So, once again, we are at the day that, in Australia, marks the beginning of the end of the year - Melbourne Cup.
As always, I had my usual flutter - the office sweeps, and a couple of bets at the TAB. I did ok this year (but only if I can claim my family's win as my own!). Collectively, we came out in front, but the best I could do was 2nd place.
My bets this year (and where they finished) were:
$5 Each way:
Maybe Better (scratched)
Blue Monday (7th)
Zipping (4th)
Master O'Reilly (the favourite) (8th)
Purple Moon (2nd) - my only winner.
Tim had the winner Efficient in a $10 bet, so that was our big family win, and Emily managed to pick up Purple Moon, and so got second place in the office sweeps.
Once again, Tim was 1 horse off the box trifecta... If only Zipping had come third we would have been celebrating big time!
For those who care - the results.
Melbourne Cup 2007
laurette rynne - November 06, 2007And they're off....
laurette rynne - November 07, 2006
Yep, it's that time of the year again - the day which traditionally represents the first of the "end of year" festivities - Melbourne Cup Day.
Once again, I have spent more money than gives me any hope of "winning", but the traditional rule for "the race that stops the nation" is that any horse can win, so you might as well back them all!
My bets:
1. Maybe Better (23) each way
2. On a Jeune (11) each way
3. Yeats (1) each way
4. Box Quinella: Pop Rock (12), Ice Chariot (15)
5. Box Trifecta: Tawqeet (4), Pop Rock (12), Maybe Better (23)
6. Box First 4: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Mahtoum (10), Maybe Better (23)
7. Mystery Pick Trifecta: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Zipping (13)
Plus 4 mystery horses in the work sweeps (as yet unknown) - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 13th & Last place pay.
UPDATE: Well, the classic lesson applies for me - when you say "I was thinking about putting a bet on...." you should follow up with the bet. As it stands, I couldn't manage better than 3rd (in both a each way bet, and the office sweeps). I haven't collected all my winnings yet, but it will end up somewhere less than a third of what I spent. Oh well, fun all round anyway - and a good way to break up the work afternoon!
Results:
1st - Delta Blues (2)
2nd - Pop Rock (12)
3rd - Maybe Better (23)
Last - Zabeat (17)
Full List
Once again, I have spent more money than gives me any hope of "winning", but the traditional rule for "the race that stops the nation" is that any horse can win, so you might as well back them all!
My bets:
1. Maybe Better (23) each way
2. On a Jeune (11) each way
3. Yeats (1) each way
4. Box Quinella: Pop Rock (12), Ice Chariot (15)
5. Box Trifecta: Tawqeet (4), Pop Rock (12), Maybe Better (23)
6. Box First 4: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Mahtoum (10), Maybe Better (23)
7. Mystery Pick Trifecta: Yeats (1), Delta Blues (2), Zipping (13)
Plus 4 mystery horses in the work sweeps (as yet unknown) - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 13th & Last place pay.
UPDATE: Well, the classic lesson applies for me - when you say "I was thinking about putting a bet on...." you should follow up with the bet. As it stands, I couldn't manage better than 3rd (in both a each way bet, and the office sweeps). I haven't collected all my winnings yet, but it will end up somewhere less than a third of what I spent. Oh well, fun all round anyway - and a good way to break up the work afternoon!
Results:
1st - Delta Blues (2)
2nd - Pop Rock (12)
3rd - Maybe Better (23)
Last - Zabeat (17)
Full List
Opals break through, Lauren Jackson says goodbye
laurette rynne - April 13, 2006
After two silver medals at the last two Olympics, the perennial bridemaids - the Austrailan Women's basketball team - have finally broken through and beaten the US 76-65 in the 4-nations World Challenge yesterday.
While it may not be the top US team, missing superstars like Sheryl Swoops, it is still a huge psychological win for the Opals over their arch-nemisis.
