The first Tuesday in November is almost upon us again, so here’s a thread on which you can post your Melbourne Cup selections, reflections, recollections, fashion tips, hangover remedies, revolutionary critiques and whatever else takes your fancy.
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My tips:
1. The ‘nation’ won’t ‘stop’. Life will go on. The phrase will be used however in that glib we-have-to endure-the-obvious tone ad nauseum.
2. There will be much talk of ‘hats’ and ‘fascinators’ and shots of posturing morons in the car park with Bentleys, top hats, champagne and segues from “fillies” to human females.
3. Some horse that some celebrity backed will win and become a five-second grab onj the news with the obliogatory ‘raising of the galls of champagne or chamapgne-popping thing.
4. Someone will utter over the airwaves that ‘racegoers put the gloom and doom of the financial crisis behind them’ or similar on theTV news when taking pictures of (1) above
5. There will be shots of Rudd and Turnbull apparently putting politics aside in connection with (1) above
6. Many of us will wish it was the second Tuesday in November well before the first Tuesday has expired, because Ladies’ Day is still to come and reflect on the absurdity of so much airtime being given over to an activity that bears so little relation to the needs of the populace, even of Australia, leave aside the of the populace of the planet as a whole.
“.. reflect on the absurdity of so much airtime being given over to an activity that bears so little relation to the needs of the populace, even of Australia,..”
Than again as an industry the racing game claims to be the second biggest employer in Australia.
Employment is one of the needs of our population ain’t it?
Considering racing to be a sport looks to be pushing the limits of how sport is defined but as an industry the promotional carry on is to be expected and not sneered at.Where would our advertising and marketing industries be without it’s annual budgets?
No the annual conjunction of gambling and public drunkenness at Melbourne is the essence of what constitutes modern entertainment in OUR sporting capital.
Have a look at the front pages of all the nation’s newspapers (check out Crikey if you’re lazy). Every newspaper in the country has a photo of a horse on its front page. Except one. The Sydney Morning Herald has a large photo of a turkey on its front page! Is this their comment on the big race?
7. There will be knockers. Armed only with a slice of lemon between their lips….
Fran, you forgot to leave a tip. Allez Wonder, if it doesn’t rain too much.
WTF is a ‘fascinator’? Saw it in the print a feww times recently, have no idea. Something to do with young women’s fashion?
Yes. It is part of the national entertainment. And, before we had cars the horse industry in general meant a lot. It might again when we run out of oil.
I used to sell papers at the Melbourne Cup, that was an eye opening experience, good tips tho. (I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard smeone say “I wish I’d put that $100 on each way.” I could give one of them back their money.) Its also good to know Australian law enforcement is out there protecting the jobs of our pickpockets from those pesky international gangs.
Back in the early 90s I was living in melbourne. It was cup carnival, might have been the Thursday after the Cup. They had one of those fashion on the fields interviews with Lillian Frank. She was wearing a hat.
The presenter girl asked her about the hat.
It cost 5 K. Five thousand bucks. For a hat.
Even the presenter was shocked.
“Don’t you think some people might consider spending 5 thou on a hat a little obscene, given the economic climate.” They were her exact words. Obscene. And she was the fucking fashion presenter for the TV channel covering the races. Her outfit would have been worth a fair bit itself.
“Oh no Dharrling. I think it gives them a sense of fantasy and something to aspire to.”
WE almost bombed her hair salon there and then.
It’s a thin piece of material, wilful, that’s worn on the head across the face as an improvised filter for cigarette smoke and alcohol. Keeping it out, or keeping it in—it’s rather up to the wearer. Like a fascade, really.
Fran, does it occur to you that Melbourne Cup day might be Australia’s most revered informal workers’ holiday, in which in every State where we don’t get the public holiday outright, we get to take the afternoon off and booze it up on full pay?
One more thing that won’t get mentioned on FTA broadcasting or mass circulation city press is the GHG/environmental footprint of this event, and the Spring Carnival more generally. It would be horrendous.
