VIVA LA FRANCE

French sprinter/miler, Miss Liberty, is rapidly emerging as Statue of Liberty’s most exciting runner in Europe, adding another stakes event to her tally on 26 July.
Sent out favourite for the Listed Prix de Bagatelle at Maisons-laffitte, after a wiin at Deauville earlier in the month, Miss Liberty was untroubled in scoring by two lengths.
Although Google’s translation of the Paris Courses race report leaves a little to be desired, you get the point: Well placed in the standby position, Miss Liberty (Maxime Guyon) received a very good course. His (her?) jockey was able to run when (s)he tried to adjust the facilitator, who would then be overwhelmed(?) by Director for second place.
Pia Brandt (Miss Liberty’s trainer) told the microphone(?): “Miss Liberty was a great race. It was the shift in the last 200m.”
Maxime Guyon (jockey) added: “We had a great race. She was very relaxed. It has become steadily. I hope she can go higher. It deserves because it gives all. There are steps, but what it does, it should be able to win a Group (race).”
What we don’t have a problem translating though is that Miss Liberty is a class filly with five wins and two placings – including victory in the Prix la Fleche-LR as a 2YO – from only 11 outings.
Out of the Spinning World mare, Miss America, Miss Liberty hails from the family of Mr Prospector stallion, Fappiano, sire of Kentucky Derby winner Unbridled.

DOUBLE 47

The Keeper of all things Bel Esprit, Brian Donohoe, was quick to assist (as always) following yet another double for the Champion Sire on Sunday.
According to Brian, Andrew Noblet’s Navillus Superman and the Colin & Cindy Alderson trained Cleaver provided Bel Esprit with his 47th double for the season … 47!! … which ties in nicely with 7 trebles and 2 quaddies.
Effectively, he’s averaged multiple winners in a day for every week of the season.

MID WEEK FUNNY

My neighbour knocked on my door at 2:30am this morning … can you believe that … 2:30am?!
Luckily for him I was still up playing my Bagpipes.

BEL’S SPRINTER WORKS THE ROOM

Another huge day at the office for Victoria’s Champion Sire with Work The Room becoming Bel Esprit’s 12th stakes winner and Bel Sprinter maintaining his unbeaten record with a resounding win at headquarters.





WORK THE ROOM
There are few more deserving black type winners than the Robert Heathcote trained Work The Room.
Originally with Colin Little at Caulfield, the Bel Esprit flyer won his first two outings – at Ballarat and Sandown – but was then off the scene for 15 months, resuming with a second at Geelong after striking a ton of trouble.
Work The Room won again at Sandown last September and produced a game second at Flemington on New Year’s Day but was tipped out shortly after and was then transferred to Heatchote where he ran third at Doomben as favourite.
Despite failing to salute in three subsequent runs, he was back to his best in the Tattersall’s Mile-LR at Eagle Farm on Saturday, racking up the even dozen for Bel Esprit.
“Look, this is a very good horse and I think a lot of people dropped off a bit too quickly,” Heathcote said. “He had problems when he came here from Melbourne and it has been a matter of working them out. It was a big decision by the owners to send him here and I think it will prove the right move.”
Heathcote said he is looking to step Work The Room, a half brother to multiple Group One winner Zipping, up in distance: “There is a 2100 metre open handicap here in a fortnight which will suit him. Melbourne is probably off the agenda at this stage because of the timing. But you can take it as read that there is a very good race in this horse.”
A $160,000 Inglis Easter yearling, Work the Room – from the Grand Lodge mare Social Scene and bred by Eddie Hayson (also owner of Group One winner and stallion Wanted) – has now won four and placed on five occasions from 13 starts.