In sadder news, that's the last time Lauren Jackson play on Aussie shores for a while as she has left the WNBL for a 3-year stint in Korea, which she is hoping will give her a better recovery in the off-season from the WNBA season.
While it may not be the top US team, missing superstars like Sheryl Swoops, it is still a huge psychological win for the Opals over their arch-nemisis.
In sadder news, that's the last time Lauren Jackson play on Aussie shores for a while as she has left the WNBL for a 3-year stint in Korea, which she is hoping will give her a better recovery in the off-season from the WNBA season.
Commonwealth Games - Day 9/10/11 & wrap-up
laurette rynne - March 26, 2006
The last three days of competition saw both the highs and lows of sport. First we saw Nathan Deakes complete his double gold, with his win in the 50km walk. This was really the only track highlight for Australia on day 9, with heartbreak for Sally McLellan falling in the 100m hurdles final. We had success on the field though, with wins in the Men's hammer throw, and the Men's pole vault. Friday night also saw the thriller men's basketball final with Australia coming from behind in the final quarter to win over New Zealand by 5 points. Revenge for New Zealand today though, as the Silver Ferns defeated Australia in the netball final.
Australia complete the double in the hockey with both the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras victorious, and we also had great success in the squash - with wins in both mens', women's and mixed doubles. We also had a great end to the cycling with wins in the mens and womens road race. Brad Pitt (yes, Aussie boxer Bradley Michael Pitt) also had a golden day in the boxing ring, winning the heavyweight division.
Saturday night - the final night of athletics was really the highs and lows for several countries. First there was drama in the relays - every single relay event saw a team drop or fumble a baton in either a heat or final, and that wasn't the end of the drama. With Ghana dropping the baton in the womens 100m relay, Australia was lucky to benefit by ending up with bronze, but this was nothing to the huge drama in the womens' 4x400m womens. With Jamaica fumbling the baton, Australia was lucky to finish second. However, the disqualification of England saw Australia end up with the gold. We got the double as the Aussie men took out the 4x400, although it was eased with the Bahamas also dropping the baton. Unfortunately it wasn't all good news for Australia. Matt Shirvington missed his big chance to race in the 4x100 mens relay, as a fumble on the last change cost us a good chance of a medal. Disaster also for Craig Mottram in the 1500m final as he was tripped from behind by falling English athlete and could only recover to finish in 9th place.
Just so it's not all Australian news, special notes of the following - Jamaica had a clean sweep of all the sprint events - mens & womens 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays. Also of note was Canadian Alexandra Michel Orlando taking all 5 individual gold medals, and also winning as part of the teams event in the Rythmic Gymnastics.
So, how did it all end up? It was a pretty good games, admittedly very Australian-dominated, but the opening and closing ceremony were pretty cheesy. There were highs and lows as always, and the tv coverage made it pretty hard to view anything but the events in which Australia either won or had a chance to win. All in all I'm pretty happy to see the end of the games, and will start to look forward to Beijing.
The final tally - Australia ended up with 84 gold (right between my 79 and the media's 88), 69 silver and 68 bronze. Nearest competitor was England (36g, 40s, 34b), Canada (25, 29, 31) and India (22, 17, 11).
Australia complete the double in the hockey with both the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras victorious, and we also had great success in the squash - with wins in both mens', women's and mixed doubles. We also had a great end to the cycling with wins in the mens and womens road race. Brad Pitt (yes, Aussie boxer Bradley Michael Pitt) also had a golden day in the boxing ring, winning the heavyweight division.
Saturday night - the final night of athletics was really the highs and lows for several countries. First there was drama in the relays - every single relay event saw a team drop or fumble a baton in either a heat or final, and that wasn't the end of the drama. With Ghana dropping the baton in the womens 100m relay, Australia was lucky to benefit by ending up with bronze, but this was nothing to the huge drama in the womens' 4x400m womens. With Jamaica fumbling the baton, Australia was lucky to finish second. However, the disqualification of England saw Australia end up with the gold. We got the double as the Aussie men took out the 4x400, although it was eased with the Bahamas also dropping the baton. Unfortunately it wasn't all good news for Australia. Matt Shirvington missed his big chance to race in the 4x100 mens relay, as a fumble on the last change cost us a good chance of a medal. Disaster also for Craig Mottram in the 1500m final as he was tripped from behind by falling English athlete and could only recover to finish in 9th place.
