Category Archives: Sports

Sports

Friday musing – Second Test, Socceroos & Aussie Masters

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Chris Barwin HillsWell the 2nd Test in Perth petered out to a draw with some monumental batting displays from both teams. Steve Smith was criticized for the timing of his declaration not dangling enough of a smithcarrot for the Kiwi’s to chase. I thought the timing of the declaration was based on the fact that his bowlers had toiled in the stifling heat for two days and could not be expected to front up again “full of beans” unless they got a decent break. In the end, the Australians held the whip hand and I would be more critical of the defensive fields set by Brendan McCallum instead of Steve Smith’s declaration. In his defence, it also should be remembered that Steve Smith has declared in each of Australia’s innings so far this series.

The second Test also saw the last match for Mitchell Johnson and while he has been a great servant for Australia I don’t think we ever Unknownsaw the best of him for long enough. A lethal unplayable bowler one series and cannon fodder the next. I am a fan, but not with blind faith and I think he chose the right time to go. James Pattinson has been chosen to replace him and I am a fan of his, but I do feel a bit sorry for Peter Siddle. Siddle was Australia’s best bowler in the last Test in England and has not bowled badly in the Sheffield Shield so far this season and can count himself as unlucky. I can’t wait to see Mitchell Starc, Patrick Cummins and James Pattinson in full flight bowling for Australia.

Good to see the Socceroos go to the top of their group in the World Cup qualifier during the week. Tim Cahill was on fire with a hat trick cahillbefore half time. With Jordan losing and Australia still with two games at home, the Aussies should finish on top of this group and progress to the next stage quite comfortably.

Finally, good to see Adam Scott away to a good start at the AustralianMasters. He has had a poor year to date by his standards and needs a scottwin to build his confidence going into 2016. Given the field, it would be a big disappointment if he couldn’t end up leading at the end of day four.

Have a great weekend!

Sports

Gelding’s red hotties for Sandown on 14 November 2015

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gelding teeThe Gelding’s attention is at Sandown today and after a less than auspicious outing last week with a number of near misses, he is looking to bounce back hard.

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Sandown

Race 3 Horse 4 – Under the Louvre (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 4 Horse 8 – Good Project (late scratching)
Race 5 Horse 4 – Tall Ship (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 7 Horse 2 – Mahuta
Race 8 Horse 2 – Almoonqith

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Sports

Weekend musing – UFC & Ronda Rousey hit Melbourne

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Chris Barwin HillsNot much has grabbed my imagination this week.  It’s been business as usual on the Aussie sports scene

The Australian cricket team won as expected and the Socceroos also won as expected. Melbourne United in the NBL had been winning unitedbefore last night with one of their wins with a bit of help from the match officials. Melbourne Victory won the FFA cup as expected. Nothing in horse racing was as near as interesting as the Melbourne Cup, save for the racing being a bit more interesting due to a less biased track.

One thing which has created a bit of discussion around the traps is the UFC event featuring Ronda Rousey at Etihad Stadium this weekend. I am not a big fan of UFC, but I don’t mind it and it is certainly more interesting than main stream boxing these days. I rouseydo not subscribe to the view that it is too brutal as I think the sport is well governed and there are probably less injuries in the UFC than there are in boxing. I think one of the reasons why the UFC has somewhat supplanted boxing as the preferred “blood sport” is that it does not appear to be controlled by the likes of Don King and other entrepreneurs and it doesn’t have the multiple factions and associations that have split world boxing. If boxing wants to reclaim lost ground they need to win back the public and have one unified governing body to control the sport world wide.

Have a great weekend!

Sports

Friday musing – Travis Dean, Tarzino, Michelle Payne

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Chris Barwin HillsGreat to see young Victorian batsman Travis Dean make two unbeaten centuries on his first class debut last week. He joins four other batsman to have done the same thing, but he is the only one todean remain unbeaten in each innings and he also scored the most runs. My only concern would be that the other four are hardly household names. Arthur Morris also achieved the feat, but the game was not an official first class game. Hopefully Travis goes on to emulate Arthur Morris who was a very good opening batsman for Australia.

Tarzino was a very impressive winner of the Derby as he hit the front very early in the straight and nothing could run him down. However, two things stand out regarding the race, firstly no horses were able to tarzinomake ground out wide on Saturday (or Tuesday for that matter) and secondly, the horses that finished behind Tarzino really looked to lack a little class. He beat second by a length and a half with a further four and a half lengths to third. Hardly a vintage year, whereas the Oaks looked to have three or four genuine chances and I think we might see a few of them go onto bigger and better things.

The Melbourne Cup provided a bit of the “romance of the track” with Michelle Payne saluting with a 100/1 shot with her disabled brother paynethe strapper, I don’t think anyone begrudged them the success. What a great story. A lot of traditionalists have decried the internationalisation of the Cup in recent years and it was great to see the race won by local owners, with a local trainer and a local jockey.

Enjoy the weekend!

Sports

Gelding’s red hotties for Flemington on 7 November 2015

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MarkThe Gelding’s attention remains at Flemington tomorrow and after a pleasing outing last week (especially for the ladies at the Tennis club) he is looking to build up his resources

As always the bets are on an all up and each way basis.