BEL SPRINTER
It’s difficult to keep the excitement in check when a horse like Bel Sprinter lobs on the scene.
Kicking off with a win just after Christmas – over 1000m at Mornington – Bel Sprinter resumed with a solid victory at the Valley (coming from near last on the turn) before grinding out a solid score in the King Island Dairy Handicap (1100m) at headquarters on Saturday, racing on the speed throughout. Three from three!
And it looks now as if the 3YO – from the Snippets mare Gavroche – will be targeting the $125,000 Aurie’s Star Handicap-G3 (1200m) on 6 August.
Not surprisingly, trainer Jason Warren has a huge opinion of Bel Sprinter: “He was a bit fired up prior to the race today and I was a bit worried be might overrace.
“Benny (Melham) just kept him where he was comfortable, (but) I thought he might have pushed the button a little bit early. I wouldn’t like to have it all over again.
“He’s done a terrific job. He’s only a baby, he doesn't know what he’s doing and he was in front a long way out. They had their chance to get to him today: full credit to the horse.
“I aim pretty high with all of my horses and where I finish up is a different story usually. He might be the horse, he can’t do anymore than what he has done.
“Since we gave him his first jump-out I was very confident of the horse’s ability and it is good to see him putting it on the form now.”
Jockey Ben Melham has ridden Bel Sprinter (pictured below) in all of his three starts and feels there is more to come: “He jumped and put himself there and I was concerned about that because he was travelling quite strong,” Melham said. “It was a good effort.
“He is best suited ridden with a bit of a sit. As circumstances panned out he ended up there [the front]. If he can get back and mature a bit mentally and learn how to relax more he is going to win decent races for sure.
“When the penny drops with him he is going to become quite a nice horse.”

MOODY’S TON

Congratulations to Black Caviar’s mentor, Peter Moody, who on Saturday became only the third trainer in Victoria to notch up 100 winners in the season when Testacana took out the Hanan Displays Handicap at Flemington.
Moody certainly joined prestigious company, preceded only by Lee Freedman (115 winners in 2005/06) and David Hayes (103 in 2006/07). And, with two metropolitan meetings remaining prior to season’s end, Moody could well overtake Hayes.
Important to note that Testacana is a son of Testa Rossa and was actually conceived at Yallambee Stud, just a hop, skip and a jump down the road from Eliza Park.

DISEASE - BACK TO BASICS

Some interesting comments from Darryl Sherer in Friday’s ANZ Bloodstock News:

It has been something of a tumultuous week for the media. Politicians have been copping their collective share of flak as well. So, given that Rupert Murdoch has had what could probably be best described as not his best week in the office, one could possibly suggest that the octogenarian has suffered enough without the Australian Prime Minister threatening to unleash her intellectual prowess upon sorting out the mess the media has become. In her qualified opinion of course.
Closer to home it has been a case of repetitive strain injury for those with an eye on events in England as well as following Cadel Evans and Le Tour, never mind the football and boxing this week. The remote control has had a thorough working over. And Tiger, please, you need Stevie. He is, after all, the highest paid sportsman in New Zealand. Adam Scott is a lucky golfer.
So, given the degree of headline-attractive happenings, it is easy to overlook the action taken by the Malaysian Government in banning horse imports from Australia due to the latest outbreak of Hendra Virus.
This insidious virus is becoming an unwelcome visitor. The flying foxes that are the cause are native to Australia. Not their fault that their droppings can cause such chaos in the wrong circumstance.
What is worrying is that we in Australia seem to be getting caught up in diseases that we could certainly do without. Think Equine Influenza.
So, with the latest round of Government fundings and pari-mutual licence allocation, I’d like to suggest some worthy causes for some assistance.
Not so long ago – less than 12 months to be exact – the industry was applauding the development of a vaccine to protect against Hendra Virus. While this will come to pass, the shrinking world and the increased movement of horses around the globe means that Australia and New Zealand can’t rely on their island status to protect them from exotic diseases.
It is fantastic that Tabcorp have signed up for the pari-mutual licence in Victoria. It is fantastic that New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has backed the new programme system. Racing is fantastic. Breeding is fantastic.
But – you knew it was coming – with all the attention on matters exotic, it is very easy to forget the obvious and we have to focus really hard on the basics.
We need to allocate funds to research. We need to allocate funds to prevention of disease because if we find ourselves ravaged by a form of equine disease, we will end up with no racing, and no funds for anyone. And that will not be good.

