October
NovemberBoring but important
What the press described as "the best field of stayers ever assembled in Melbourne Cup history" and befitting the title of the "greatest staying flat race in the world" ended up being no more exciting than watching the grandkids going around on a merry-go-round at Luna Park, or, those follow-the-leader riding adventures on the beach at Anglesea.
Again we hear the vast majority of the riders complain that there was "no pace" so that destroyed their horses’ chances. What absolute bunkum!
When are the stewards going to refuse to accept that copout? The jockeys who gave that excuse should be charged under the rules of racing for not giving their horses their best (any) chance of winning.
They walked the first 2600 metres and came home the last 600 metres breaking 33 seconds! No horse behind the leaders had any hope of winning that race.
Do those jockeys expect everyone else in the race to take chances, or, maybe, the horse to do the thinking for them?
The race, the punters, the spectacle and all those that had such built-up expectations, were robbed.
There should be blame and severe penalties attached to that farce.
The elevation of this race into the stratosphere with such huge prizemoney has had the absolute opposite effect on the race itself.
It has placed so much pressure on everyone involved to take no chances, no risks, because there is far too much to lose!
The "greatest staying flat race in the world", packed with the so-called "elite" stayers of the world, reduced to nothing more than a 600-metre sprint.
The Melbourne Cup is boring because it is now so important! How ironic is that?
Torquay (Vic)