Adam, Evan with Havachat and Moofa... they will be going through the Magic Millions sale this month.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Sunday, November 06, 2005
IT'S OFFICIAL....
Massie Lodge is under water. (Can you believe it?)
We had a deluge last night, over 30mls and it has been continuing today... much to the delight of all the horses who are now officially coloured mud brown. I have to laugh as I type this, as I look over my monitor in the study, I see that Joey has found herself a very nice muddy spot and had a beautiful roll right in a pool of watery mud - not to be outdone, Sunny and Gracie have followed her lead and have also enjoyed the delights of a mud bath. Here is the lovely Havachat after a downpour!
Our hospital paddock that we continually try and build up is a wading pool and we have had to move Cindy out of there as she was up to her fetlock in water. So after some more shuffling around, Oscar has been moved next to the boys and Cindy is now in the day yard next to Libby & Susie.
We are still not sure of our final configuation as Charliefarley comes home next week from Paul Moody. His report card is excellent and Charlie will be sent to Wadham Park in January in the next stage of his career before being vetted for Hong Kong.
A question that has been on my mind this year and after the very dry season that we have just had. Do horses forget how to graze (and be horses) when they have been handfed for long periods of time? I guess the question can be expanded to; do horses forget how to be horses in a paddock after being in work in the stable for a long preparation?
My first reaction to the first question is, yes. However, after seeing the Massie Lodge residents after the first lot of rain is that it doesnt take them too long to forget about lining up for a feed and get on with the act of grazing.
I have pondered the second question for quite some time after seeing horses arrive here from training stables. They are all tucked up, lean and really quite wound up emotionally. Of course, not all horses are the same and the time for let down is different dependent on the state of their "head".
Take Susie after coming home from her second last preparation. She was over the top, very skinny and very, very agitated. It took her at least 3 months to start to wind down and relax. After 3 months we noticed that she started to put some paddock weight on. To me that was an indication that in herself and her mind, she had finally relaxed. I think Joey was a bit the same (although not as bad as Susie was). Joey has come along way in a month and Iam confident that she will be a different horse by the end of January. I find Joey now to be a very quiet girl, happy in her surroundings with her mates and always looking for a cuddle.
Susie was a different horse when she came home from Paul this time in with her injury. In fact, she was missing her stable life for a period of time there and became quite agitated because her work and routine had stopped. After a period of re-adjustment, Susie learned her new routine and is very happy with her life (now that she has found Libby). I am dreading to think how she will be when Libby goes off to Noralla. AAArgh! One very unhappy mare again.
On the other hand, the trick is to know when they have had enough of doing nothing! lol
Well, the rain has stopped and all fly veils need to be collected and washed (so that they can see through them again!!). See, I get all the best jobs!
Helen.
We had a deluge last night, over 30mls and it has been continuing today... much to the delight of all the horses who are now officially coloured mud brown. I have to laugh as I type this, as I look over my monitor in the study, I see that Joey has found herself a very nice muddy spot and had a beautiful roll right in a pool of watery mud - not to be outdone, Sunny and Gracie have followed her lead and have also enjoyed the delights of a mud bath. Here is the lovely Havachat after a downpour!
Our hospital paddock that we continually try and build up is a wading pool and we have had to move Cindy out of there as she was up to her fetlock in water. So after some more shuffling around, Oscar has been moved next to the boys and Cindy is now in the day yard next to Libby & Susie.
We are still not sure of our final configuation as Charliefarley comes home next week from Paul Moody. His report card is excellent and Charlie will be sent to Wadham Park in January in the next stage of his career before being vetted for Hong Kong.
A question that has been on my mind this year and after the very dry season that we have just had. Do horses forget how to graze (and be horses) when they have been handfed for long periods of time? I guess the question can be expanded to; do horses forget how to be horses in a paddock after being in work in the stable for a long preparation?
My first reaction to the first question is, yes. However, after seeing the Massie Lodge residents after the first lot of rain is that it doesnt take them too long to forget about lining up for a feed and get on with the act of grazing.