ELIZA PARK FILLY BONUS

Sexual discrimination has been around since Noah built his first dinghy, but while some mores have softened over time, the thoroughbred industry – certainly from a commercial perspective – has a clear preference for boys over girls.
Market forces and all that. No use having a whinge. Nothing can be done about it.
Well, maybe something can be done about it … in a fashion.
Leading thoroughbred stud, Eliza Park, has arrived at a rather unique way to deal with the ‘girl problem’ and at the same time assist breeders in the current economic climate.
Recently Eliza Park has announced a special FILLY BONUS to any broodmare owner who breed to any two of five nominated stallions for just $10,000 plus GST: Astronomer Royal, Bushranger, Dissolved, Sharkbite and Shinzig.
Novel sure, but here’s the clincher: if the mare produces a filly you get to send the mare back in 2012 … for FREE.
“It’s a well known fact that fillies can’t go stride for stride with colts in the sales ring,” Eliza Park’s Nominations Manager, Mark Lindsay, points out. “And obviously it’s no reflection on Eliza Park’s views in relation to the merits of gender. After all, Black Caviar is by Bel Esprit and Group One winners Bel Mer and Recurring were both bred on farm. And our foundation stallion, Desert Sun, is the sire of one of the greatest racemares of our time in Sunline.
“However, the reality is that when I phone a lot of broodmare owners to tell them their mare has just foaled, you can almost sense they are holding their breath as they wait to find out what the sex of the foal is.
“Still, the added bonus to the bonus, so to speak, is that there are a lot of owners out there that breed to race and would prefer a filly anyway.
“So, not only can they save up to $7,000 on service fees in 2011, they could theoretically send two mares again next year for free!
“And, we’d like to stress, ending up with a nice athletic type will still bring a good price, regardless of gender. A prime example was the recent Inglis Weanling Sale in Sydney when the highest priced of Sharkbite’s first crop weanlings was the filly from Pomeranz who was knocked down for $40,000 – eight times service fees.
“It was a similar story with another first season sire in Astronomer Royal whose filly from Treadmill realised $52,000 in Melbourne.
“Furthermore, each of the five stallions on offer boast considerable promise: Shinzig’s first 2YOs will race this spring, both Astronomer Royal and Sharkbite have highly acclaimed weanlings, the first of Bushranger’s Australian foals arrive this spring, and Dissolved is about to stand his first season at stud.
“There’s certainly huge upside for any breeder wanting to take up the filly bonus.”
Stud newcomers, Astronomer Royal and Dissolved, have generated a lot of interest, according to Lindsay and Bushranger “has produced some outstanding foals in Ireland this year”.
“The O’Callaghan family, which stand Bushranger at their Tally-Ho Stud, are over the moon with the reception that the son of Danetime has been getting,” Lindsay adds. “Bushranger covered an unprecedented book in Ireland for a first season sire and we’ve been told by Anne O’Callaghan that as soon as owners had a look at their Bushranger foals, they almost immediately re-booked the mare.
“They’re peas in a pod and we can’t wait for the first of his southern hemisphere foals to arrive in August. We see it time and time again on the farm … some breeders hold off until the first foals are on the ground then swoop. I’ve got a feeling the same will apply for Bushranger.
“There’s also been a lot of interest in Dissolved and it’s not difficult to work out why: his sire, Lonhro, is poised to take his first Australian Sires’ title and naturally he’s all the rage.
“Dissolved was a very good racehorse and as Team Hawkes pointed out to us, Dissolved is the closest that you’ll ever see to Lonhro in the looks department. Imagine what his foals/yearlings will sell for if he throws them to type?
“As mentioned previously, Astronomer Royal’s first lot of weanlings were very well received and since announcing he was coming on board, we’ve field a LOT of enquiries.
“I would expect – particularly with his inclusion in the filly bonus – that his book will fill very quickly.
“I’m confident that a lot of breeders will take up the filly bonus. It’s a win-win situation.”

For further information phone David Somers (0428 440 330), Mark Lindsay (0416 334 336) or Phil Marshall (0407 853 782).

