Ed and Nancy met while on a singles cruise and Ed fell head over heels for her.
When they discovered they lived in the same city only a few miles apart Ed was ecstatic.
He immediately started asking her out when they got home.
Within a couple of weeks, Ed had taken Nancy to dance clubs, restaurants, concerts, movies, and museums. Ed became convinced that Nancy was indeed his soul mate and true love. Every date seemed better than the last.
On the one-month anniversary of their first dinner on the cruise ship, Ed took Nancy to a fine restaurant.
While having cocktails and waiting for their salad, Ed said: “I guess you can tell I’m very much in love with you. I’d like a little serious talk before our relationship continues to the next stage.
“So, before I get a box out of my jacket and ask you a life changing question, it’s only fair to warn you, I’m a total golf nut. I play golf, I read about golf, I watch golf on TV. In short, I eat, sleep, and breathe golf. If that’s going to be a problem for us, you’d better say so now!”
Nancy took a deep breath and responded: “Ed, that certainly won’t be a problem. I love you as you are and I love golf too; but, since we’re being totally honest with each other, you need to know that for the last five years I’ve been a hooker.”
“Oh wow! I see,” Ed replied. He looked down at the table, was quiet for a moment. Deep in serious thought then he added, “You know, it’s probably because you’re not keeping your wrists straight when you hit the ball.”
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
ROCKY TIMES
Michelle Page from the Magic Millions sent through these photos of Callaghan Park racecourse in Rockhamtpon: a grim reminder of the devastation wrought in the flood ravaged region.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
BEL TRIO’S 55 SECOND BASH
The Moonee Valley Racing Club – innovative as ever – has seen fit to stage the Essendon Mazda 55 Second Challenge over the course of 18 night race meetings to find the quickest horse over 955m.
The trainer of the horse running the fastest time will receive a Mazda CX9 Classic (valued at $55,000) from Essendon Mazda*, while the jockey on the nippiest steed will snap up $10,000 for his troubles.
The big question is … will the 55 second mark be broken? Well, the series is now at its half way point with the ninth heat on the last day of the year taken out by popular Bel Esprit sprinter, La Bella Roo in the fastest time to date of 55.48 seconds.
Raced by members of the Kangaroo Flat Bowling Club, La Bella Roo has been in scintillating form of late with a win at Caulfield on 15 December followed two days later by a bee’s appendage second over 1000m at the Valley after being held up for a run at a vital stage.
The mare has now won six races and placed on seven occasions for $144,291 in stakes.
However, for Bel Esprit’s rapidly expanding fan base, the good news is that the three fastest ’55 Challenge’ times recorded to date: La Bella Roo (55.48 seconds on 31 December), Waltzes (55.62 seconds on 29 October) and Esprit de Bullet (55.75 seconds on 3 December) all come courtesy of Victoria’s Champion Sire.
Not only does his daughter Black Caviar reign supreme in terms of world rankings, Bel Esprit is also clearly the king of Moonee Valley sprints!
Gold to Silver
While we’re on the subject, the blistering finish of Silver Bullion at Moonee Valley last Friday night (31 December) was simply awesome.
A stakes winner in his own right – taking out the Kensington Stakes-LR at Flemington last January – the Dr Vu Van Tu and Amanda Lockett owned and bred sprinter was 100/1 coming into the Valley straight with a wall of horses in front (one of them being the aforementioned Waltzes who is clearly no slouch over short courses).
Almost looking like he was heading for the car park when turning for home, Silver Bullion hit top gear quicker than Stig in a Ferrari (or should we say a Mazda CX9?), running past his rivals like they’d stopped and getting up right on the wire. Huge performance.
Who knows? Silver Bullion might just be the horse to break the 55 seconds when they next race at Moonee Valley on 14 January.
* Essendon Mazda is owned by Joe Cucuzza, a great supporter of the industry both as a breeder and owner.
The trainer of the horse running the fastest time will receive a Mazda CX9 Classic (valued at $55,000) from Essendon Mazda*, while the jockey on the nippiest steed will snap up $10,000 for his troubles.
The big question is … will the 55 second mark be broken? Well, the series is now at its half way point with the ninth heat on the last day of the year taken out by popular Bel Esprit sprinter, La Bella Roo in the fastest time to date of 55.48 seconds.
Raced by members of the Kangaroo Flat Bowling Club, La Bella Roo has been in scintillating form of late with a win at Caulfield on 15 December followed two days later by a bee’s appendage second over 1000m at the Valley after being held up for a run at a vital stage.
The mare has now won six races and placed on seven occasions for $144,291 in stakes.