I have pondered the second question for quite some time after seeing horses arrive here from training stables. They are all tucked up, lean and really quite wound up emotionally. Of course, not all horses are the same and the time for let down is different dependent on the state of their "head".
Take Susie after coming home from her second last preparation. She was over the top, very skinny and very, very agitated. It took her at least 3 months to start to wind down and relax. After 3 months we noticed that she started to put some paddock weight on. To me that was an indication that in herself and her mind, she had finally relaxed. I think Joey was a bit the same (although not as bad as Susie was). Joey has come along way in a month and Iam confident that she will be a different horse by the end of January. I find Joey now to be a very quiet girl, happy in her surroundings with her mates and always looking for a cuddle.
Susie was a different horse when she came home from Paul this time in with her injury. In fact, she was missing her stable life for a period of time there and became quite agitated because her work and routine had stopped. After a period of re-adjustment, Susie learned her new routine and is very happy with her life (now that she has found Libby). I am dreading to think how she will be when Libby goes off to Noralla. AAArgh! One very unhappy mare again.
On the other hand, the trick is to know when they have had enough of doing nothing! lol
Well, the rain has stopped and all fly veils need to be collected and washed (so that they can see through them again!!). See, I get all the best jobs!
Helen.
Saturday, November 05, 2005
The Trouble With April...
Where does one start with April? How high is the decked stacked against her to be a normal filly? lol
Well, to answer both of these questions is very easy. She is the daughter of Ophira (Vera). If you have ever had the pleasure of knowing Vera, you would know that she is not the easiest of mares to have around, yet, for some reason, Vera and I get on quite well.
April is nothing like her father, Canadian Silver (does he have a baldy face and three white socks? Um, no!), so the blame must rest entirely on her mother.
April is also nothing like her half sister, Oriana, who was quiet and obliging and easy going. Its terrible to think that April is the last of Vera's progeny... in fact it downright scary!
To get a better picture of yesterday, I think I had better rewind to the start.
It was a normal day, I overslept and was late getting off to work. Chris was coming to have a look at Caramel as she had developed a bit of a cough that we felt needed further investigating. Due to the fact that we werent quite sure what the hell we were going to do with April, she had not been microchipped, but because Chris was making his way out here, we thought, why not.
Why not indeed!
So, anyway off I went to work after the power was off for 45minutes.
Meanwhile, back at Massie Lodge bedlam had broken out.
April was NOT going to be caught and in the large paddock they were in, Evan had no chance. So, he opened the gate out into the laneway so that he could eliminate some space. Well, all 3 girls high tailed it out into the lane way. April had decided that she would bolt up to the gate and Evan decided to open up Susie's paddock so that he could use the gate as a type of blockade. This made 5 fillies and mares having the time of their life in the alleyway.
Meanwhile, April decided to use her head and climed through the fence at the top of the yard back into her yard. Yes, you read correctly. She climbed through the fence.
It was at this point in time that I had decided to call Evan and see how his day was going. Um, wrong move!
It was a very short call. His day had degenerated at a rate of knots. I picked up my bag and keys and hightailed it home. I couldnt let him be there with all this chaos happening. By the time I got home, all fillies and mares were in their appropriate yards and our dear April had been put in the stable next to Caramel. Not happy Jan.
Talk about a carry on because she was away from her friends.
I would like to add at this point that Lily and Shorts are not missing April. They are indeed much happier to be without her.
So, after a state near normality had returned to Massie Lodge, a car pulled in the drive with a float attached.
AAArgh! Here we go again I thought to myself.
I have to say that during all of this carry on, Missymoo and Hava had been out picking around the house, they had been quiet and quite well behaved. Hmmmm.
After dropping Oscar and Cindy off (they are staying for a few months), their lift drove out and left the gate open. Yes, open!
Hmmmmmmm. First rule of being on a farm.... Leave the gate how you found it!!! I was furious with these people.
So, with the gate down, Missymoo and Hava decided to take themselves off down Willowvale Road for a meet and greet with all the local horses. Luckily they turned left instead of right and ended up down with Rusty and Eric the Horse.
Evan and I bolted down to bring them back, luckily there was no traffic....
All horses restored to their respective paddocks, fed and watered, Evan and I came inside and collapsed. What a nightmare Friday was!
