Keeping Busy

I'm not long off the phone, having just organised a photoshoot for tomorrow morning.  It's to do with a little project of mine that I'd like to keep working on.  I like to think it could be worthwhile, and my friend and colleague Susan at Arrowfield and I spent a fair bit of time discussing it fairly recently.  Next week I have a meeting about it and some other things and I like to  hope that the project can be viewed as worthwhile.  Time will tell..

Part of it involves me exploring this truly ace part of the world that we've settled in.  One of the reasons for choosing this area, apart from the obvious upsides for my children, was that it's a very strong equine and thoroughbred area.  Everywhere I drive there are farms and stables and trainers.  It's important to me to become part of this community and to get to know people.  I don't always find this easy and starting off as a complete outsider can be daunting.

Last Saturday we called in to Flemington for the races.  That was a bit of fun and it was good to see my friends.  And it was AFL on Sunday which also happened to be Mother's Day.  I 

I'm not working Arche anymore, and I'm waiting for my Freelance to arrive.  I made a series of phone calls yesterday to firm up the truck to collect her.  That's 9/10ths done.  I'm awaiting a returned phone call from the truck company with the definite date and time but I'm assured it will be next week.  So emails to the lovely man who runs the agistment property Freelance will call home to let him know.

I've also finally been sorting out my stricken 24-70mm lens that is still being kept safe by Nikon, because I am terrible at paperwork and I hadn't done my insurance claim for the damage.  I'm trying to come up with some systems for my gear that takes the weight off my neck and forearms and also prevents them from swinging off my shoulder because I've damaged a couple of items now like this.  Nikon are terrific to me and will loan me equipment to sort me out, but my capacity to not attend to my paperwork isn't my best asset.  So I'm making a conscious effort to get better at this.

Ancient King (Ramonti - Queen of Rap) won Race 7 for trainer Peter Moody and Daniel Stackhouse.  The kids and I had packed up to go, but they saw a race from near the statue and thought it was exciting and wanted to stay longer.  The sun had come out, the lawns were nice and green and the kids played happily for over an hour so we stayed about.  It can be tricky picking the winner out from the 400m mark, but I picked this fellow out and given this horse is an import with Group 1 form in Italy they may not prove to be totally wasted images.





Belle Couture (Redoute's Choice - Helsinge).  VERY disappointed the filly didn't run better.  She slipped coming out of the barrier and tailed off, possibly feeling the effects of the start.
Steven King proved he is riding as well as ever.  He rode Longchamp Belle (Charge Forward - Dame de Paree) to win Race 3.  This filly is trained locally here in Mornington and is a real Arrowfield Stud product, being by one of their boys out of a mare sired by their former stallion Danzero who I was so fond of photographing.



Makybe Diva watches over Flemington.  The colours were pretty and the course looked so nice.  Empty!!!  But nice!








 
 


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