Talk about purse-lipped wowserism, Fran.
I can’t go past Viewed. But I’d like either Allez Wonder to win and make Michelle Payne the first woman to ride the Melbourne Cup winner, or Alcopop to win and prove that anyone can own a Cup winner and that it’s still a democratic race. A friend who is a very successful professional punter tips me Mourilyan at a good price. I hope he doesn’t win as he’s owned by the Chechnyan dictator.
I own 5% of a little filly who’s only had one race and came 5th at Flemington a few weeks ago. We entered for one of the minor races on Cup Day, but unfortunately she’s had a minor infection and is off to the paddock for four weeks. It would have been amazing to have a runner on Cup Day.
Years ago I strapped a horse on Cup Day. It’s a bugger of a day to actually work. It’s so noisy and a lot of horses don’t cope with the crowds and the fuss.
Just thought I’d mention that I’m currently paying much better on fixed odds than I am on the tote.
I’d be fascinated to know the ratio of fascinators to fascinatees on The Big Day.
Does this ratio change in a direct or inverse way with the addition of more fascinators?
Funniest line in the history of Australian comedy.
Tip: only a fool bets against the Cups King.
Well described Fine. There’s no philistinism like revolutionary philistinism.
You could always try the greyhounds if your tastes are exclusively proletarian, Fran: from $20 stakes I left Wentworth Park on Saturday night with $38.60, whistling Big Spender and reeking of kebab. Not a fascinator in sight.
Fascinators are the feathers of murdered birds that you attach to your head with some fabric and diamontes etc.
Quite apart from the feathered carnage adorning those silky locks, I haven’t much liked Melbourne Cup since Three Crowns got shot.
I thought Fran preferred the trots.
The greyhounds always make me feel like Kerry Packer, Liam. Once I dared to put $20 on a dog and the bookie wound that price in so tightly.
Fiumi, I have gut a feeling you might have a good day tomorrow. Your Caulfield Cup run was excellent. I just hope you don’t feel the ground too much. Pity about Efficient. He would have been my pick. Love that grey horse.
My best win on the Cup was Makybe Diva in 2003. I backed her months early on-line and won enough for a holiday in Paris. The Diva in the Cup was always an early Christmas present to me.
Well if I’d put that money on Rogan Josh ten years ago like I wanted to after I heard Kevin Sattler say that whatever won the Mackinnon Stakes was a good bet for the Cup, I would have won $25,000 and I’ve been sulking ever since. NB Mackinnon Stakes winner not running in the Cup this year, apparently. My tip: Leica Ding.
Liam said …
What do you have against the Palestinians? I thought solidarioty was de rigeur
Maybe you don’t like Vandals and Visigoths either?
I wouldn’t be interested in any running dog capitalist activity. You wear the hat in your gravatar but have forgotten the allusion, Liam.
These days Paul, they give me the runs …
Perhaps as “omen” bets …
C’est la guerre (de classe)
Changing of the Guard
My best was Rogan Josh. Tho I forgot to actually bet… It was a hunch, and I told a mate who went with it. So I did come away with 50 bucks, no outlay. I like those odds.
I used to have an athletic coach who always picked the winner of the Cup.
he used to do it by looking at the picture for November in The Columban Calander, which is a calander full of religious picture put out by the Columban Fathers or something.
Every year he would pick the winner. he convinced me in 84, after he picked Black Night.
There in the November picture was a scene from what I assume was Roman Times in the middle east.
Tucked away at the back of the picture was a knight all in black. Looking 600 years before his time, and tucked away in the corner, like he was pretending not to be there.
So anyway the next year turns up, and its some Christian saint (ST Anthony apparantly,) working away at some manuscript. There’s a broken pillar or something at his feet.
I thought I’d try this new betting system out. But all year, and especially once the field was announced, I couldn’t fins a match that made any sense. Obviously the whole thing was bollocks and they had been pulling my leg for a couple of years. the Black knight was just the perfect stroke of luck to pull the joke off.
Saw my coach that arvo at training and asked him what he bet on.
