Melbourne Cup

[Felder]

I'm not a bloke who follows the horse races, but like most Australians, I take an interest in the Melbourne Cup.

Due to a heavy workload of late, I haven't had much chance to watch the news or listen to the radio, so I was somewhat taken aback when I caught the Sunrise news this morning and they were talking about the race....THIS TUESDAY! Where did all my time go?? November already?? :eek:

So I have no idea who is running, who is favourite, who's an outsider, etc. Can anyone give me a rundown? And most importantly, who is going to win? :p:p

[Grunt]

I'm pretty sure it'll be a horse race. Beyond that I can't offer much.

[bitingmidge]

One of the interesting things to me about the Melbourne Cup, is that people who think that Cricket is silly, get all hot and bothered about a few animals going for a run.

Still, if Rooting King were to make an appearance, I'd lift my self-imposed media boycott.

P
:cool:

[craigb]

Still, if Rooting King were to make an appearance, I'd lift my self-imposed media boycott.

P
:cool:

I think The King has been retired to stud Midge. :D

[Iain]

I know one owner who is guaranteed to go home with a pocket full of money, the bloke who offers the kids donkey rides before the big race:rolleyes:

[Bob38S]

Melbourne cup in its current form - what, why and who cares

Any handicapped race is a farce. If a horse is any good they add weight so that supposedly they all have a chance of crossing the finish line together [potentially].
So the trick is to win as slowly as possible [in earlier races] so that the wrath of the handicapper is avoided to a degree.
The media and vested interests also have a lot to answer for for the hype and news coverage given to a horse race which proves nothing with regards which is the best horse and in the main is to separate punters from their hard earned $$$$

[Daddles]

You don't have to make a decision on who to back until they are in the mounting yard ... then you just pick the horse with the prettiest strapper :D

Richard
well, it beats betting on the one with the prettiest silks :rolleyes:

[Auld Bassoon]

The best (and in my view the only) good thing about the Melbourne cup is that it provides a day off (well, two actually, as most folk hereabouts take out Monday as well) :D

[fxst]

Melbourne cup??? ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Pete

[Buzzer]

Melbourne Cup

Overrated..................................well around here it is!
A race that stops a nation.............Media betup!

Cheers:)

[Grunt]

I can't remember the last time I watched the Melbourne Cup. Must be 15 years or more.

I do like the day off tho.

[Wongo]

I always wanted to be a jockey but unfortunately I am 3 foot too tall.:D

Melbourne cup is overrated yes definitely overrated.:cool:

[bitingmidge]

But Wongo, the errr... poo from your horse (well actually Jasmin's horse) is quite a rare commodity you know.

Why don't you bottle it and sell it on eBay? This would be the right time to maximise your profits.

P
:D

[Daddles]

I can't really complain about the Melbourne Cup as it is the source of my greatest punting coup.

Seriously.

I've only ever had one bet in my life ... and I won it (I'm actually against gambling in any form but that's another rant)

Back in the early eighties, I moved to Sydney ... to get work. That was in the days of the Liberal return to rational economics courtesy of Molcrom Fraser ... so, of course, I couldn't find work in Adelaide and had to go to Squidley. Anyways, I was working as a chainman. Come November, all the other chainies wanted to have a bet. I was the only bloke in the chainy's shed who hadn't placed a bet and, in good old Aussie fashion, the pressure was on. So I put a 50c bet on a horse, carefully chose because I'd actually heard of the trainer (the only name out of the whole mess that I recognised). Naturally, the nag won and I was the only bod in the shed with a winning bet. I haven't had a bet since ... wouldn't want to spoil a perfect record :D

As for that horse race ... well, it stopped having any relevance for me after my grandma died. Not that she was a punter or anything but she was a grand old lady who never missed an opportunity to make an event special. Even as a kid I spent some wonderful afternoons watching the race at her place with cups of tea and specially made cakes. Sometimes I even understood what is happening.

This year? I'll probably be out on my pushbike building up a sweat, but I'm sure commercial television won't let me forget who won :cool:

Richard

[Doughboy]

Ironically it is the one race that everyone bets on and it is the one race that NO ONE should bet on.

A race full of nags that can run the pants off a kangaroo and everyone has an opinion on it.

I refuse to bet on a horse race of any sort because the horses I like to follow like to follow other horses.

Pete

[Felder]

Yes yes yes.....

This is all very fascinating and I do enjoy a reading the opinions of the Ebenezer Scrooge's of horse racing ("Melbourne Cup? BAH! Humbug!" :p ).

But can someone just tell me who is going to win please? I need to bet my house on something!

[silentC]

Who cares? I get the day off. I'm spending it in the shed :p

[craigb]

Who cares? I get the day off. I'm spending it in the shed :p

How come you get the day off? I thought your head office was in Sydney? :confused:

[Felder]

1. Who cares?
2. I get the day off.
3. I'm spending it in the shed

Thanks Silent. Should I box the trifecta, just to make sure, or are you confident on the finishing order?

:D

[silentC]

Should I box the trifecta, just to make sure
Sorry Felder, that's the 5th at Randwick.
My trifecta:
1. She's The Fastest
2. Always Comes in Second
3. I'm Number Three


How come you get the day off?
Both bosses are in Melbourne for the cup :D

[AlexS]

Don't usually bet on the cup, but this year I had a punt. Sat next to an owner of Railings on the flight back from Melbourne after the Caulfield.

He didn't give me any tips, but I'd kick m'self if it won & I hadn't backed it.:rolleyes:

[Felder]

You don't have to make a decision on who to back until they are in the mounting yard ... then you just pick the horse with the prettiest strapper :D

Richard

:mad::mad:
Went with your advice, Daddles. I'm sure you cannot object to my choice of "Glistening" based on the strapper (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20706478-2862,00.html)

You owe me $2. ($1 each way)

Hey, big spender...! :p

:D

[Paul B]

Best thing about the Melbourne cup? Well, the fact that not only did I back the winner, I also got the trifecta :D. Gonna go buy me a lathe this weekend:D gloat gloat gloat....