In fact Evan collapsed in a heap at 8pm and I found sollace on the lounge watching a Star Trek Voyager marathon...
Iam exhausted just thinking about yesterday. AAAAArgh!!!!.
Helen.
Well, to answer both of these questions is very easy. She is the daughter of Ophira (Vera). If you have ever had the pleasure of knowing Vera, you would know that she is not the easiest of mares to have around, yet, for some reason, Vera and I get on quite well.
April is nothing like her father, Canadian Silver (does he have a baldy face and three white socks? Um, no!), so the blame must rest entirely on her mother.
April is also nothing like her half sister, Oriana, who was quiet and obliging and easy going. Its terrible to think that April is the last of Vera's progeny... in fact it downright scary!
To get a better picture of yesterday, I think I had better rewind to the start.
It was a normal day, I overslept and was late getting off to work. Chris was coming to have a look at Caramel as she had developed a bit of a cough that we felt needed further investigating. Due to the fact that we werent quite sure what the hell we were going to do with April, she had not been microchipped, but because Chris was making his way out here, we thought, why not.
Why not indeed!
So, anyway off I went to work after the power was off for 45minutes.
Meanwhile, back at Massie Lodge bedlam had broken out.
April was NOT going to be caught and in the large paddock they were in, Evan had no chance. So, he opened the gate out into the laneway so that he could eliminate some space. Well, all 3 girls high tailed it out into the lane way. April had decided that she would bolt up to the gate and Evan decided to open up Susie's paddock so that he could use the gate as a type of blockade. This made 5 fillies and mares having the time of their life in the alleyway.
Meanwhile, April decided to use her head and climed through the fence at the top of the yard back into her yard. Yes, you read correctly. She climbed through the fence.
It was at this point in time that I had decided to call Evan and see how his day was going. Um, wrong move!
It was a very short call. His day had degenerated at a rate of knots. I picked up my bag and keys and hightailed it home. I couldnt let him be there with all this chaos happening. By the time I got home, all fillies and mares were in their appropriate yards and our dear April had been put in the stable next to Caramel. Not happy Jan.
Talk about a carry on because she was away from her friends.
I would like to add at this point that Lily and Shorts are not missing April. They are indeed much happier to be without her.
So, after a state near normality had returned to Massie Lodge, a car pulled in the drive with a float attached.
AAArgh! Here we go again I thought to myself.
I have to say that during all of this carry on, Missymoo and Hava had been out picking around the house, they had been quiet and quite well behaved. Hmmmm.
After dropping Oscar and Cindy off (they are staying for a few months), their lift drove out and left the gate open. Yes, open!
Hmmmmmmm. First rule of being on a farm.... Leave the gate how you found it!!! I was furious with these people.
So, with the gate down, Missymoo and Hava decided to take themselves off down Willowvale Road for a meet and greet with all the local horses. Luckily they turned left instead of right and ended up down with Rusty and Eric the Horse.
Evan and I bolted down to bring them back, luckily there was no traffic....
All horses restored to their respective paddocks, fed and watered, Evan and I came inside and collapsed. What a nightmare Friday was!
In fact Evan collapsed in a heap at 8pm and I found sollace on the lounge watching a Star Trek Voyager marathon...
Iam exhausted just thinking about yesterday. AAAAArgh!!!!.
Helen.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Today Is The First Tuesday in November
and all the chores have been done. Lenny and Jake, who have been gelded are fine and are looking for their lunch. With all horses fed and watered, its time to have an afternoon to ourselves to take in the splendour and glamour of the Melbourne Racing Carnival (thank God for Channel 7!). After a nice meal and a glass of wine, we settled in to watch some of the races, and of course THE race that stops our nation in it's tracks.
I had put my bet on "the mare" weeks ago, so I was content and confident (why didnt I take a Cox Plate all up Melbourne Cup double?) and was waiting in awe to see her. She's not a pretty mare, but she is fit, can run the distance and would be ready to tackle the task at hand.
All morning the sms's were being ushered back and forth to family and friends, "Go The Girl" my tip would say, nothing more nor less. I had no doubt in my mind that it was going to be her day today.