“What A Nuisance”
“What! Did you get that from the calender?”
“Yup”
“How????”
“Well St Anthony looked down noticed the pillar was broken and said “What a Nuisance.”
So there you have it.
The Columban Calender apparantly.
(I gave up in disgustr after that and never looked at that bloody calender again. Obviously its a scam between god and some catholics.)
My omen tip is that I will be in Murwillumbah on Cup Day. The last (and only) time I’ve been in Murwillumbah on Cup Day was when Makybe Diva won her third Cup. I had planned the trip before Efficient was scratched, and I had expected him to fulfil the omen by achieving the multiple Cup winner feat. In his absence Viewed seems to be the omen tip – but Allez Wonder and Shocking, like Makybe Diva, are grandchildren of Danehill.
Here’s my tip.
I actually watched the ‘Melbourne Cup Preview’ on Channel 7 where the advise was that all of the horses are ‘good.’ So I put $5 on number 5 because 20/1 seemed like good round odds for a $5 bet.
*advice
Jules@20
re the Columbans … and omens …
the name Malcolm refers to a follower of St Columbus and given that we have a Malcolm who will be close to this … Can you bet on last place?
FFS its a bloody horse-race. Oh, well, I suppose this is Australia.
Apparently, Paul, at the staff meeting tomorrow, which I’ve been asked to chair, I have to keep people to time so we can go down to the Hall and watch the nags run around …
I had aa friend wqho used to work in a TAB phone betting centre.
He said the place only went quiet once a year, and when it did NO ONE rang in.
I like Alcopop for its contemporary political name. Wonder if Turnbull and the Libs will have it each way.
I’ll still have a look at Cummings, though.
I generally have a flutter on Cummings; however I did back Makybe Diva for all three wins, Empire Rose and Black and Gold also spring to mind.
I think that viewed will probably win this years cup, Cummings is due for a his trifecta lord knows he’s gotten enough Quinella’s, theres an interesting article about him here
Can I give a plug to Australia’s foremost female racing blogger. And all with country/roots music and cats.
Cat Politics – http://catpolitics.blogspot.com/
The Philistines, apparently, weren’t philistines! But I digress. My youngest daughter played in a band called Lekkading, so I’m inclined to go with Leica Ding.
My best effort was in 1973 when I got Gala Supreme and Glenrowan in the Treasury Social Club Quinella Sweep. Took home over $500 which was quite a sum in those days (and is still quite a sum to me.) Must pop out now to get myself a fascinator for tomorrow’s BBQ.
I distinctly remember the 1973 Melbourne Cup because at the tender age of 14 years and just under one month I backed Gala Supreme, and if Peta will forgive my relapse into adolescent pedantry, I recall vividly that the name of the second horse was Glengowan, rather than Glenrowan.
Glengowan’s jockey, Noel Harris is riding one of the Kiwi horses tomorrow. He’s one of the oldest jockeys still going around, 36 years after his first ride.
I remember Gala Supreme’s jockey Frank Reys. His story was that he was Filipino, but he was actually indigenous. Something which was still difficult to talk about in 1973. The first indigenous jockey to win the Cup was a bloke named Peter St. Albans in 1876. The horse, Briseis, was owned by St. Albans Stud, hence the jockey’s name.
I like Leica Ding too, for a place. And maybe 3 or 15.
I usually decide what to back as I walk up to the pub.
Does that system work well for you?
Best we ask Steve Fielding about Alcopops chances then?
Fine #9:
Maybe you can’t but I can, and at 3:03pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time tomorrow I will.
This academic chap from Brisbane reckons he’s going to be backing me for a win, backing Fiumi #10 each way, and taking me, Fiumi, Munsef and C’Est La Guerre in a boxed First 4. Ain’t it funny how us large, charismatic quadruped mammals are able to make you humans behave irrationally time and again.
That time of the year again….ie. to make my annual donation to the State Govt and the Racing Industry via the TAB.
I read all the pundit’s predictions and then back one of the favourites, that then doesn’t even place. Every single year.
