Derby Day– All Hallows Eve at Flemington

Tarzino – current favourite for the Victoria Derby

The Melbourne Racing Carnival has only a week left to run, but culminates in suitably spectacular fashion with a concentration of race meetings at Flemington – Derby Day and Emirate Stakes Day book ending the Melbourne Cup and the Crown Oaks over four days.

No doubt the roses will now be in full bloom for Derby Day which kicks off the Flemington Racing Carnival on Saturday.

There’s a wonderful program of racing on the cards, with every race being at Group level, and four at Group 1 level.

The feature race of course is the Victoria Derby, and the other three Group 1 races are the Coolmore Stud Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes and the Myer Classic.

The first of these to run is the Coolmore Stud Stakes for three year olds over 1200 metres. I’m really looking forward to seeing top Sydney colt Exosphere in the flesh for the first time. He has done all his racing in Sydney and won his last three starts, including the Group 1 Golden Rose, so he is the short priced favourite to take out the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Trying to beat him is a fairly classy field, the most likely contenders being Singapore colt Super One and the local boys Keen Array and Ready for Victory. The omen bet of the day, considering it is All Hallows Eve tomorrow, is Hellbent who could run a place if not win.

Thankfully, the VRC start their race meetings early - the first race is run before midday – and finish at a reasonable time, the feature race being run at 3.50pm and the last race at 5.20pm.

That’s a refreshing change from Caulfield and Moonee Valley whose meetings go on into twilight. It encourages me to get to the track early to watch Race 2, the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes for Oaks bound fillies, run over 2000 metres.

1000 Guineas winner Stay With Me will be taking on the older mares in the Myer Classic, so that leaves a chance for fillies such as Dawnie Perfect and My Poppette  to win some prize money for their connections. Others with a chance are Beluga Blue and Ambience.

Race 5 on the program is the Group 2 Lexus Stakes, the last chance for a free ballot into the Melbourne Cup.  The best chances are Excess Knowledge who has run second in his last two starts, Ruling Dynasty and Junoob.

The Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000 metres) has attracted a quality field of tried and true stayers and middle distance runners that include Happy Trails who is due for his annual win, Pornichet who ran fourth in the Cox Plate, the ever consistent Stratum Star who already has a Group 1 victory ( Rupert Clark Stakes) to his credit, Metropolitan winner Magic Hurricane and mares Rising Romance and Set Square.

And so to the Victoria Derby.

Tarzino is the race favourite, though he hasn’t won a race since September and was beaten last start by the filly Jameka and also failed to run a place in the Caulfield Guineas. Favourites rarely win the Victoria Derby so there are plenty of other smart colts to consider.

I rather like the Western Australian colt Kia Ora Koutou, who has had four starts for four wins in his home state, the last against older horses. His sire Blackfriars won the Victoria Derby in 1999, so he certainly can run the 2500 metres distance.

Others with a chance are Lizard Island, Shards, Get The Picture and Ayers Rock.

The final Group 1 is the Myer Classic for fillies and mares, run over 1600 metres. Some classy mares have won this over the ages, Typhoon Tracy, Appearance, Forensics, Red Tracer, to name a few. Bonaria won it last year from Sweet Idea and Catkins.

Royal Descent is the class mare in the race. It has been some time since she last ran against her own sex, but she has placed many times in Group 1 races in first class open fields and deserves another Group 1 win to go with her ATC Oaks victory in 2013.  If she wasn’t gutted by her run in the Caulfield Cup, she will surely be in the finish.

Her greatest rival in the Myer Classic is 1000 Guineas winner Stay With Me who has an 8 kg weight advantage and has bypassed the Wakeful Stakes to run in this race.

However, fillies have a poor record in the Myer Classic, so other mares who have the class to win are last start winner, La Passe, along with Fenway, Miss Rose De Lago, Solicit and Politeness.

The weather in Melbourne tomorrow is forecast to be overcast and humid, with showers and a possible thunderstorm.  Hopefully the weather will discourage the once a year crowds from taking up all the space on the front lawn.

Last year the weather was similarly damp and it was not quite as crowded as the year before when it was hot and sunny.

It’s sure to be a great day of racing whatever the weather, but it will have to be exceptional to surpass the racing at Moonee Valley last weekend.

