What you need to know for a day at Flemington during the Spring Carnival
FROM ‘backed off the map’ to ‘getting a cart into the race’, SuperRacing’s got all the mumbo-jumbo you’ll need during the Flemington Spring Carnival.
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IT doesn’t matter who you are and what you’re wearing, going to Flemington during the Spring Carnival can be daunting at the best of times.
It’s busy, hot and high intensity everything ... from jumping on the “special” racecourse train at Southern Cross to cramming through the turnstiles; placing a bet; lining up for food and drinks; and, ultimately finding your feet on the public lawn or members’ car park.
To make your day easier SuperRacing’s compiled a list of useful terms and phrases to keep you ahead of the pack.
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CUP TIPS: OUR EXPERTS’ SELECTIONS
SPRING RACING: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
MACCA, MATTY AND DANNY ASSESS EVERY RUNNER IN THE MELBOURNE CUP IN A SPECIAL EDITION OF THE SUPERRACING PODCAST. LISTEN BELOW
How to read the formguide
It’s simpler than it looks, don’t worry! The Herald Sun liftout provides all the information you need and then some to have a cheeky flutter on race day.
Beginners need look no further than recent form [highlighted in pink], weight [green] and price [yellow].
It’s usually a good indication on how a horse should perform if all goes to plan.
Intermediate punters might also try and incorporate barrier [light green], jockey [blue] and to a lesser extent trainer [orange] into their calculations.
The detailed form inside the guide is handy also if you know what to look for amid all text and numbers.
Beginners need not get bogged down in ‘Last 600m’ times and the like, but look at margins and the small summary [green] at the bottom of each extract.
The summary can provide an insight into how a horse travelled in recent races including any interference which may have impacted on the result.
Prince Of Penzance [refer graphic below] finishes 8th in its last race over 2040m at Moonee Valley despite being 12th at the turn.
This would suggest the Darrer Weir-trained galloper might continue to improve over more ground.
Prince Of Penzance franked the form at his very next start only just beaten by Melbourne Cup hopeful The United States in the Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).
It’s also worth noting the grades [dark blue] as well as record fresh [yellow] and over distances [orange].
USEFUL PHRASES
What do you like in the next?
It’s simple. It’s vague. But it’s the easiest and best way to start up a conversation at the track regardless of where you’re sitting, what you’re wearing and who you’re with. Not only will it make you sound like you know what you’re talking about, it might result in a tip coming back your way. Don’t be fooled by those ‘look at me’ types parading around Birdcage marquees and the members’ carparks, backing a winner remains the No. 1 objective when trackside even if you don’t actually watch the horses thunder down the famous Flemington straight.
I’m on the [insert No. here] the win*/each-way
Punters often use a horse’s saddlecloth number over the name unless, of course, it’s a rolled gold star of the turf or fan favourite ie Black Caviar, Makybe Diva and more recently The Cleaner and Chautauqua.
* Nose can be used to replace the term win in straight-up/first-passed-the-post bets.
What do you like in the Cup*?
The default setting for Average Joe Punter is the favourite, Red Cadeaux and whatever Damien Oliver is riding ... not the worst start given Ollie’s ridden three Cup winners, Big Red’s run second on three separate occasions and favourites boast a handy record in the two-mile classic. Why not box them up in a trifecta? Others will choose horses on their name [Who Shot Thebarman will no doubt be popular again after finishing third in the race last year] or “lucky” number between one and 24. I’ll be on the 5 and 18 for what it’s worth.
* Only wannabes use “The Melbourne Cup” in conversations. 95% of the time it’s implied ‘The Cup’ is the Melbourne Cup — the race that stops a nation. Of the remaining 5%, 4.5 is reserved for the week of the Caulfield Cup and 0.5 for the quite forgettable Australian movie, The Cup, released in 2011.
What do you like in the [Feature Race here]?
Similar to the Cup this usually relates to the main race(s) on each of the four days. Think Derby, Cup, Oaks and Stakes. Exceptions to the rule might include the Mackinnon Stakes (Derby Day) and fan favourite Greys race on Oaks Day.
Dad joke alert: What do you like in the next? The Grey.
WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!
Greg Miles
Firstly, it’s worth noting the voice you hear over the public address system at Flemington is Greg Miles.
He is a legendary broadcaster who by 3.05pm on the first Tuesday in November will have called more Melbourne Cups than anyone else on the planet.
He already holds the record for the most Caulfield Cups and Cox Plates.
Listening to Miles is easy. He rarely if ever goes over the top; sets the scene well and finishes off his races just as well as the winners.
Importantly, Miles provides punters with an insight on how the race is being run.
Some of the more popular words or phrases you might hear during the carnival include:
Overracing or pulling its head off
Not what you want to be hearing especially in the longer races. Basically it means the horse is going too hard too soon and is certain to be one of the first beaten when the chips are down.
Wide no cover
Not ideal but can be overcome by a talented horse and jockey. The horse is running wide — outside horses — and into the breeze with “no cover”. The key here is to find cover — drop in behind another runner — and come off heels [see next entry] in the straight. Option B is to go forward and try and dictate the race from the front.
Getting a cart or tracking into the race
Think cycling and the rider sitting two or three back getting dragged into the race without having to do as much of the work. Ideal scenario especially in the longer races.
Box seated or taking a sit
Your horse jumped well out of the barriers and settles just off the speed, conserving energy for one big crack at them at the finish.
Backed off the map
This is what you want after you’ve already placed your bet with the bookies. A tonne of money is coming for your selection which suggests it’s there to run a big race.
Got the blows
Not ideal as the selection — often a favourite or close to — drifts late in the betting markets. Has something gone wrong? Maybe. Is the horse not suited to the pattern of racing? Likely. Is something up? Almost certainly. Trouble brewing.
Missed the kick
The start of races is crucial no matter the distance from the barriers to the winning post. Miss the start and it’s panic stations, could be strung out wide or have to settle well back in the field and ride for luck along the rails hoping for gaps to appear.
Tight or hard hold
The jockey is having to restrain the horse from going harder and or faster in the early to middle stages of a race. Can be a good or bad thing depending on where in the run it happens. If you hear Miles say your horse is under a hold entering the straight start counting your money. Doing it easy.
‘No two-horse race: Gollan insists chances aplenty in Doomben Cup
Tony Gollan says this is one of the deepest Doomben Cup fields he has seen and is definitely not a match race between Antino and Pride Of Jenni.
Nick Ryan plotting to be a Queensland carnival Winna
Last Saturday’s impressive Flemington winner Highvol will have company on his flight to Brisbane as trainer Nick Ryan develops a long-range plan with another smart sprinter from his team.