October
DecemberThis racing life
Thank you for selecting me as the co-winner of Richo’s “favourite Melbourne Cup winner” competition.
Kristen Manning’s book on Prince of Penzance will find a home among my collection of racing books. My favourites have been Jessica Owers’s Peter Pan and Bill Sigley’s Mighty Bernborough.
My first was one shilling on Malagigi in the AJC Summer Cup of 1940 — a winning bet that sparked 76 years of racing interest.
I attended the Delta/Dalray Melbourne Cups in 1951 and 1952 in the open area that is now the Hill Stand, as a handsome 19- and 20-year-old surrounded by thousands of ugly old men. It was very much a male-dominated area in those days.
After a break of 60 years I attended the Cups from 2012 to 2015 with Ambassador Travel. The big change? Here was an ugly old man surrounded by thousands of beautiful women.
I have framed photos of myself taken with the photo of Darby Munro and Peter Pan in the Flemington Hill Stand, and one taken at the Crown Casino holding Protectionist’s Melbourne Cup.
My trip to the USA for the initial Breeders’ Cup series was superb. It’s a funny thing … America had the Mafia, the Ku Klux Klan, drugs and guns but going to the races was seen as a bit sinful.
Your race paper has no equal.
Belmont (Qld)