Just so it's not all Australian news, special notes of the following - Jamaica had a clean sweep of all the sprint events - mens & womens 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays. Also of note was Canadian Alexandra Michel Orlando taking all 5 individual gold medals, and also winning as part of the teams event in the Rythmic Gymnastics.
So, how did it all end up? It was a pretty good games, admittedly very Australian-dominated, but the opening and closing ceremony were pretty cheesy. There were highs and lows as always, and the tv coverage made it pretty hard to view anything but the events in which Australia either won or had a chance to win. All in all I'm pretty happy to see the end of the games, and will start to look forward to Beijing.
The final tally - Australia ended up with 84 gold (right between my 79 and the media's 88), 69 silver and 68 bronze. Nearest competitor was England (36g, 40s, 34b), Canada (25, 29, 31) and India (22, 17, 11).
Commonwealth Games - Day 6/7/8
laurette rynne - March 24, 2006
Well, we've moved out of the pool and onto the track and field. The last couple of days have seen some great results. We've kept doing well in some of the less followed (or televised) sports - with gold in shooting, lawn bowls, and weightlifting.
Australia has had great results in the diving, with wins in both the synchronised and individual dives. Chantelle Newbery and Loudy Tourky have continued to set the way, but plucky 13 year old Melissa Wu managed a perfect 10 dive from the 10m platform, even though she wasn't consistent enough to pull a medal.
On the track Australia has a new superstar in John Steffensen winning the 400m final, and Jana Pittman overcame all the drama and took an impressive gold in the 400m Hurdles. It was really something to see her embrace the crowd and enjoy her win after a pretty rocky lead-up. Scott Martin kept our field medals alive with a final throw gold medal in the discus.
In team sports the Opals, led by Lauren Jackson, had a convincing gold medal win over New Zealand in the basketball. Unfortunately there's a good chance that's the only gold medal she'll win, unless Australia can find a way to beat the US in Beijing.
Our netball girls had to do the unthinkable and run rampart over last placed Singapore to ensure their for-and-against record would see them top of the pool after a shock draw with Jamaica. This will ensure we can avoid the semi-final against favourites New Zealand.
At the start of day 9 competition, the gold medal tally is starting to slow. Australia is sitting on 65, with nearest competitor England on 24. India and Canada round out the top 4.
Australia has had great results in the diving, with wins in both the synchronised and individual dives. Chantelle Newbery and Loudy Tourky have continued to set the way, but plucky 13 year old Melissa Wu managed a perfect 10 dive from the 10m platform, even though she wasn't consistent enough to pull a medal.
On the track Australia has a new superstar in John Steffensen winning the 400m final, and Jana Pittman overcame all the drama and took an impressive gold in the 400m Hurdles. It was really something to see her embrace the crowd and enjoy her win after a pretty rocky lead-up. Scott Martin kept our field medals alive with a final throw gold medal in the discus.
In team sports the Opals, led by Lauren Jackson, had a convincing gold medal win over New Zealand in the basketball. Unfortunately there's a good chance that's the only gold medal she'll win, unless Australia can find a way to beat the US in Beijing.
Our netball girls had to do the unthinkable and run rampart over last placed Singapore to ensure their for-and-against record would see them top of the pool after a shock draw with Jamaica. This will ensure we can avoid the semi-final against favourites New Zealand.
At the start of day 9 competition, the gold medal tally is starting to slow. Australia is sitting on 65, with nearest competitor England on 24. India and Canada round out the top 4.