The Roses Will Be Blooming - Derby Day 2014

Flemington Roses

The 2014 Spring Racing Carnival has only a little over a week to run, and then it will be all over for another year.

But to take it out in grand fashion, Flemington hosts four days of spectacular racing excitement, the first of these being Derby Day on Saturday.

Last year I attended Derby Day for the first time, and despite the crowds found it quite enjoyable, so I intend to brave it for a second time and get some value from my Flemington season’s ticket.

How can I resist, when such a fantastic racing card is programmed, with many of my black book horses scheduled to run. There are  four Group 1 races – Coolmore Stud Stakes, Mackinnon Stakes, Victoria Derby & Myer Classic – and all the other races are at either Group 2 or Group 3 level.

The first race is at 11.30am, but as it’s going to be a long day I don’t intend to arrive at the track until slightly later, in time for the first of the Group 1 races, the Coolmore Stud Stakes, scheduled at 1.30pm.

And what a great field it has! A race for three year olds over 1200 metres it has the cream of this year’s 3yo crop in the field, such as Rich Enuff, Scissor Kick, Rubick, Earthquake, Eloping, Brazen Beau and Kuro as the main contenders. Who to choose?  Rich Enuff will no doubt start as favourite, but I’d like to see Rubick or Earthquake take the prize. At least they’ll probably be at good odds for a change. Whatever, it looks a doozy of a race.

The Coolmore Stud Stakes is followed by the Group 3 Lexus Stakes  (2500 metres) and is for stayers hoping to gain entrance into the Melbourne Cup.  Top contenders are Geelong Cup winner Caravan Rolls On, Big Memory who won the Herbert Power Stakes,  Lord Van Percy and Marksmanship, aspiring Internationals, and well connected mares La Amistad (Makybe Diva’s half sister) and Let’s Make Adeal (Let’s Elope’s granddaughter).

Next up is the second of the Group 1 races, the Mackinnon Stakes, run over 2000 metres. It has a super field as well, with a number of the usual suspects aiming for more Group 1 glory – Happy Trails, Foreteller, Moriarty, Hawkspur, Brambles and Criterion – all seen recently running in either the Caulfield Cup or the Cox Plate. Also in the picture is Rising Romance who ran second to Admire Rakti in the Caulfield Cup and Sydney stayer, He’s Your Man, who won the Epsom Stakes at his last start.  Last year the race was won by International visitor Side Glance who is scratched due to lameness this year. However there are two mystery British horses – Farraaj and Amralah – who could steal it this year. I’ll be barracking for Rising Romance who deserves a win after running a close second at her last two starts.

The Victoria Derby has always been a real puzzle of a race, with any of the field likely to take out the prize. Gai Waterhouse has great confidence in her entry Hampton Court who is the favourite after he won the Spring Champion Stakes in emphatic fashion at his last start. However, favourites have a bad record in the Derby and it has mostly been won by an outsider or secondary favourites. So who else has a chance? For a start there’s Moonovermanhattan who won The Vase at Moonee Valley last Saturday, and Atmosphere who ran second  (whom I fancy a lot), Royal Standing who I just noticed is a half brother to Super Cool, and the other “cool” customer Magicool, who beat Atmosphere earlier in the season at Flemington in an 1800 metre race.

The final Group 1 race is the Myer Classic for fillies and mares, run over 1600 metres. Red Tracer beat her stable mate Catkins last year in this. Red Tracer is no longer on the scene having been retired to stud, but Catkins is still around and is part of the excellent field. Top pick is Sweet Idea who won the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes at her last start with Girl Guide running second and Catkins third. The favourite however is May’s Dream who is yet to win a race this spring, but is due for a win. Also in with a good chance is Star Fashion who has won her last two races and Forever Loved who has winning form at Flemington.

A sprint over 1200 metres, the Group 2  tab.com.au Stakes is the last race on program and is worth sticking around for, due to the presence of boom Sydney horse Deep Field in the field. He is unbeaten in four starts and broke a course record at one of his latest outings at Canterbury. Trying to ruin his party will be the rejuvenated Bel Sprinter who dead heated with Miracles of Life in the Caulfield Sprint earlier this month and Adamantium who loves the Flemington straight.