ROAD RAGE

Warning! Do not P-off elephants - even when they are hogging the road.

HIGHER LEVEL FOR TYCOON

Written Tycoon has reigned supreme in the chase for Champion First Season Sire honours since mid-February, but he’s not resting on his laurels in the final weeks before officially claiming the premiership.
At Morphettville yesterday the Lloyd Kennewell trained Samadhi led for most of the journey before grabbing a heady victory in the Allan Scott Park 2YO Plate (1250m).
It was certainly an impressive performance by the first cropper, much to the delight of his connections who purchased the youngster from Eliza Park’s 2010 Adelaide Magic Millions draft.
Out of the Danehill-line mare, Marvella, Samadhi – yoga lingo for a higher level of concentrated meditation – is winner No. 6 for Written Tycoon.
What’s more, each of his winners have won at city level or better, along with Masthead (third in the Blue Diamond-G1 and fourth in the Golden Slipper-G1), and the stakes placed Written Consent.
Written Tycoon actually within a whisker of notching up a city double when the Peter Balzen trained, Tamban ran a short neck second in the Brothers Junior Rugby 2YO Plate (1000m) at Eagle Farm.
Owned by Sydney radio identity and racing enthusiast, Ray Hadley, Tamban was stepping out for the first time and appears to be a moral for his next outing.
Also out of a Danehill-line mare, Obsessed With Ella, Tamban hails from the family of top Melbourne sprinter/miler Love of Mary.
The emergence of such promising horses this late in the season would indicate that Written Tycoon is ready for a good spring.

Written Tycoon stands at $11,000 and for further information phone David Somers (0428 440 330), Mark Lindsay (0416 334 338) or Phil Marshall (0407 853 782).

TYCOON’S ‘FLYING’ START

The good folk at Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria have pointed out that Written Tycoon will become the first Victorian-based Champion First Season Sire since Flying Spur in 1999/2000.
That’s pretty good company given that Flying Spur has subsequently gone on to produce over 720 winners – 83 of them stakes winners, including Golden Slipper winner Forensics and the brilliant Magnus (pictured below).
With his first crop topping the 2011 Inglis Sydney Classic, Magnus has gotten off to a flying start on his own and it wouldn’t surprise if he kept the First Season Sires’ belt in Victoria for another season.

SUNDAY CLEAN SWEEP

It was a top time at the office on Sunday when all Eliza Park stallions with runners, who stood at the stud in 2010, being represented by winners.
Bel Esprit chimed in with his 12th winner in 10 days when Aranda scored at Penang in Malaysia; Clangalang grabbed Group One success at Penang when Eagle took out the Sprint Trophy and, earlier in the day, Geegees Blackflash picked up another win at Launceston; Delago Brom made it a double in the Apple Isle when Tranquil Lass won at Lauceston; promising God’s Own 2YO, Canonized, scored on debut at Cranbourne and; Statue of Liberty clearly has a very promising type in Japan with 2YO Kikuno Storm winning by 7 lengths at Kyoto.

BEL ESPRIT – XMAS IN JULY

On the threshold of a fourth straight Victorian Sires’ title, BEL ESPRIT is capping off a remarkable season with 12 winners in the first 10 days of July.
Among the flurry of winners have been successive Saturday doubles in Melbourne with Bel Sprinter leaving an indelible mark at Moonee Valley on 2 July (along with Mythical Spirit), while Bolisimo Miss and Belfast Boy backed up with another deuce at Flemington on Saturday.
Impressively, Bel Esprit reeled off four winners in less than 24 hours last week when No Respite (Singapore) and Balavan (Sunshine Coast) book ended the Valley double, while in the 48 hour period between Friday night and Sunday evening, the Champion Sire has produced six winners.
First cab off the rank was Thief in the Nite who has now won 10 from 17 in the Philippines, while Saturday brought about a Flemington double with Bolisimo Miss and Belfast Boy, Ibsen’s seventh win in West Australia and a win to Northern Gem at Warracknabeal. Finally, Aranda popped up win No. 5 in thrilling fashion at Penang in Malaysia to end a memorable weekend.
Everything pales by comparison when you the have a World Champion Racehorse in Black Caviar to fly your flag, but it might pay to remember Bel Esprit has produced 105 OTHER winners in Australia this season.
And here’s a couple of other points worth jotting down:

• Bel Sprinter kept his unbeaten record intact and looks to be on target for spring stakes glory following his slashing win at Moonee Valley, coming from near last on the turn. Reporting in ANZ Bloodstock News, Darryl Sherer enthused: (Bel Sprinter’s) overall time of 59.26 was nothing to get too excited about but it was the manner of performance. Near last passing the 600m Bel Sprinter unleashed a big finish, the visual impact backed up by the watch. Bel Sprinter ran his last 600m in 34.17, last 400m in 22.90 and then hit the line hard with a last 200m in 11.37, wide out on the track on a day when the accepted wisdom was the place to be was in the first three and on the inside. The runner-up General Truce (Brief Truce) is a Group performer and he was good with 59.34 overall, running along the inside in the straight with a final 400m in 22.99 and last 200m in 11.69, which only accentuates the merit of Bel Sprinter, racing for just the second time.
• After a troubled run on debut in January, 2YO Bolisimo Miss has now won three on end : first up at Cranbourne and now successive wins at Flemington. Her victory at Flemington on 25 June was even more meritorious given her tendency to lay out over the concluding stages, yet to win by more than two lengths. “She’s had three starts for the prep for three wins and proved to us she is probably up to spring class,” co-trainer Simon Zahra said after her 9 July Flemington score.
• Mythical Spirit led all the way at Moonee Valley, notching up 27 wins at the course for Bel Esprit progeny. A Bel Esprit wins once every six starts at the Valley and it’s been a happy hunting ground for Black Caviar, winning four of her starts at the track, and also for La Bella Roo (overall winner), Waltzes and Esprit du Bullet which ran the three fastest heats in the Essendon Mazda 55 Second Challenge this season.

BEL ESPRIT IS BC NOMINATED

While Black Caviar became the first horse to qualify for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships following her win in the TJ Smith-G1 at Randwick in April (a leg of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series), it’s also recently been announced that her sire Bel Esprit is now a Breeders’ Cup nominated stallion.
Henceforth, any of Bel Esprit’s progeny will now be eligible to race in the Breeders’ Cup series. It might seem a pipe dream, but Paul Makin would certainly have appreciated it if Soviet Star had been a nominated stallion when Starcraft made his bid for Breeders’ Cup glory in 2005, costing his owner $400,000 for the privilege!

SUPER SATURDAY

It was Super Saturday for Eliza Park ‘pin ups’ Bel Esprit and Statue of Liberty with seven winners between them in two countries and four states.
Bel Esprit continued his amazing run of late with a double at Flemington via brilliant 2YO, Bolisimo Miss, in the AFL Life Members & Carbine Cup (1100m) and Belfast Boy in the Henry Bucks Best Dressed Handicap (1200m), while Northern Gem became winner No. 106 for the season when scoring at Warracknabeal and Ibsen notched up win No. 7 with a 7 length romp at Broome.
Meanwhile, Statue of Liberty chipped in with a treble when French Gift won at Newcastle, Liberty Edition took out the Mungindi Cup in NSW (or is it Queensland?) and the fleet footed Miss Liberty grabbed another win at Deauville in France.
For the record:

• Bolisimo Miss (ex. Yarraliss by Rokosz) Breeder: D Strain. 3 wins from 4 starts.
• Belfast Boy (ex. Fast Dolly by Bureaucracy) Breeder: P MacVean, Andrew Lafontaine. 5 wins.
• Ibsen (ex. Scandinavia by Snippets). Breeder: Eliza Park. 7 wins.
• Northern Gem (ex. My Jaspa by Heroicity). Breeder: Grandlodge Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd, Joe Licastro, Stephen Anastasiou, Ryno. 1 win.
• Miss Liberty (ex. Miss America by Spinning World). Breeder: Ecurie D. 4 wins.
• Liberty Edition (ex. Cesari by Zeditave). Breeder: H G & J A Sederlan. 7 wins.
• French Gift (ex. Our Twig by New Regent). Breeder: Pepac Atf Ept. 1 win.