I didnt realise how emotionally connected I felt as the tears fell down my cheeks after she had won. Not only did she run the race of her life for her owners, but she did it for everyone as she had become "the people's mare".
History had been made and we had been a part of it!
People say that Iam just a softie, and my tears are pretty much stock standard when it comes to horses or animals in general, however history will show that Makybe Diva to be the greatest mare of all time. Please welcome Evan to give us a different perspective on this great mare:-
It was the final day of the Flemington spring carnival in November 2002. They call it Stakes day, after the Group 1 1600m run on the 4th day of the most important racing carnival in Australia.
The carnival had been highlighted by a win in the prestigious Melbourne Cup, by an overseas visitor named Media Puzzle. Media Puzzle, trained in Ireland, travelled 10,000km, had been ridden to victory by local jockey Damian Oliver, whose brother had tragically been killed in a barrier trail accident, less than 2 weeks prior to the big race. This was, at the time, the most memorable victory in Australias most historic race, the race that stops a nation. Damian dedicated this victory to his brother, and an entire nation wept as Damian saluted to the sky as he crossed the finishing line well in front of the rest of the field. No one thought a nation so young, could ever witness a moment so moving ever again.
On Stakes day 2002, a career came to notice, and little did the Australian public realise, that this career would not only usurp the deeds of Damian Oliver in the Melbourne Cup, 2002, but bring a nation in awe of a racehorse that was to become a national idol. On Stakes day in 2002, an unbeaten 4yo mare was set down to have her 6th race start. She had already won her first 5 starts, could she now win on such a major race day keep her racord in tact? Indeed she could, she won the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, at only her 6th race start, keeping her unbeaten record. An amazing effort for a 4yo mare in her first real preparation, to go from a meagre maiden win, to a Group 2 victory on one of the biggest days on the Austrlaian turf. This mare, on this day, stamped herself as something special. Little did we know how special.
Her name was Makybe Diva.
Today, 1 November 2005, 3 years later, Makybe Diva wrote her name into the history books. She has gone from being an unknown, to the most famous thoroughbred mare in Australias history. Makybe Diva has just won her third Melbourne Cup in a row. She had already won the Melbourne Cup in 2003 and 2004.
Please allow me to attempt to explain the magnitude of this feat.
Only 4 horses before her had ever won 2 Melbourne Cups. This is since the Cups inception in 1861, 144 years ago. No horse had ever won 3 Melbourne Cups, let alone, 3 in a row.
Only two horses before her, had won the W S Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup in the same year. They were Phar Lap and Saintly.
No horse had ever won the Australian Cup and the Melbourne Cup in the same year. Let alone winning the Cox Plate along the way. Makybe Diva achieved this in 2005.
No horse has won the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup in the same year since Gallilee in 1966. Makybe Diva did it in 2003.
No mare has ever won the Melbourne Cup carrying 58kg or more. Makybe Diva did this in 2005.
Makybe Diva has now won 7 Group 1 races and over $14.5 million in prizemoney, no other Australian racehorse has won this amount of prizemoney. She has had 36 starts for 15 wins and 7 placings.
Today, 1 November 2005, Damian Olivers stirring victory in 2002 Melbourne Cup was surpassed. Makybe Diva brought a tear to our eyes as she dashed to the lead in Australias premier horse race, the Melbourne Cup. There were plenty who wanted to risk her today, but like a true champion, she proved them all wrong. And for the third straight year, she proved, she was the best there is.
And to the credit of her owners, she has been retired to stud at the height of her illustrious career. No other mare will ever bring Australians to their feet, the way Makybe Diva did today. Whether you backed her or not, we stood and cheered as one.
The champion tag is far to freely used in horse racing today. We have only had a handful. Phar Lap, Bernborough, Tulloch, Kingston Town. Today we added another to that list. A true blue champion.
MAKYBE DIVA
Helen & Evan.
I had put my bet on "the mare" weeks ago, so I was content and confident (why didnt I take a Cox Plate all up Melbourne Cup double?) and was waiting in awe to see her. She's not a pretty mare, but she is fit, can run the distance and would be ready to tackle the task at hand.