The weather is expected to be somewhat damp tomorrow in Melbourne. Even though today is a hot 30°C, a change is forecast to pass through overnight. If it is wet, at least it might deter the party goers from spreading their blankets all over the public lawn, and maybe even discourage them from attending at all.  I live in hope.

The Championships–Easter Saturday Racing

Silent Achiever – can she make it four Group One wins in a row?

Easter can be boring, in fact I’ve always thought Good Friday has to be the most boring day of the year unless of course if you are religiously inclined.  The only bright note of Good Friday is the consumption of Hot Cross Buns, but these days you seem to be able to get them year round, so they’re not so special anymore.  I make a point of only eating them on Good Friday. As I’m not a chocoholic I don’t care much for Easter Sunday and don’t buy, or even expect to receive, Easter Eggs.

So thank the lord for first class horse racing in an otherwise tedious Easter break.

It’s all happening at Randwick in Sydney, it being the second weekend of  The Championships, a new fangled appellation for the final meetings of the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Four fantastic Group One races are on the program, including the newly richest 2000 metre race in the world, that being the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The first of the Group One races is the Queen of the Turf  Stakes, run over 1600 metres. Can Catkins finally win a well deserved Group One race? If the track is slow, as it is most likely to be, she has a very good chance of doing so. However, she faces a really tough field that includes her very classy stable mate Red Tracer, who though being quite disappointing so far this autumn in harder races, at her best would be winner. Others in contention are Streama, excellent on her day,and  three year old class fillies  Bonaria, Gypsy Diamond  and Solicit, who have a weight advantage.

Fillies come to the fore in the second of the Group One races, the Australian Oaks, run over 2400 metres. Top pick is Lucia Valentina who took out the Group One Vinery Stud Stakes at her last start.  Others with a chance are Rising Romance, Miss Mossman, Zanbagh and Forever Loved, who all ran in the Vinery and could turn the tables on the winner in this race, being as it is 400 metres longer.

The Sydney Cup is one of the few 3200 metre races on the Australian racing calendar. It’s not as big an event as the hallowed Melbourne Cup, but it does give tried and true stayers a chance to show off their stamina. It has drawn a a field of 17 acceptances, with several likely chances, chief of which is the Auckland Cup winner Who Shot TheBarman, Irish bred  The Offer who won lead up races, the Manion Stakes and the Chairman’s Handicap. I rather fancy Irish mare Voleuse de Coeurs, who has twice won over 3200 metres and hasn’t been too far away in her last two runs in Australia. Others with a look in are Opinion, Hippopus and Tremec who all ran places in their lead up races.

Now the richest middle distance race in the world, the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes rewards the winner with a cool $2,400,000. An exceptional field has been assembled to contend for these riches, and include Ranvet Stakes/ BMW winner Silent Achiever, It’s A Dundeel, Carlton House aiming to win his owner the race named in her honour, the Doncaster winner and runner up Sacred Falls, and Royal Descent, Epsom/ Emirates winner Boban, and 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon. Alas Fiorente is not part of the field, as he sustained a tendon injury in the BMW and has been retired to stud. 

So who will win?

Surely It’s A Dundeel is due for a win! He has not been beaten by all that much in his three runs this autumn, and he is a class act, so with luck on his side he could show the brilliance that won him the 2013 ATC Derby. Silent Achiever is his greatest threat. She is absolutely flying this autumn and is currently, with four wins under her belt, on a winning streak, and aiming for a fifth.  Carlton House would have won the Ranvet Stakes had he not been pipped at the post by Silent Achiever. He certainly set the pace in that race and will take running down in the QE Stakes should the same tactics be employed.  And how can you ignore Boban? He’s too good to leave out, though he hasn’t won over 2000 metres, the mile (1600 metres) being his pet distance. Perhaps Chris Waller will win the trifecta again as he did last week in the Doncaster with almost half the field being from his stable, including Sacred Falls, Royal Descent and Hawkspur who all have a chance, especially on a heavy track.

The support card is excellent with two Group Two and one Group Three races being run as well, but I’m not going to preview them in this post.

Anyway, hopefully the track will not be as heavy as the last two meetings have been. The weather in Sydney has improved over the last few days, so the track may get a chance to dry out and even be rated as dead by the mid afternoon on Saturday. 