Bel Esprit (left) and Statue of Liberty face off

SAINTHOOD FOR KENT’S GOD

Super win on debut by God’s Own 2YO, Canonized, at Cranbourne yesterday.
Trained on course by Michael Kent, the colt handled the slow track with aplomb and, after sticking one off the pace throughout, forged clear over the last bit to win with a half panel to spare.
Canonized is owned by a handful of doctors and the way the colt won at Cranbourne it should ensure they spend more time on the racecourse than the golf course!
Canonized is out of the stakes winning Grand Lodge mare, Rather Grand, a half sister to Moonee Valley stakes winner Sublimity, and was bred by St Arnaud’s favourite son, John Richards.
The first to race out of the mare, Rather Grand has a named Magnus yearling (Magniloquent) and was covered by Statue of Liberty last spring.
Canonized is yet another example of the raft of terrific names for God’s Own progeny, while Magniloquent is one of five Magnus soon-to-be-2YOs that has been afforded a moniker thus far.
According to the dictionary, Magniloquent is speaking in a lofty or ‘grand’iose style: pompous, bombastic, boastful (don’t worry, I had to look it up too!).
Let’s hope Magniloquent’s owners (the crew at Dynamic Syndications) end up with plenty to boast about, just like Canonized’s owners.

DON COSSACK - AN OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE!

On the hunt for a readymade racehorse? Then look no further than Don Cossack.
A flashy son of Eliza Park’s foundation stallion, Desert Sun – sire of Sunline and damsire of Black Caviar – Don Cossack hails from the family of Group One winners Lord Reims, Lotteria, Miss Margaret, Dreamaway, Belotta, Rocket Racer and Taatletail.
Standing 16.2 hands, Don Cossack has already been broken in and is now in preparation for his first trial.
To be trained at Eliza Park by Sue Ellis, the Group One winning mentor had this to say about the chestnut colt: “He (Don Cossack) is a lovely type of colt.
“A great advantage for potential investors is that he is already educated, has been fully vet tested (with clean x-rays and scope) and, importantly, is showing plenty of ability. He’s a nice horse in the making.”
This is a pedigree with an ideal mix of precocity and stamina. While Desert Sun is the sire of Champion racemare, Sunline, Group One winners La Bella Dama and Our Egyptian Raine – and is the damsire of World Champion Racehorse Black Caviar – he is also a noted sire of 2YOs with his juvenile stakes winners including Gold in Dubai.
Inaugural winner of the Blue Sapphire Stakes-LR at Caulfield (taken out the following year by Black Caviar) and a recent winner of the Ipswich Cup-LR as a 5YO, Gold in Dubai is a shining example of the Desert Suns who show early speed yet train on.
Furthermore, Don Cossack is out of the Dance Floor mare Radiant Dancer who has produced both the Group winning Kiwi, Our Small Town Boy (also by a Danzig line stallion) and the sprinter Spartan Dancer, while the rest of this black type family tells a similar tale: Rocket Racer (7 wins, 1200m to 3200m), Lotteria (8 wins, 1200m to 1600m), NZ Filly of the Year, Taatletail (6 wins, 950m to 2000m), Miss Margaret (7 wins – 2 at 2 – from 1000m to 2500m) and, of course, Lord Reims (13 wins, 1200m to 3200m).
For a more comprehensive look at Don Cossack’s pedigree, plus a video of him working at Eliza Park, click here.

Don Cossack will be syndicated into a 10 share partnership ($5,500 inc. GST per share) and for further information phone Sue Ellis on 0407 517 324.

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE TYCOON?

