I'm just putting off the gruesome task of doing bookwork, but watching So You Think stroll away from the Group 1 field in the Tattersalls Gold Cup run at the Curragh in Ireland yesterday reminded me again of how good this horse is.  And it then prompted me to rifle back through and dig up some images of him, seeing as he's not been about to add to the collection I have on him.  He belonged to us first! 2009 Gloaming Stakes with Hugh Bowman on board.  First time I photographed my pony.  My jaw dropped when I saw him parading, he was exquisite.....   2009 Cox Plate.  Leading all the way.... 2010 Caulfield Stakes - explosive   2010 Cox Plate.  From the home turn.   The calm before the storm.  Friday 29 October, before the huge wet of 2010 VRC Derby Day   Before the Cup.  Pre-dawn at Flemington. Last day at Saintly Place.  Heartbroken.  

One of my philosophies as a photographer has become to assume that it is always possible that a photo shoot of a certain horse or individual may unknowingly become the last one you ever do.  'Last' can sometimes mean last opportunity during a racing season, as a horse's preparation may be curtailed before otherwise intended, due to poor form, the horse showing it has had enough, or injury.  Or it may be the last time you ever get to photograph the horse, either through retirement, being sold to race overseas, or because the horse dies.  I learnt this lesson the hard way when I was up at Vinery Stud in October 2009.  The weather was vile, we were short of time, it was serving season so the staff were under pressure, and I didn't get the great stallion Red Ransom out of his box.  At all.  I talked to him and said hello to him, but didn't take a frame of the horse, thinking I would be back in March, he was no longer on the shuttle and that not to worry, we'd...

We visited the champion at the stables she's staying in on Sunday morning.  Peter met us there, and the resultant images are below.  I was able to put the pretty muzzle and eye darkening gloss on her, and Peter let me do this myself, meaning I had 5 minutes with the mare.  There was a little bit of 'I don't know you, not sure about you touching me' to begin with, then she settled down, and had a little cuddle as well. Cathy and I fussed over her a little bit more, with the sheepskin mit, then Peter put the bit on, and we got these images.  I love capturing a bond between horse and person, and therefore really like this sequence of images.  She was tired and it was her day off, and Peter had a plane to catch, so I kept it short, but there's enough nice material here to feel very happy about. My friend and assistant, Cathy Parker, with the great mare.   Moody and Black Caviar.