We had barely recovered from the euphoria of Emily's Winton win, and subsequent celebrations, when yesterday she lined up again.
I didn't know quite what to think or to hope for. Thanks to the weird system of handicapping/field selection, Em, now risen to a pitiful but slightly more respectable R43 in the ratings, was cast in a 7-horse race which was virtually a free-for-all. Sure, she (the lowest-rated horse) was off the front, but so was the splendid ABADABADO. And only 10 metres back was the 3 year-old JOEKING, winner of three of his last four starts (he galloped in the fourth!) and, I am certain, destined for the heights. At 30 metres, was the much touted DEL'S CREATION which the press confided was 'aiming for the (new) $40k Dark Horse classic' in a couple of weeks.
Ummm. Oh. So are we. Sssssh.
Kirstin was back aboard, as BURNING LOVE was in the lesser race. And anyway the vibrant Orange Roughie was driving DEL'S CREATION!
The betting was curious. JOEKING was of course, favourite from the outset. But with DEL'S CREATION, OUR PINOCCHIO (another Willie horse) and ... EMILY (in one order, then another, then another) surprisingly close behind. Then ABADABADO ...
Oh well, it seemed we would go out 4th favourite of the seven. And maybe finish 4th. 3rd would be nice. 2nd would be wow! 1st .. well, it would need JOEKING to gallop ...
Well. He didn't gallop. But wow! We ran him to half-a-length! With the gallant, under-rated,
pacemaker ABADABADO third. The rest were nowhere. Fourth horse 7 lengths adrift!
Well, it looks as if the little girl is back to her old self ... the Tisbury air clearly agrees with her!
And just to put the icing on the gâteau, BURNING LOVE waltzed away with the other trot, before Kirstin jumped aboard a plane for Christchurch to take out the main trot at Addington with stable star FIERY BANDITO, and drive that grand mare FERNLEIGH BACKBIRD in to a fine second ...
It's bubbles all round this week!!!!!! Toi toi toi Tisbury!
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