Stupid O'Clock with the Famous Pony Black Caviar

We're not blessed with the system that American trainers, riders, horses and photographers enjoy.  Where they work their horses later in the morning.  And not in the dark!  I flew in late last night, and didn't get to bed until after 11.30pm.  And of course could hardly sleep for the few hours I was actually in bed before my alarm went off at Stupid O'Clock.  I set it for 3.05am, and was at Caulfield by 3.40am.  Who was I there to see??????  The Famous Pony of course.  The great champion Black Caviar.  In a little added bonus, Luke Nolen was onboard this morning.  It was very dark and rushed when she's out there, and I was feeling my way, but the guys were great.  And for that I thank them....





Comments

  1. Granny GGMarch 9, 2013 at 8:10 PM

    The things you do for love Bronwen but it was worth it to get up at stupid o'clock. The photos are beautiful. I envy you. Being in the presence of the greatness of the mighty mare.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ArlettaMarch 10, 2013 at 12:05 AM

    Why do they work them at 3:30 in the morning? Is it just due to the heat of the day?

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Image Is EverythingMarch 11, 2013 at 10:42 AM

    She certainly makes any early start worthwhile. Interesting the chat around the track too. One bloke was walking a horse in circles, and all he wanted to do was talk about the thrill he got each morning from being in the presence of greatness. But Stupid o'clock it is! I think it's also governed by the hours the racetracks set. It's very different overseas. I wish we had the American or UK method, it's hard doing justice to their training when your eye can hardly make them out!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Legacy of Eight Carat: From the Vault Volume I

Image
We have been back in lockdown here in Victoria. Lockdown 5.0 to be precise and as a result it made us go back to feeling like sad sacks.  After having seen off Lockdown 4.0 a teeny tiny bit triumphantly, where we saw off both Delta and Kappa variants (evil beasts that they are - curse you stinky COVID - curse you), we had literally only just gotten back to work before being very suddenly plunged back into Lockdown 5.0 after the visit of those very nice removalists.   'Thanks very much!!!!' we all shouted indignantly!!!!  A key difference with Lockdown 5.0 was that half the country also into lockdown at the same time which made us feel slightly less sad.  The Victorian Government doesn't muck about anymore when it comes to outbreaks.  Their reaction is swift and severe and not at all namby pamby.  I just wish the same logic would be applied to Sydney which continues to deteriorate, much to my dismay.  This week we took our first tentative steps out of Lockdown 5.0, hurrah f
Read more

Vale Sadler's Wells - champion stallion dies in Ireland.

Image
One of the most important racehorses, and later stallions of our time, the great Sadler's Wells died in Ireland on the evening of Tuesday 26 April 2011.  He died at Coolmore's Tipperary Stud in Ireland, his home since his retirement in 1984.  The stallion was retired from breeding in 2008. His legacy worldwide is immense.  He has left sons and daughters,  and three of his stallion sons, in Galileo, Montjeu and High Chaparral, are leading stallions in the Northern Hemisphere.  In Australia, Galileo and Montjeu had less success, however the impact of High Chaparral was immediate, and immense.  While the horse still has to repeat the success he achieved with his New Zealand bred runners, from which the Group 1 winners, and champion So You Think, were conceived, High Chaparral is still leading the Australian General Sires Title with only a couple of months of racing left. In Europe, Montjeu and Galileo have both sired Epsom Derby winners, in Authorized and New Approach respective
Read more

The physical drain of riding horses

Image
Most people agree that the life of a jockey is a difficult one.  There are a handful that rise to the top, and do extremely well out of the Sport of Kings.  The vast majority however struggle with their weights, and do their best to avoid and/or overcome injury.  Anyone who has ever been pelted off a horse would know that it doesn't tickle!  And of course the older you get, the more it hurts!  We used to fang around on our ponies, bareback, in headstalls and leadropes, never wearing a riding hat.  Completely fearless, and I am sure that on the odd occasion I parted company with my horse, I used to bounce.  In fact I rarely used to fall off, unless the horse came down as well, I guess all those years of galloping around bareback meant my balance and ability to swing my body with the horse was pretty good.  I'd like to say that I could still ride the same, but age and the maturing mind catches up, and you start thinking of the consequences of 'what if I come off', which
Read more