All morning the sms's were being ushered back and forth to family and friends, "Go The Girl" my tip would say, nothing more nor less. I had no doubt in my mind that it was going to be her day today.
I didnt realise how emotionally connected I felt as the tears fell down my cheeks after she had won. Not only did she run the race of her life for her owners, but she did it for everyone as she had become "the people's mare".
History had been made and we had been a part of it!
People say that Iam just a softie, and my tears are pretty much stock standard when it comes to horses or animals in general, however history will show that Makybe Diva to be the greatest mare of all time. Please welcome Evan to give us a different perspective on this great mare:-
It was the final day of the Flemington spring carnival in November 2002. They call it Stakes day, after the Group 1 1600m run on the 4th day of the most important racing carnival in Australia.
The carnival had been highlighted by a win in the prestigious Melbourne Cup, by an overseas visitor named Media Puzzle. Media Puzzle, trained in Ireland, travelled 10,000km, had been ridden to victory by local jockey Damian Oliver, whose brother had tragically been killed in a barrier trail accident, less than 2 weeks prior to the big race. This was, at the time, the most memorable victory in Australias most historic race, the race that stops a nation. Damian dedicated this victory to his brother, and an entire nation wept as Damian saluted to the sky as he crossed the finishing line well in front of the rest of the field. No one thought a nation so young, could ever witness a moment so moving ever again.
On Stakes day 2002, a career came to notice, and little did the Australian public realise, that this career would not only usurp the deeds of Damian Oliver in the Melbourne Cup, 2002, but bring a nation in awe of a racehorse that was to become a national idol. On Stakes day in 2002, an unbeaten 4yo mare was set down to have her 6th race start. She had already won her first 5 starts, could she now win on such a major race day keep her racord in tact? Indeed she could, she won the Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, at only her 6th race start, keeping her unbeaten record. An amazing effort for a 4yo mare in her first real preparation, to go from a meagre maiden win, to a Group 2 victory on one of the biggest days on the Austrlaian turf. This mare, on this day, stamped herself as something special. Little did we know how special.
Her name was Makybe Diva.
Today, 1 November 2005, 3 years later, Makybe Diva wrote her name into the history books. She has gone from being an unknown, to the most famous thoroughbred mare in Australias history. Makybe Diva has just won her third Melbourne Cup in a row. She had already won the Melbourne Cup in 2003 and 2004.
Please allow me to attempt to explain the magnitude of this feat.
Only 4 horses before her had ever won 2 Melbourne Cups. This is since the Cups inception in 1861, 144 years ago. No horse had ever won 3 Melbourne Cups, let alone, 3 in a row.
Only two horses before her, had won the W S Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup in the same year. They were Phar Lap and Saintly.
No horse had ever won the Australian Cup and the Melbourne Cup in the same year. Let alone winning the Cox Plate along the way. Makybe Diva achieved this in 2005.
No horse has won the Melbourne Cup and the Sydney Cup in the same year since Gallilee in 1966. Makybe Diva did it in 2003.
No mare has ever won the Melbourne Cup carrying 58kg or more. Makybe Diva did this in 2005.
Makybe Diva has now won 7 Group 1 races and over $14.5 million in prizemoney, no other Australian racehorse has won this amount of prizemoney. She has had 36 starts for 15 wins and 7 placings.
Today, 1 November 2005, Damian Olivers stirring victory in 2002 Melbourne Cup was surpassed. Makybe Diva brought a tear to our eyes as she dashed to the lead in Australias premier horse race, the Melbourne Cup. There were plenty who wanted to risk her today, but like a true champion, she proved them all wrong. And for the third straight year, she proved, she was the best there is.
And to the credit of her owners, she has been retired to stud at the height of her illustrious career. No other mare will ever bring Australians to their feet, the way Makybe Diva did today. Whether you backed her or not, we stood and cheered as one.
The champion tag is far to freely used in horse racing today. We have only had a handful. Phar Lap, Bernborough, Tulloch, Kingston Town. Today we added another to that list. A true blue champion.
MAKYBE DIVA
Helen & Evan.
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