The Sting

* A frisson of excitement ran through the betting ring at Rosehill. A sting was on! Up the F1 at Gosford racecourse, rebadged the "Entertainment Grounds", an unlikely debutant 4yo mare with a plain pedfigree from a likely stable was being "truckloaded". The canny trainer had recently trialled her at Kembla Grange, a venue not canvassed by the all-seeing Race Replay video footage. Betting exchange punters were lining up at $2.25 while the official call from the course was still $4.20. Come post time "Renesmee" had firmed into "Evens", the backers and layers having fought themselves to a standstill. Tardy at the jump, she railed through to hit the lead 200m out. However, in slower ground near the fence, she was overwhelmed on her outside and the plunge came unstuck. Nevertheless, the colour and excitement of the occasion remained with the witnesses, contrasting strongly with the modern day "beige" racing world. *The autumn of 1996 is forever etched in racing enthusiasts' memories, owing to the thrilling clashes of Octagonal, Saintly, Nothin' Leica Dane and Filante (Damsire of the weekend's plunge horse). The Autumn ahead may well be one to savour based upon Saturday's Hobartville renewal. Hallowed Crown, Sweynesse, Kermadec and Shooting To Win engaged in an epic battle up the Rosehill straight, with riders and horses thrusting purposefully and little between the four at the finishing post. Punters relish the prospect of analysing and playing autumn 3yos, and the coming months are filled with promise.