.

It was at that point after getting RSI of the wrist through cutting the dam thing with a Butter Knife that my digestive juices packed up and left me for the afternoon. Not to mention the endorphins – they had immigrated south for the duration.

And to add insult to injury, our waitress, did not utter a word when she came to pick up the plates – which were mostly uneaten.

Surely chef’s must realise that something is wrong when plates keep coming back into the kitchen with the napkin purposefully placed over the leftover food?

And whatever happened to serving staff actually caring about your dining experience and asking you, “How did you enjoy your meal?” and really meaning it rather than bearing up to the table with a sullen face and just picking up your plate - under sufferance because they have to?

Eating out should be full of good experiences - good food, good wine and great company and friendly staff that want you to enjoy their food and make you want to come back again.

Is it too much to expect???

We've Changed.

Like the rest of the world around us, both Evan and I have felt a urgent need to change and re-invent ourselves, Massie Lodge and the things that we do every day.
Evan has changed www.gallopers.com.au in a big way! No longer is Gallopers just a place to buy a thoroughbred horse, in fact, selling horses is probably a very small part of what Gallopers website now is.

Gallopers is now the one place to go when you want to find out about the Thoroughbred Industry as a whole. Jockeys, Horses, Track Conditions, Race Previews, Articles, Exotic Betting (quinellas, trifecta's and quaddies) and of course not forgetting "GGT" - Gallopers Good Thing - a free tip that is given out on the website.

Not only does Gallopers look at the thoroughbred industry, this all new website encompases NRL, AFL and EPL - with guest writers who have the best knowledge on their given subject.

Evan is still a Jockey Manager for 2 Jockeys: Damien Robinson in South Australia and Chris Pace (Apprentice) in Victoria. As you can imagine you need a good thorough knowledge of the industry to look after a jockey successfully - and those of you who know Evan, know that he is a very astute form student.

Massie Lodge has changed over the years and we both decided that while we do like having horses around the place, the industry has changed so much that there just isnt a market for a small boutique agistment place when it is obvious that the large establishments are failing by the bucket load.

However, in saying that, Massie Lodge is not about bums in paddocks and never has been - it is still a thriving, loving environment for horses who need something extra - rather than being a number in a big paddock.

We are still taking in horses for agistment on a small scale and are happy to speak to people who have a need and prefer a small, intimate establishment for their horses to spell or have a mare that needs to foal down in a small, caring environment. We offer the very best of care to all residents and like to think that because our numbers are small, we can give each horse one-on-one attention and lots of love as well. I like to think because our numbers are small its our very big advantage over other properties.

Please call Evan or myself if we can help you in this regard.

And me? Well I seem to be going in many directions at the moment. Crazy Horse Marketing is out there in the market place and has some nice clients and is also doing some volunteer work for community groups as well.

Under the banner of Crazy Horse, I am authoring 3 blogs: A Jockey's Journey and A Black Cockatoo - and of course The Life and Times of Massie Lodge - which when I get a few minutes to myself will also undergo some cosmetic and directional changes as well.

All very different blogs. If you get a moment go and have a look. I will place them on the right hand side so that you can keep up with each of them.

I have decided with this blog that I am going to go back to what I do best: telling my side of the story.

When I started this blog it was my intention to make this blog not only about Massie Lodge but about the things that meant alot to me; my thoughts and impressions about life as I see it. I believe that its time to go back to this and be true to my writing self. I have so many things to say about a whole lot of issues and experiences - I reckon its time to reinvent myself and be true to myself. I hope that you will enjoy what I have to say.

Photography and writing are my passions ... its time to be true to them and to myself!

Well, that about sums it all up.... I hope that you will come back to making this blog a part of your life and reading experiences and be entertained with my views on life, the universe and well, everything!

Helen :)