One for the little black book is the nifty Written Tycoon 2YO Howmuchdoyouloveme who scooted away to a comfortable trial win at Rosehill on 28 June, defeating a couple of handy types in the process.
Stopping the clock at 54.01 seconds for the 900m, it was the fastest trial of the morning (in any age division) for the distance and the Con Karakatsanis trained gelding clearly has a promising future.
Which will be fortunate for potential investors given that Howmuchdoyouloveme is on the market and for further information, phone Con on 0414 577 047.
Howmuchdoyouloveme is out of the Celtic Swing mare, Betula Belle, and hails from the family of Champion Sire, Lyphard and brilliant Danehill filly Magical Miss.

2011 ANNUAL OPEN DAY

Friday 26 August might also be Heroes’ Day in Namibia and Women’s Equality Day in the USA, but more importantly – down Kerrie way – it’s Eliza Park’s Annual Open Day.
Showcasing Eliza Park’s 12-strong stallion lineup, the event kicks off at 1pm with plenty of refreshments (and other entertainment) on hand.
Once again, a number of industry suppliers – ranging from pedigree analysis to taxation issues, from insurance to syndication, from farrier to veterinary and beyond. Additionally, representatives from all five Eliza Park properties will be on hand to discuss any aspect of ‘life at Eliza’.
It was hugely popular last year with many of the 350+ attendees getting the good oil from the experts.
Another huge turnout is anticipated, especially with 2010 Kentucky Derby hero Super Saver, exciting Lonhro stakes winner Dissolved and Danzig Classic winner Astronomer Royal all making their first appearance at ‘headquarters’ (56 Mt Eliza Road, Kerrie).
Winners of the Living Legends Online Auction will also be announced on the day: the online auction will kick off in early August and bids will be taken up until 3pm of the Open Day. Plenty of excitement last year with a flurry of late bids and some real bargains to be had.
So mark it down in your diary ... Friday 26 August, or better still, email Tracey Doolan at tdoolan@elizapark.com.au to let us know you’re coming.

HAVE A HEART FOR LITTLE LEGENDS

While you’re in the process of writing down ‘must attend’ events, also pen in the King of Hearts ‘Legends of the Turf’ shindig at Living Legends (Oaklands Road, Greenvale) on Monday 29 August from 12 noon.
For mine, there are no better causes than for sick kids and some industry legends have rallied around HeartKids to ensure everyone has a tip top day.
Heading the lineup are HeartKids Racing Ambassadors – Peter Moody and Luke Nolen (of Black Caviar fame) – who will take art in a racing panel and there will also be a sporting themed auction.
What’s more, you’ll be able to tune in to Athol Guy & Friends (yes, he of Seekers fame) who will be performing live.
Attendees will also be treated to a gourmet BBQ lunch and for $20 (all proceeds going directly to HeartKids Victoria) you have have your photo taken with a Melbourne Cup winner or one of the other Living Legends.
Tickets are $150 each for the day and are strictly limited, so get in quick by booking at www.trybooking.com/RPR (or phone 03 9329 0446).
Remember … by the time you read this, six babies were born with heart disease in Australia during the past 24 hours!
Great cause … great day out … great to see you there!

FLY KULULA … FOR A LAUGH

This lot comes from the Divine Miss MM (Michelle Page) who claims they were utterances of flight crew from South Africa’s Kulula Airlines.
Still, true or not, we wouldn’t want facts to get in the way of a good story …

On a Kulula flight, (there is no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced:
“People, people we’re not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!”

On another flight with a very “senior” flight attendant crew, the pilot said:
“Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants.”

On landing, the stewardess said:
“Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it’s something we’d like to have.”

“There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane.”

“Thank you for flying Kulula. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride.”
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Durban Airport , a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: 
“Whoa, big fella. WHOA!”

From a Kulula employee:
“Welcome aboard Kulula 271 to Port Elizabeth. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.”

“In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than one small child, pick your favourite.”

“Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we’ll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Kulula Airlines.”

“Your seats cushions can be used for flotation; and in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments.”

“As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses.”
And from the pilot during his welcome message:
“Kulula Airlines is pleased to announce that we have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!”

An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a “Thanks for flying our airline”. He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said: “Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Why, no Ma’am,” said the pilot. “What is it?”

The little old lady said: “Did we land, or were we shot down?”