Turf Deli Racing News

See You After The Last ?

The Melbourne Racing Club continued its progressive ways this week with the announcement that this year, feature races such as the Memsie, Underwood and Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes would join the already announced Caulfield Cup and Caulfield Guineas as the last race of the day on each race program.

The last race of the day ?

Last race ?

You mean that race where you collate gold coins from various pockets to make up $10, and formulate the most exotic of exotics in a hopeless, ambitious and utterly doomed attempt to get out for the day ?

Apparently this change derives from a "thirst" for better racing later in the day.

Which is strange because in the madness of the end of day, interstate venue hopping, greyhound and harness code swapping , TAB scramble we have never, ever seen a punter stop, stick out a stiff upper lip, pull a fob watch out of their waistcoat, and say in their best posh accent "Well Sir, I have a punting thrist that can only be quenched by a Group One".

The change seems mainly to draw more crowds on the free to air coverage on 7Two and to try and attract the Asian racing markets, so good luck to the MRC if the changes work.

This may be a good time to remind everyone you can watch the races, all day, every day for free from TVN on this thing called the internet at racing network. Click on the Watch Now button. Just the normal internet - not internet two - or internet mate or the like.

For punters, who have learnt to schedule all activities on a Saturday around the first leg of the quaddie and the main race it will be a major shock to the fundamentals of a Saturday on the punt.

- No more sneaking in for free for the last couple of races on course after the main race has been and gone.

- Having to learn to stay out of betting on earlier races to make sure you have something left for the last.

- No more jumping on the early train to try and avoid the crowds on Caulfield Cup Day.

- Trying to get out in a WFA race with an even money favourite instead of a free for all mad scramble 1200M sprint.

- Having to devise two entirely different lame excuses to sneak away from family outings to watch both the first leg of the quaddie AND the feature race - now hours apart.

The Memsie Stakes kicks off at 4:50 pm on Saturday afternoon. Good luck punters