Whatever, I’ll be watching with keen interest. There’s bugger all else to do on Easter Saturday.

Update Saturday Night

It’s A Dundeel finally!

It’s A Dundeel won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes this afternoon, overtaking Carlton House in the straight ,who had led the race from the start at a good fast rate. Dundeel raced in third spot and was in a prime position to take command when they turned into the straight, and take command he did, very quickly overtaking the Queen’s horse, then holding off a late charge by Sacred Falls to win by almost a length.  Carlton House hung on for third, with the brave Silent Achiever running a close fourth.

There was scare earlier in the afternoon, when it was reported that It’s A Dundeel slipped in his stall and had fallen. After a veterinary check  he was passed fit to race. He only nicked his hindquarters in the incident reportedly, and he certainly put pay to any injury queries with his win in the QE Stakes.

The other Group One races results:

Queen of the Turf Stakes – Diamond Drille with Gypsy Diamond running second and Red Tracer running third. Catkins didn’t fire today, and finished a disappointing sixth.

Australian Oaks – New Zealand filly Rising Romance won from Zanbagh with hot favourite Lucia Valentina, storming home from the back of the field to finish in third spot.

Sydney Cup – The Offer won Gai Waterhouse her second Group One race of the afternoon (the other was Diamond Drille) and the Chris Waller trained Opinion ran second. Sertorius was third.

Young jockeys Tommy Berry and James McDonald shared the Group One spoils each riding two of the four winners.

All up it was a great day of racing, and the track which was classified as Slow 7, in the early afternoon, ended up Dead 5 in the end.

Having followed It’s A Dundeel for a couple of years now, I’m really pleased that he has restored his reputation and shown his undoubted brilliance once more.

Miracles Again! Australian Guineas Day at Flemington

Miracles of Life makes a welcome return to racing this Saturday

Racing this coming Saturday is at the wide open spaces of Flemington Racecourse and the feature race is the Group 1 Australian Guineas. It’s a 1600 metre race for three year olds, and this year’s field has quite a few likely chances, so it’s a bit of puzzler to figure out the winner.

First off you’ve got Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, who recently ran third to Moment of Change in the Orr Stakes, then you’ve got Eurozone who almost stole the race, missing by the shortest of  margins. Hucklebuck, the current Australian Guineas favourite, who looked very good winning the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes is another, as is Thunder Fantasy who returned to racing on a winning note, taking out the Group 2 Autumn Stakes by a comfortable margin.

Also worth consideration are others like Prince Harada, Rock Hero, and The Quarterback who were placed in one or other of  the aforementioned preparatory races. Polanski is missing from the field, and indeed will be missing from the racetrack from here on, the injury he sustained in the Futurity Stakes last week ending his racing career.

Anyone remember the 1980s radio show on 3RRR called Punter to Punter? I have fond memories of the show especially when I see the Frances Tressady Stakes on a racing program, after the “punters” ingrained it in my psyche by singing the race name to the tune of “Here we go gathering nuts in May”.  They also had an hilarious section called Trivial Form Guide where they formulated a cryptic discussion using references from the form guide.

It just so happens that the Group 3 Frances Tressady Stakes for fillies and mares is on the support card at Flemington this Saturday. It is named after a filly who won the rare double of the Victoria Derby and the Victoria Oaks in the same season in 1923 .  A field of handy mares, no fillies, will be contesting this year’s edition of the race. Top chances are former Western Australian mare Power Princess, Sino Eagle who won her last start,  the smart Floria resuming and Five All who was successful two starts back before being beaten by Sino Eagle.

Miracles of Life has not been seen since running unplaced in the Blue Sapphire Stakes in October last year. She suffered an internal haemorrhage on that occasion, but is back in good health by all accounts. She will be up against the older horses for the first time in a 1000 metre sprint down the Flemington straight, the race being the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap. As her regular jockey Lauren Stojakovic is recovering from a race fall, Miracles of Life will be ridden by Corey Brown, so it will interesting to see how he fares with her. Whether “Barbie” can win the race is in the lap of the gods, but I’ll certainly be cheering her home.

