Oaks Day - Stay Behind the Rope!!!

Bloody ropes! For those of us who have been photographing the races for as long as I have, the notion of being herded like sheep behind ropes is a little offensive. Particularly when all of a sudden you're being shouted at for being nowhere near the action, but not being behind a spot that a NON photographer has deemed that you should stand. Usually it is the action of a few that ruins it. I often think that if they got a little bit more selective of who they did and didn't let in then you wouldn't run into as many problems. I am continually amazed at the number of 'photographers' (and yes, sorry, I say that with a fair amount of sarcasm) that they allow access to the mounting yard. Most don't know one end of a horse from the other, they don't know anything about racing or photography, their equipment is laughable, but they have the same access as someone like myself. And of course, they usually muck something up, and then when they have buggered off after the main race, the rest of us who were probably doing the right thing all along, cope the consequences.

On Oaks Day, already suffering the devastation about the news of So You Think, the over-zealous security was a bit too much. The media people did endeavour to help the situation, and by the final day things had improved, but for a little while it did have me scowling a little.

I didn't think that this year's crop of 3yo fillies was particularly 'vintage'. It lacked a Samantha Miss or a Miss Finland, but the winner, Brazilian Pulse appears to be a tough, hardy little thing, and I guess you can't begrudge her that. Alas her sire is not one of 'my boys', so it wasn't a great result in those terms, but it was nice to see Craig Williams having such a good carnival after what has been a difficult period for him.

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