I have no horse kharma whatsoever, not even last place in the office sweep. It’s uncanny how crap I am at placing bets on horses or even picking a piece of paper out of a hat. But come tomorrow, I’ll be in a line at the TAB having to be helped to fill in some quinella ticket.
And living in Melbourne for quite a few years, it was odd to have a public holiday, as all non-Victorians would understand Cup Day is a work-related piss-up/arvo off. Being a Victorian actually allows one to avoid the whole event if one chooses, by forgetting to turn on the telly, and by not living in Flemington, otoh, not turning up at the ‘work Cup Day do’ is almost unavoidable.
Mourilyan will take a lot of beating, especially if it loses.
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/dictator-may-use-cup-to-launder-money-20091102-ht2r.html
( Just imagine the bonus faux hysteria, for news limited, if this one gets up )
Roman Emperor, are you working on the basis that because Bart owns a part of you, he’ll have you set to win?
If the world was a google advanced search, I’d have entered “- Bart” “- Cummings” about three days ago.
Karzai is looking good for Saturday.
Francis,
“country roots” music, you say? Could be interested…..
Karzai
By Independent Election Commission, out of UN Assistance Mission.
Dead cert.
the others? run dead, or dead.
On the basis of K.rudd having a bad time at the moment with several issues, have to go with Alcopop.
Afghan Cup cancelled.
Desert Storms. Cameleers threatened. Karzai lame. Track deemed “difficult”.
Fair dinkum, no (Ka)bul.
Kev Rudd has gone for the omen bet. Shocking was the latest Newspoll result.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/03/2731406.htm?section=justin
Connections of “Newspoll” are furious.
First good result for neigh on 2 years, it gets buried in a heap of steaming horse droppings.
Ropeable.
Interesting poll result, and I bet the commentariat gets it all 100% wrong.
I note its a poll slump among younger people: I’d say Rudd has lost support because of his stupid “get tough” rubbish over the Oceanic Viking, which in the post-Howard era now nauseates people, and makes them automatically assume their government is lying to them.
Ah, kids !!!
yeh, day dont no nuffink
Hey. I made money on cup day. I just managed to shift the crap in the gully trap without calling in the rip off plumber.
kids! don’t yer luv ‘em. Out on the street against Pauline Hanson when they was ten. Now they’re all grown up and voting. See,Mr. Rudd.
Well look at that!
I heard Kev Rudd mention his choice for the cup on radio this morning which I mentioned @48. And silly old me did not take his advice. Shocking paid out very well for the win.
Follow Kevvie and you just can’t go wrong, joe2.
Yeh, Ambi. I’m thinking of starting a cargo cult based around Kevvie. We got that cash and bought a car. Then he gave us insulation. I think he will soon bring us an aeroplane full of white goods.
And here was me thinking Alcopop was a cert, for the twisted reasoning I laid out further up-thread. Good thing I didn’t go down town and make a bet. Still, on the reasoning that refugees, oil spills, fires in the Timor Sea and selling out on global warming were good guides to picking a cup horse, Shocking would’ve been just as good a pick. And, if I’d been even remotely aware a horse of that name was running in the Cup, I would’ve picked it.
I didn’t take up Mr. Rudd’s Cup tip because I thought he was just rattling on about my photos again.
Bloody Kevvie – he backed the 2007 winner as well. Efficient…that’s an understatement.
As for the 2009 winners…….. Shocking… Crime Scene… Mourilyan ……….hello!!…..you may as well spell out Chechen war crimes perpetrated by Ramzan Kadyrov.
Just more evidence for the Hague, when he’s there in next decade or so.
oops, wrong conspiracy thread…
Mourilyan certainly sounds like the name of a Caucasian Stalinist commissar (which may be why Kadyrov chose it for his horse), but it’s actually a town in far north Queensland.
There’s also an English horse called Mourayan, who’s been bought for next year’s Cup, Paul. The race is going to double in money to $10 million, so the local millionaires are spending up big overseas.