There are three excellent Group 2 races in Sydney this Saturday at Rosehill. The first of these is the Millie Fox Stakes for fillies and mares run over 1300 metres. Sterling performer Red Tracer begins her autumn campaign in this.  She faces six opponents who include Royal Descent who won the Group 1 Australian Oaks last autumn, A Time For Julia who won her last start  in Melbourne. Red Tracer is the class mare in this race and should win.

The second Group 2 competition at Rosehill is the Silver Slipper Stakes  for two year olds. It’s a sort of early prelude to the Golden Slipper and is 1100 metre sprint. The most interesting runner is Unencumbered, who won the Magic Millions Two Year Old Classic in January and has been spelling since.  He is currently second favourite for the Golden Slipper behind Earthquake and is a very talented colt who will most likely win this race. His main rivals appear to be Law and Risen From Doubt who both have recent winning runs on the board.

I’m also interested in watching the feature race, the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes, a race over 1400 metres for three year olds.  My attention will be on It’s A Dundeel’s stable mate Atlante, who won the New Zealand Guineas at his last start. He’s up against a classy field that includes the well performed Dissident, Romantic Touch, Savvy Nature and Woodbine.

Still on racing, I have been reading over the past few days Les Carlyon’s terrific collection called True Grit, which covers his observations on horse racing over a 40 year period. He’s a wonderful writer who can conjure up in a few choice sentences the atmosphere, romance  and excitement of first class racing and bring to life both the human and equine characters of the turf.

Smelling the Roses – Derby Day Review

Hugh Bowman expresses his delight  as Polanski returns to scale after winning the 2013 Victoria Derby

If you have never visited Flemington Racecourse, you would not have experienced the overwhelming wonder of the roses, luxuriantly in bloom over the period of the Spring racing carnival. The mounting yard is surrounded by a hedge of roses, as is the fence all the way down the straight, and the mounting yard gates have yellow climbing roses entwining the ornate wrought iron gate posts on each side.

Rose hedge where I was standing when watching the races

As expected the crowds were overwhelming as well, but despite that I managed to find a good position on the fence next to the pathway where the horses leave the mounting yard for the track, so was able to photograph the horses as they went out to the track and returned.

I planned to arrive at the track in plenty of time to see Race 4, the first of the Group 1 events, and arrived early enough to witness Race 3, the Group 3 Lexus Stakes, a distance race over 2500 metres.  It was won by Irish invader Ruscello who gained  entry into the Melbourne Cup with the win. Granddaughter of 1991 Melbourne Cup winner Let’s Elope,  Let’s Make Adeal ran second with Araldo filling third place.

Ruscello after winning the Lexus Stakes

By contrast to the public lawn and the rest of the course, the stalls area was sparsely populated as is usually the case, so thence I went to catch the parade of contenders for the Coolmore Stud Stakes. Zoustar, the hot favourite was being saddled up…

Zoustar in his stall being prepared for the race

Divine Calling in the Parade Ring

Fast N Rocking in the Parade Ring

Returning trackside I found a position on the fence beside the mounting yard path and was able to photograph the runners as they made their way to the track.

Lion of Belfort

Missy Longstocking

Not Listenin’tome

Zoustar was sensational and won by a length from Not Listenin’tome with Lion of Belfort running third.

Zoustar returns to scale after winning the Coolmore Stud Stakes

The next race on the card was the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes and Jet Away was the favourite. I decided to have a bet on this race, my first for the afternoon, and went and queued at the nearest bookie to have a wager on Dear Demi, whose odds were quite good.

Back on the fence, the runners eventually moved out onto the track…

Dear Demi

Pakal

Cox Plate International invitee Side Glance, who ran sixth in that race, made the trip worth while by winning the Mackinnon Stakes, from Dear Demi and Moriarty. He’s a very good looking horse I must admit.

Side Glance returns to scale after winning the Mackinnon Stakes

The feature race was next on the program, so I made sure of my position well before the field left the mounting yard.

Complacent

Polanski

Criterion

Polanski, a horse that only cost $4000, won the race easily. A feel good story if ever there was one. My pick Complacent ran second and 30/1 long shot Thunder Fantasy took out third spot.

The final Group 1 race of the day was the Myer Classic for fillies and mares. I was keen to see how Catkins would go in it against her classier stable mate Red Tracer. Catkins led practically from start to finish and was only beaten by Red Tracer on the line – by a nose. Fire Up Fifi ran third.

