Cup day winner is over the moon
I'M NOT a big punter, in fact, I'd be certain to spend my last five dollars on a coffee rather than a bet.
So it's no surprise that I hadn't heard of Green Moon before yesterday morning when I drew the galloper's name in the sweeps.
Had I been watching the fields closely I would have known this "dark horse" could surprisingly have the goods to make a decent dash for the Melbourne Cup and even win it.
Owned by a three-time Melbourne Cup winner and boasting good training and experience, maybe fewer people should have been surprised by Green Moon's win. Or maybe not.
While some who chose Green Moon above the rest, maybe because his name was nice or his jockey had the best silks, were the recipients of a very decent dose of good luck, others did their homework, beat the odds and reaped the rewards.
One of those in the know, at least enough to back a $20 start as a Melbourne Cup winner, was Gympie lady Anne Bowes.
Bowes didn't go in blind when choosing Green Moon.
She didn't land the number 14 in the sweep. She read up on the horse's background and liked what she saw.
Bad luck for, however, our own Boofhead who clearly didn't do the homework on his Melbourne Cup steed Media Hump.
While the Boofhead chose a well-named beast for his race at Gympie Turf Club on Tuesday, the crafty name proved no use as the thing slumped towards the finish line, and its second serving of lunch, in second-last place.
Boofhead could have taken a leaf out of Bowes' book and checked his racing camel's background, its statistics, its trainer, its breeding and even his favourite colour.
But I don't think any of that would have saved Boofhead from backing a loser. Perhaps instead Boofhead should have chosen a hungrier camel.
Good week
Amy Brown screams and yells her way to first place aboard her camel Amy's Hope at the Cooloola Racing Carnival
Bad week
Galloper Ethiopia lets down many wishful punters
