Racing Matters was probably around at a friend’s place playing backyard cricket until the sun went down in the Hamilton suburb of Chartwell, or perhaps at someone’s birthday party, watching The Neverending Story for the umpteenth time.
But many of the slightly more, ahem, mature readers will remember all 2040m of that absolute classic, including the on-point commentary from Bill Collins as Bonecrusher raced into "equine immortality".
... but now Winx and Hartnell . . .
This year might match up to the "Race Of The Century".
Or perhaps it might not. Winx, the wonder mare, returns to defend her crown, but Hartnell has certainly grown the metaphorical leg since Winx conquered him by 3 lengths in the Warwick Stakes in August.
His win by a similar margin in the Turnbull was over Jameka, who looked a cut above in the Caulfield Cup last week, and he will carry plenty of Kiwi support with James McDonald on board.
... come together to play
To class it as a two-horse race is slightly unfair though.
Hauraki, Lucia Valentina, Black Heart Bart and Yankee Rose are all in tremendous form, while the chatter around the French galloper Vadamos (with Joao Moreira) is starting to reach dull roar levels.
Everyone loves a streak, so the sentimental — and a lot of astute punters’ — money will be with Winx, but Racing Matters is going to slide a couple of dollars on Vadamos in case things go belly-up with the two favourites.
Holding up well
Racing Matters was not entirely alone when quietly pondering to fellow racing fans the other day how numbers were going to stack up across South Island harness racing meetings this week.
There were four meetings for trainers and owners to target this weekend, and some pacers and trotters are still on the way back from a winter break.
However, these fears appear to be largely unfounded.
Last night’s Forbury Park meeting had eight races, there are 10 at Addington tonight, nine back at Forbury Park on Sunday for the Tuapeka Harness Racing Club’s annual meeting and 10 races were filled at Ashburton on Monday.
Speaking of Monday, it just got very busy with the rescheduled Oamaru thoroughbred meeting.
In terms of best-case scenarios arising from the abandonment, a Labour Day Monday is about as good as you could ask for.
Lazy Fiver
Faith in Jameka was rewarded with a peach of a ride by Nick Hall ensuring the mare got home at about $4 in the Caulfield Cup.
Heni’s course and distance statistics are hard to ignore in race 3 at Riccarton tomorrow.
