Where can we find the fun?

ANYONE watching the coverage or online videos, or reading reports of the atmosphere at Moonee Valley around Winx’s third Cox Plate win could not but be enthralled by the level entertainment that the day brought.

Remember, this was Australia’s top weight-for-age race, a high-class event, but it was a carnival atmosphere, a happy day. It was amazing to see the full grandstand singing back the song “The Horses” to singer Daryl Braithwaite, performing on a flat trailer stage on the track. Maybe we’ll get Christy to pen an upbeat horse song for the new Curragh! If only we could find a fun element here.

We might not have anything in racing to give cause for a celebration to compare with Winx and an achievement of a historic four in a row, but we can do entertainment.

On a different scale, but in some ways similar in engaging people, the Dowth point-to-point proved, even if it is one of a kind, that you can get people, even casual attendees, to go to a race meeting if you offer some extras.

It needed space and the weather but it does make you think this can be worked on and additions made to existing weekend racing fixtures to make them more appealing.

Elliott v Mullins round two

I CAME upon an interesting prediction in an online piece by Tony Keenan remarking that it looks likely that the Mullins v Elliott rivalry for the trainers’ title, which went down to the last day at Punchestown last year, has been reignited from the very beginning of this season.

Great drama though it was, the knock-on effect is that both trainers may well come close to training 200 winners in a NH season, which again leaves very little to be divided among the rest.

GOOD WEEK FOR: Colin Keane. Relentless once he (and Ger Lyons) got the scent of the title. Job well done and well deserved.

BAD WEEK FOR: Gordon Elliott team - Mega Fortune, Fayonagh, Lucky Pass. One was bad luck, two desperate and three certainly looked like someone has it in for you.