However, for Bel Esprit’s rapidly expanding fan base, the good news is that the three fastest ’55 Challenge’ times recorded to date: La Bella Roo (55.48 seconds on 31 December), Waltzes (55.62 seconds on 29 October) and Esprit de Bullet (55.75 seconds on 3 December) all come courtesy of Victoria’s Champion Sire.
Not only does his daughter Black Caviar reign supreme in terms of world rankings, Bel Esprit is also clearly the king of Moonee Valley sprints!
 |
| La Bella Roo - photo courtesy of Slickpix |
Gold to Silver
While we’re on the subject, the blistering finish of Silver Bullion at Moonee Valley last Friday night (31 December) was simply awesome.
A stakes winner in his own right – taking out the Kensington Stakes-LR at Flemington last January – the Dr Vu Van Tu and Amanda Lockett owned and bred sprinter was 100/1 coming into the Valley straight with a wall of horses in front (one of them being the aforementioned Waltzes who is clearly no slouch over short courses).
Almost looking like he was heading for the car park when turning for home, Silver Bullion hit top gear quicker than Stig in a Ferrari (or should we say a Mazda CX9?), running past his rivals like they’d stopped and getting up right on the wire. Huge performance.
Who knows? Silver Bullion might just be the horse to break the 55 seconds when they next race at Moonee Valley on 14 January.
* Essendon Mazda is owned by Joe Cucuzza, a great supporter of the industry both as a breeder and owner.
 |
| Silver Bullion - photo courtesy of Slickpix |
SIRES ON FIRE
Gearing up for the Gold Coast Magic Millions which kicks off next Wednesday (12 January), Breednet had this to say about BEL ESPRIT (below) in its article entitled The Sires on Fire: Bel Esprit is on the rise owing to a big EI spike that will give him the numbers to be a serious player in coming seasons, not to mention the fact he has the best turf sprinter in the world in Black Caviar.
BEL’S XMAS RUN
BEL ESPRIT was more active over the Christmas/New Year period than Santa Claus with three doubles in successive days from 30 December to 1 January.
Bellatina and Canna (his second win of the month) got the ball rolling on the 30th before Silver Bullion and La Bella Roo kicked in with a truly memorable double at the Valley on the last day of the year.
And just to round it out, Coco Bel and Esprit Citi got 2011 off to a great start and it could have easily been a treble with Colin Little’s Work The Room putting in a blinder at headquarters.
December was indeed a big month for Victoria’s Champion Sire and the guru, Brian Donohoe, has again summed it up perfectly on the Bel Esprit Winners Club blog: “November was a record month with 20 wins, but in December Bel Esprit tallied 23 wins … all on Australian tracks, 13 in Victoria.
“Newcomer of the month had to be Bel Sprinter (Mornington) while Bellantina’s win at second prep was very exciting (both will win in the city!) … 14 races were won over 1107m or less while Belgietto’s win over 1630m was the longest … the ‘boys’ won out during the month – 13 wins to 10 – and there were eight wins for horses starting with the letter ‘B’.”
Now tell me that isn’t dedication to the cause!
Bellatina and Canna (his second win of the month) got the ball rolling on the 30th before Silver Bullion and La Bella Roo kicked in with a truly memorable double at the Valley on the last day of the year.
And just to round it out, Coco Bel and Esprit Citi got 2011 off to a great start and it could have easily been a treble with Colin Little’s Work The Room putting in a blinder at headquarters.
December was indeed a big month for Victoria’s Champion Sire and the guru, Brian Donohoe, has again summed it up perfectly on the Bel Esprit Winners Club blog: “November was a record month with 20 wins, but in December Bel Esprit tallied 23 wins … all on Australian tracks, 13 in Victoria.
“Newcomer of the month had to be Bel Sprinter (Mornington) while Bellantina’s win at second prep was very exciting (both will win in the city!) … 14 races were won over 1107m or less while Belgietto’s win over 1630m was the longest … the ‘boys’ won out during the month – 13 wins to 10 – and there were eight wins for horses starting with the letter ‘B’.”
Now tell me that isn’t dedication to the cause!
SAINTS ALIVE
GOD’S OWN colt Utah Saints joined the city elite at Flemington on Saturday (1 January) with a resounding victory in the Williamstown Handicap over 1400m.
The Matty Ellerton/Simon Zahra trained 3YO is simply getting better with age, having won two on the trot at Kyneton when resuming in October and followed up with a fourth at Caulfield and a gutsy third at headquarters in the lead up to Saturday’s victory.
