YARRAMBLAQ STABLE REPORT. Round 3 at Royal Rosanna. 19/2/2024

On a typical Melbourne late summer morning, coolish and overcast, round 3 Senior Pennant got underway at Royal Rosanna, after that dreary beginning the day turned out to be a cracker and, on a cracking course the 3 Bat teams had mixed results!

YARRAMBLAQ STABLES.

The MOTSWANIAN PRINCE…… His third run for the stable started well,  controlling the race from the beginning striding easily in front with that long looping gait. After a couple of unforced driving errors entering the straight, the PRINCE steadied and ran to the post convincingly, that’s 3 in a row and a nice little picket fence is forming. An impressive  CV for this first season Sire, the breeding barn may well be in his sights at this point!          A 3 AND 2 VICTORY!

YOU’RE A WIMP WILSON…… Matching up against the same adversary as last year and on the very same track, saw an even start after the gates opened, the lead chopping and changing in the first half of the race until THE WIMP started to lose ground, 2 down in the straight, but he showed great courage to win the next 4 and streak to the finish line and salute on the post, a great return to form!          A 3 AND 1 WIN!

HIT ME WITH YOUR WITHAM STICK…… The “at times” grumpy stallion was at his competitive best today, a little wayward in the early stages of the race THE STICK settled, got into stride and ground away for a strong win! Again a solid and consistent performer for the stables!          A 2 AND 1 WIN!

SMUDGE O’CONNELL…… The old warhorse was very shabbily treated at the weights, 10 shots! THE SMUDGE flew the gates and on settling found himself 3 in front but the previous tough runs began to show and the extra weight was taking its toll, he was unable to muster any more energy and was run down in the straight, his opponent grabbing victory on the line!          A 2 AND 1 LOSS!

THE HUSHED NINJA…… Started the race well and with a massive 13 shots to make up, looked impressive, but as someone once said, “weight will stop a freight train” (Manifold I think?) and THE NINJA was eventually silenced to tail off badly!          A 5 AND 4 BEATING!

ROCKABILLY REBEL…… “Gotta” speak to the handicapper, you’d think we brothers would have some sort of kinship but not so, with a 13 shot weight penalty, winning form will do that to you, THE REBEL had his sights on 3 straight and in true Johnnie O’Keefe style didn’t let the stable down, with a little shake rattle and roll he bolted the gates, went straight to the front and was never headed although the colossal weight was gradually slowing REBEL down, the old stager held his nerve to nonchalantly knock in a curling 25 foot winner on the last, salute the crowd and head straight to the bar!          A 1 UP WINNER!

THE SLIPPERY ONE…… This was a race to forget for SLIPPERY, having missed the start badly, reefing and pulling he was never happy at any stage of the run with the big weight, 11 shots proving to be an extra headache, it was a race where nothing pan out at all, he will be thrown over the sticks this week to smarten him up!          A 6 AND 4 SHELLACKING! 

It was an excellent conclusion to the home and away rounds, with the BLAQS minor premiers! Sitting atop the ladder we are straight into the Semi’s at Box Hill next week, there we will encounter the Box Hill Broncos, their home track and looking at the early handicaps it would appear that the entire BLAQ team will concede significant shots across the field! Our runners are chaffing at the bit and we intend to muster all that BLAQ spirit shown over the last 3 weeks and meet our adversaries head on in a do or die contest, to what will be a glorious victory and then into the final at Gardiners Run!

Commiserations to BAT Blue and Red sides you held your head’s high in true Yarrambat tradition!

As always, go BATS!

Cheers and bring on next week. WILSO.