Nash Rawiller celebrates his win on Red Tracer in the Myer Classic

Catkins returns to scale – certainly not disgraced.

I didn’t bother staying for the last two races, so after collecting my winnings on Catkins I headed for the station.

So that was my Derby Day. My trepidations about the huge crowd were largely correct, but despite that it was fairly easy to move through the masses and also escape them in the stalls area. The queue to get a drink was long and the wait was tedious, but as I had one beer all afternoon I only had to endure it once.

Crowd scene

And I was pleased that my previous explorations of Flemington racecourse had equipped me to find the best spots for taking photos under the circumstances. I was surprised the spot I found on the fence was unoccupied before each race.  This was probably due to the area directly in front of it being taken up by broadcasting equipment and camera persons, which obscured the view of the big screen. I didn’t mind as I could see enough to gauge the pattern of the race. The below photo is of the press corps. The lady with long blonde/red hair and huge camera is Bronwen Healy, who takes wonderful photos of racehorses that make mine look amateurish which I freely admit they are.

The next race meeting is the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. I have decided not to attend it, but will probably go to the Oaks on Thursday and Emirate Stakes day next Saturday.

I’ve rushed this entry, as I wanted to get it posted tonight. Tomorrow I’ll post my thoughts on the Melbourne Cup.

All The Pretty Horses – Derby Day at Flemington

Complacent – photo from Racing & Sports

Flemington this Saturday launches its Spring racing festival, the first of four big days of first class racing, and what a fantastic line up there is on the cards. Every race is at a Group level and includes four Group One contests.

The feature race of course is the Group One Victoria Derby, where a field of sixteen young stayers will be vying for a share of the $1.5 million in prize money.  It’s a funny race, in that it is not all that surprising for a long shot chance to win it.  And remember the race is run at Flemington, where recently favourites have not been particularly successful.  However, in assessing the form, you have to consider the favourites; Savvy Nature who won the Mitchelton Wines Vase at Moonee Valley last weekend,  Complacent who won the Spring Champion Stakes at his last start,  Criterion who ran second to Complacent on that occasion, Polanski who won the Norman Robinson Stakes and runner up in that race San Diego, all have form on their side.  Savvy Nature, Complacent and Criterion have all drawn wide gates, which may prove disadvantageous, but in a distance race may not make much of a difference at all.

The Derby is run as the seventh race on the program, but before that happens, there are two other Group One races, the first being the Coolmore Stud Stakes, a race over 1200 metres for three year olds. The top pick is Golden Rose winner Zoustar, racing in Melbourne for the first time.  Also in the picture is Fast N Rocking, Divine Calling, Lion of Belfort and smart Queensland filly Missy Longstocking.

The Mackinnon Stakes is the last chance for horses who have not qualified for the Melbourne Cup to gain an automatic start. It is run over 2000 metres. Those vying for a place in the Melbourne Cup are pitted against already qualified horses like Dear Demi, who has a good chance of winning this race. Also in the picture are Jet Away who finished fourth in the Caulfield Cup and needs to win to gain entry to the Melbourne Cup. Solzhenitsyn last seen winning the Toorak Handicap has not won beyond 1600 metres, but if he can manage 2000 metres is a top chance. 

The Myer Classic is run after the Derby and is a 1600 metre Group One race for fillies and mares. Two of my favourite mares Red Tracer and Catkins are entered in this. Red Tracer has slightly more class than Catkins, but has yet to win over a mile. Catkins handled the mile at Moonee Valley last weekend with aplomb, so has a decent chance to win her first Group One.  Her main opposition will be from Red Tracer naturally, and also Fire Up Fifi, Sharnee Rose, Molto Bene and New Zealand mare Zonza, who are all in good form.

I am heartily glad that the VRC has not followed the example of MRC and MVRC in staging its feature race last, so it won’t be such a tiring day at the track. All the Group One races are run consecutively from 1.30pm, so I envisage arriving at the track at around 12.45 pm.

With a fine and sunny forecast, there is sure to be a huge crowd in attendance, so I hope my familiarity with the Flemington layout will enable me to obtain a good view of the races, and snap a few photos.