It's that time of year again. The first Tuesday in November, my favourite day of the year...Melbourne Cup Day! Even Google is getting into the spirit ( Read more... )

Delighted with the result of the Melbourne Cup. Shocking's win makes it the second time in three years I've backed the winner (the other being Efficient in 2007), and three from five for the past five years. Not a bad record, if I do say so myself! The first time I ever managed to pick the winner of the Cup was Ethereal back in 2001, and it's ( Read more... )

"Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me." --Mark Twain
As I write this, there's just over three hours until the 2009 Melbourne Cup. I'm all set for the big race. I just poured myself a glass of sparkling white from the bottle of Asti Riccadonna that's ( Read more... )

Sitting on the couch in front of the TV, watching the horses parade in the mounting yard for the Cox Plate. Wow, Whobegotyou looks good. I hope he can live up to the hype and prove all the doubters wrong. He's got a brilliant record at the Valley, and he's in top form ( Read more... )

Not as exciting for me personally as Efficient's vindicating win twelve months ago, but what a result! Viewed held on by a whisker for the Aussies against fast-closing international raider Bauer, and it was probably the closest Melbourne Cup finish since Might and Power and Doriemus in 1997. For a moment I thought Bauer had got there, or that we ( Read more... )

"Cup Day is supreme - it has no rival. I can call to mind no specialized annual day, in any country, which can be named by that large name Supreme. I can call to mind no specialized annual day, in any country, whose approach fires the whole land with a conflagration of conversation and preparation and anticipation and jubilation. No day save this ( Read more... )

The more I see of Fringe, the more I like it. I know it's not exactly everyone's cup of tea, but I look forward to it every week. It's actually kind of nice for once to have a show for which I have no expectations. I can just sit back and enjoy the ride ( Read more... )

I've been yawning almost non-stop all day. I guess that's what you get when you go to bed at midnight and wake up at 6am.

This time next week Mum and Dad will be down and I'll be starting my long weekend, woohoo! The next seven days are either going to go very, very quickly, or very, very slowly.

Weights for the 2008 Melbourne Cup were announced ( Read more... )

I love the entire Spring Racing Carnival so fracking much. For as long as I care to remember I've been following it with growing excitement every year, and the first Tuesday of November almost rivals Christmas for me in anticipation. I'm such a racing tragic, and I love it ( Read more... )