Flemington

Race 2 Horse 4 – Vetox
Race 3 Horse 3 – Secret Number
Race 6 Horse 2 – Chautauqua (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 7 Horse 4 – Bow Creek (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 9 Horse 9 – Malaguerra

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Sports

Gelding’s red hot tips for Derby day at Flemington

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42The Gelding’s attention is on Derby day at Flemington with four Group 1 races for decision and a great start to Cup week.

After a mediocre day on the punt last week, the Gelding is looking to bounce back today!

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Flemington

Race 3 Horse 3 – Disposition (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 4 Horse 1 – Exosphere
Race 7 Horse 7 – Tarizino (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 8 Horse 1 – Royal Descent
Race 9 Horse 6 – Delectation

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Sports

Friday musing – Melbourne Cup selection, Terry Bailey, Jake Carlisle and the Wallabies

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Chris Barwin HillsI must say I was very impressed with the win of Winx in the Cox Plate last weekend. I discounted her chances as she had not been around the Valley before, but she went around that home turn like a winxgreyhound lure while Criterion went around it like a Mack truck. Clearly Criterion will be better suited by the open spaces of Flemington and is worth some serious thought for the Melbourne Cup. I also like Preferment and Amralah for the Cup.

While we are on the races, the attack on Terry Bailey was very baileydisturbing. From all reports Bailey would not be concerned, but in cases like this it is always the family that is vulnerable. When officials who are trying to uphold the integrity of their sport or the law are attacked in this way and to have this type of threatening behaviour makes you wonder about the fabric of our society.

I remained silent on the Jake Carlisle trade last week, but was bemused by the scrutiny his manager has come under this week given he knew of the video before the trade went through. As Carlisle’s manager he is charged with getting the best deal for his client, it is carlisle
really up to the suitor to do their due diligence. The video was supposedly doing the rounds of various media outlets for a week before it came to light and the jungle drums suggest there was other material out there which may have betrayed his proclivities. The suggestion is that the Western Bulldogs & North Melbourne had done their due diligence and dropped out of the chase early as a result.

Good luck to the Wallabies this weekend in the fight for the Webb wallabiesEllis trophy. Against the Kiwis they will have their work cut out, but they have shown that they can beat the All Blacks if everything clicks, so fingers crossed.

Have a great weekend!

Sports

Gelding’s red hotties for Cox Plate day 24 October 2015

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sean & geldingThe Gelding’s attention is on Moonee Valley today and the running of the Cox Plate. After picking the Caulfield Cup winner last week, he is looking to make it two in a row.

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Moonee Valley

Race 4 Horse 3 – Mawahibb
Race 5 Horse 1 – Serene Majesty
Race 6 Horse 7 – The United States
Race 8 Horse 1 – Lucky Hussler (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 9 Horse 1 – Criterion (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding

Sports

Weekend musing – Moto GP, AFL Trade period

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Chris Barwin HillsI am not a big motor sport fan, however, I started listening to last weeks MotoGP from Phillip Island when I was walking the dog and when I got home I sat down and watched the final six laps of the race. What a fascinating race with many exciting overtaking manoeuvres grand prix
with the top four riders duelling throughout and Marc Marquez taking over in the last lap to win. At one stage with a couple of laps to go he had been shuffled back to fourth. I don’t think I will suddenly become a motor sport fan on the back of that race, but it was certainly very exciting. Maybe if Formula 1 could replicate the same excitement it would improve in popularity, particularly at the moment Mercedes dominating.

Well the AFL trade period is finally over with plenty of trades going through, even players like James Aish who Brisbane said they wouldn’t trade getting where he wanted to go. One trade that didn’t go through was Cam McCarthy from GWS to Fremantle. One thing I mccarthydidn’t realise until last night was that McCarthy was only one year into a four year deal. I can understand players wanting a trade with a year to run on a contract, but three years? Why sign a long term contract and then ask for a trade in the first year, it doesn’t make sense. I think in reality, he hadn’t done much until this year so his manager got him a long term deal, he then has a good year and he suddenly has some currency. I certainly don’t blame the Giants for not doing the trade.

Have a great weekend!

Sports

Gelding’s Caulfield selections for 18 October 2015

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Mar 13 2011 021The Gelding’s attention is split this weekend. He has one eye on New Zealand racing, because Malcolm Turnbull is there…..no not really. The real reason is because his horse Del Rios is racing at Rotorua.

His other eye is on his home track at Caulfield where the prestigious Caulfield Cup is being run. After a big day at the track on Wednesday he is feeling confident with his selections.

One thing the Gelding doesn’t like today is the Caulfield Cup starting at 5.40pm – disgraceful he says and a sign that the media has taken over horse racing!

As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.

Rotorua

Race 2 Horse 7 – Del Rios (an each way special for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Caulfield

Race 3 Horse 1 – Ball of Muscle
Race 4 Horse 2 – Ambience
Race 6 Horse 6 – Sadler’s Lake
Race 7 Horse 8 – Under the Louvre (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 9 Horse 6 – Mongolian Khan (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)

Good luck and good punting!

The Gelding