Utah Saints (named, we think, after the British dance band) has now crossed the $100k threshold and clearly has it all in front of him.
Bred by David Kobritz’s DHK Investments, Utah Saints was sold for $150,000 at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and is out of the Flemington stakes placed Maroof mare, Hard Rider.
Utah Saints is a half brother to three winners and hails from the family of Group One winners Hello Dolly, She’s a Meanie and Art Success.
The Matty Ellerton/Simon Zahra trained 3YO is simply getting better with age, having won two on the trot at Kyneton when resuming in October and followed up with a fourth at Caulfield and a gutsy third at headquarters in the lead up to Saturday’s victory.
Utah Saints (named, we think, after the British dance band) has now crossed the $100k threshold and clearly has it all in front of him.
Bred by David Kobritz’s DHK Investments, Utah Saints was sold for $150,000 at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale and is out of the Flemington stakes placed Maroof mare, Hard Rider.
Utah Saints is a half brother to three winners and hails from the family of Group One winners Hello Dolly, She’s a Meanie and Art Success.
 |
| Utah Saints scores at Flemington - photo courtesy of Slickpix |
ORPHAN CANNA IS CAN DO
BEL ESPRIT’s Toowoomba flyer, Canna, can lay claim to foaling down at one of the most picturesque corners of the globe, but sadly experienced – from an early age – the slings and arrows that this industry can throw at you.
Bred at Kevin and Tanith O’Brien’s Lauriston Farm at Corinella (on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula), Canna’s mum – the First Norman mare, Carnlough – died after giving birth. Henceforth, bub required some extra TLC from team Lauriston.
Whatever they did and how they did it has obviously paid dividends with the now Queensland-based Canna winning the last two of his five outings after resuming with a second in early December.
Originally campaigning in Victoria for Ricky Maund, Canna did little to come under notice and was eventually switched to the sunnier climes of Neville Saunders’ stables.
From there he’s blossomed with the initial second on Toowoomba’s cushion track followed by a rampaging five panel plus victory over 1300m on 23 December.
Canna then rounded out the year with an equally imposing romp over the 1200m on 30 December and now appears set to journey into the big smoke for his next assignment.
Canna is named after the O’Briens’ close friend and leading industry photographer, Bruno Cannatelli, a fact which the happy snapper is considerably proud of.
“Canna’s stable name was Bruno and Kevin and Tanith wanted to use that as his race name,” our intrepid paparazzi points out. “However, the name was unavailable and then they wanted to call him Cannatelli, but I didn’t fancy the tax man chasing me. So, they settled on Canna – which was my nickname playing footy.
“Take my word for it, this is a really good horse. Forget the winning margins … it was the way he won that really stands out … he’s got plenty of ability. Just like his namesake!” Bruno adds tongue in cheek.
It beggars belief that you would name a horse after someone whose declared form extends to a 50 metre dash chasing good sorts across the mounting yard, but there you go.
Weight might stop a train, but clearly not names!
Bred at Kevin and Tanith O’Brien’s Lauriston Farm at Corinella (on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula), Canna’s mum – the First Norman mare, Carnlough – died after giving birth. Henceforth, bub required some extra TLC from team Lauriston.
Whatever they did and how they did it has obviously paid dividends with the now Queensland-based Canna winning the last two of his five outings after resuming with a second in early December.
Originally campaigning in Victoria for Ricky Maund, Canna did little to come under notice and was eventually switched to the sunnier climes of Neville Saunders’ stables.
From there he’s blossomed with the initial second on Toowoomba’s cushion track followed by a rampaging five panel plus victory over 1300m on 23 December.
Canna then rounded out the year with an equally imposing romp over the 1200m on 30 December and now appears set to journey into the big smoke for his next assignment.
Canna is named after the O’Briens’ close friend and leading industry photographer, Bruno Cannatelli, a fact which the happy snapper is considerably proud of.
“Canna’s stable name was Bruno and Kevin and Tanith wanted to use that as his race name,” our intrepid paparazzi points out. “However, the name was unavailable and then they wanted to call him Cannatelli, but I didn’t fancy the tax man chasing me. So, they settled on Canna – which was my nickname playing footy.
“Take my word for it, this is a really good horse. Forget the winning margins … it was the way he won that really stands out … he’s got plenty of ability. Just like his namesake!” Bruno adds tongue in cheek.
It beggars belief that you would name a horse after someone whose declared form extends to a 50 metre dash chasing good sorts across the mounting yard, but there you go.
Weight might stop a train, but clearly not names!
 |
| The original Canna - he's in our Hall of Fame! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
