Thursday, November 3, 2011

HIGH SCORING AMONGST FRENCH EXILES AS COMPETITORS CONQUER CANADA CLASSIC

The 'Indian Wedding' created a cracker last night at Concord, with well over two hundred nags on the nibble - and five runners carding perfect six hundreds. Scoring in general was higher than recent outings, with the stewards flagging a fast track and the 'Tuza Dwellers' bursting at the seams to put the pedal down. This they did to good effect, with (the absent) Pork Pie noting sensational scores from many classes - including our Juniors, where Rachel 'On Wheels' Noble shaded her dad for 460 and Luke 'Skywalker' Petterson punching the light speed button for 500! Amazing running from these two stars.

I gather the course had a westerly circular offering with 150 points, with the rest of the map (many new bits I'm told) evenly and deceptively weighted. Effort = reward, seemed to be the name of the game - a familiar SSS conundrum. My spy tells me there didn't seem an obvious route with many tempters getting the string brigade tied in knots. Something to be celebrated of course, and at the heart of good SSS course setting. Classy stuff from DM (the non power car) seems to be the word.

Without being there I'm not able to give a descent review, but understand we had clear and easy to find controls - including four 'telegraph poles'. This had me thinking of orienteering in the steam tram era... Well, not really.

With the results already up on the UR site, there is no need to get into a detailed scoring report - other than to mention a couple of category killers that took the old blokes eye. The aforementioned Chinese 'Gang of Five' was made up of three bigs and two smalls (wait up Rosscoe, your not watching 'Letters & Numbers' now!). I mean two Open and three Masters, with Andy Hill taking the onion in a shade under 44. Following line astern, and all taking home 600 Freddo Frogs kindly donated by Uringa were Glenn 'The Fall of the House of Usher' Horrocks, Richard 'The Reverend' Green (in the conservatory with the candlestick), Dave 'Shep' Shepherd and Tim Austin 'Seven'. What a group, what scoring. Flemington in November doesn't get as exciting as watching these dudes skimming the Bent.

Also noted were a couple of 100 point rewards in Open Women and Super Vet Men, with Lisa 'Land' Grant and Eoin 'The Copper Kettle' Rothery piling on 550's to the despair of their nearest and dearest. The Legends also seemed to throw off the deck chair blankets, with LM fancy, Heiko 'Of The Antarctic' Schaefer, skiing home with 460 to keep Jim Merchant 'And Bee' in double figures; and LW star, Bryony 'The Chrysler Building' Cox, finding some Manhattan magic in a pumping 320, to just pip Sue 'Merging Early' Thomson (one out, one back for 310). A great contest from these two Belvoir babes.

There looked like lots of other outstanding runs, and scoring, with Porkface somewhat wistfully 'wishing I had been there'. Hats off to Dave & Jane and all the Uringa helpers for another chapter in the sport of kings. A great event, and a great roll up - maybe a record at this track (212 actual entries, with probably 220/230 ponies in toto).

Turning to next week, we move back up the north shore where Big Foot have mapped Pymble railway station and points (or bushy gardens) north. Note the change of start location to that originally advised - now at Robert Pymble Park close to the station. This brand new area sounds excellent, with some great parks and mansions to run on and gaze upon (in that order). Pork Pie's golf clubs are at the ready, and will be fully deployed next week at 'The Putter'. Don't miss it; and the chance for a nice roast afterwards at the adjacent Pymble Hotel.

Finally, a couple of notes from Mr Guitar Fingers.

I mentioned Mel Cox's excellent 90 continuous SSS events last blog, only to subsequently learn that chief SSS web master, David ' Your Majesty' Noble, has gone one better - and is currently on 91, and rising!! Stupendous devotion David, we all salute you.

I also note that the inaugural Southern Series event on the Canals map ran last Tuesday, attracting a small following of mainly Wednesday devotees. Although a modest start, it is to be remembered that the Wednesday SSS began with less than that number - and look at us now. Event two for those that can't get enough is in totally new territory at Cronulla, and should prove a draw card with experienced setters in Ian & Sue Froude at the helm. A great excuse to visit your Shire friends as we well and truly expand the cunning running fun to southern Sydney.

Cheers from sunny Toowoomba!

1 comment:

Elizabeth the wounded said...

Thank-you to those who stopped to help and to those who came to my aid on Wednesday night, especially the personal delivery to the emergency room. Now recoperating at home limping around on one wrist.

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